Take Your Time Richmond 2023

Sameer Aggarwal delivered a masterclass in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, capturing first place across five separate events in a dominant display. The American standout swept through the big cubes and side puzzles with precision, claiming victories in 4x4x4 Cube, 5x5x5 Cube, 6x6x6 Cube, 7x7x7 Cube, and Megaminx. Held at J.N. Burnett Secondary School on May 14, 2023, Take Your Time Richmond 2023 gathered 44 competitors for a packed one-day schedule featuring seven events and eight rounds of intense Rubik's Cube action.

Beyond the headline sweeps, the atmosphere in Richmond was shaped by an influx of emerging talent and fresh faces stepping up for their very first speedcubing milestones. Across the roster, newcomers took to the competition tables to log their inaugural times alongside experienced solvers. The single-day schedule provided a rare platform for enthusiasts of longer events, giving competitors of all skill levels the room to push their capabilities in a supportive setting.

Aggarwal set the pace early in the 4x4x4 Cube, pacing the 41-competitor field across two rounds with an exceptional 30.43 winning average and the best single of 24.98. Luke Jankowiak secured the runner-up spot with an average of 35.17, while Jonathan Truchot took third in 35.38. Aggarwal carried that momentum straight into 5x5x5 Cube, winning with a 56.26 average ahead of Jack Anderson in 1:08.50 and Truchot in 1:10.70. With deep fields challenging every round, this WCA competition quickly became a test of endurance and focus.

The heavy cubes showcased similar dominance, as Aggarwal took the 6x6x6 Cube title with a 1:42.31 average and a single of 1:41.39, holding off Anderson at 1:59.51 and Kevin Matthews at 2:02.76. In 7x7x7 Cube, Aggarwal completed his big-cube sweep by posting a winning average of 2:53.37. Anderson earned another silver with a 3:08.73 average, and Ruotong Wang (王若同) stepped onto the podium for third with a 3:11.82 mark. Aggarwal added the Megaminx title to his collection with a 50.26 average, finishing ahead of Ethan Rusnak at 57.87 and Anderson at 58.88.

While the title chase unfolded at the top of the standings, the true heartbeat of the tournament lived in the major milestones logged throughout the field. Matthew Ma took on six events and achieved a massive personal best in the 4x4x4 Cube of 45.50, which was 52.7 percent faster than his prior mark, alongside his first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube with a 3:22.27. Yun-Ju Hsieh (謝昀儒) entered five events and recorded remarkable progress, cutting his 5x5x5 Cube best by 48.8 percent down to 1:19.04 and improving his 7x7x7 Cube best by 47.3 percent to 3:46.63 for a sixth-place finish. Kyle Tam entered four events, posting a personal best of 3:40.21 in 3x3x3 Blindfolded that was 45.8 percent faster, while Tyler Ly improved his 6x6x6 Cube mark by 17.3 percent to 3:15.49.

Several solvers marked their arrival by logging their first official attempts across diverse disciplines. Jimbo Cai completed his first WCA competition by tackling three events, logging a 1:24.86 in his first attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded to earn fifth place, in addition to first attempts in 4x4x4 Cube at 1:10.60 and 5x5x5 Cube at 3:30.96. Hengyu Liu (刘恒羽) also participated in their first WCA competition, taking on five events with a 52.47 in 4x4x4 Cube and a 1:56.28 in 5x5x5 Cube. Henry Zhang completed his first official contest with a 27.97 in Clock, while Angus Chung took on five events and made his first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube with a 5:13.55.

Specialist events generated tight battles as well. In the Clock event, Dilshawn Sidhu captured the victory with a 5.61 average and a tournament-best single of 4.68 across 19 competitors. Kye Riddell took second place with an average of 7.03, while Aggarwal rounded out the top three with an 8.75 average. The precision required on the geared dials tested the focus of every entrant in one of the most technical disciplines of the weekend.

In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where competitors must fully commit the puzzle to memory before donning a blindfold, Kevin Matthews took the top prize with a winning average of 48.56 and a top single of 41.52. Aggarwal followed in second place with a 56.33 single, while Rusnak grabbed third with a 59.00 single. Although the traditional 3x3 results were absent from the schedule, blindfolded solving provided plenty of drama as competitors pushed their memory to the limit.

When the final rounds concluded at Take Your Time Richmond 2023, the event stood out as a celebration of large cubes and personal breakthroughs. Solvers left Richmond with fresh milestones across multiple disciplines, having tested their skills against demanding formats. As the speed cubing calendar moves forward through the 2023 season, this cubing competition proved that endurance and dedicated preparation pay off across every puzzle size.

With 13 podium finishes for the United States, seven for Canada, and one for China, the day reflected the competitive depth of the regional scene. From decisive sweeps to the emergence of promising new solvers, the tournament delivered a memorable showcase of skill and determination. Competitors now look ahead to upcoming meets, carrying the momentum and experience gained from a full day of solving in British Columbia.