The Big Cube Melbourne 2023

Inside the hall at Mitcham Baptist Church, the focused rhythm of turning plastic and dropping timers set the tone for a full day of puzzle action in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Ninety-five competitors gathered on October 14, 2023, ready to contest 10 rounds across four different disciplines. The atmosphere carried the distinct focus of a dedicated cubing competition, where both standard setups and demanding alternative formats shared the center stage throughout the single-day schedule.

Specialty disciplines took an immediate spotlight, beginning with the complex challenge of the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event. With 22 competitors lining up, blindfolded solving demanded complete memorisation before executing turns without sight. Tam Quan proved masterful across the two rounds, securing the victory with a winning average of 25.67 alongside a best single of 20.34. Jack Cai followed in second place with a single of 23.67, while Lennon Hughes earned third with 1:02.81, capping a showcase of high-level blindfolded execution.

The alternate style continued in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, testing finger dexterity and single-arm turn efficiency across two hard-fought rounds. Phoenix Patterson rose to the top of the 46-competitor field, logging a winning average of 12.64 and a best single of 10.20. Divnoor Bajwa claimed the second step on the podium with an average of 14.82, while Jack Cai secured another podium finish of the day by taking third place with a mark of 15.45.

The Big Cube Melbourne 2023 delivered intense standard-format action as well, especially in the 2x2x2 Cube event. Phoenix Patterson clinched the win with a 1.61 average, having also posted a single of 1.09 and an average of 1.44 during the three rounds. Jacob Joshi finished in the runner-up spot with an average of 1.79 after recording an earlier single of 1.53, while Cameron Stollery took third with a 1.93 final average following a 1.45 single in preliminary play.

The classic Rubik's Cube brought the main bracket to its conclusion as 94 entrants contested the 3x3x3 Cube event across three rounds. Patterson completed a triple victory for the day, claiming first place with a winning average of 8.09 and a best single of 7.09. Lennon Hughes captured second place with a 9.28 average, and Divnoor Bajwa secured third on 9.41, finalizing the primary 3x3 results from the Melbourne venue.

Away from the top steps of the podium, The Big Cube Melbourne 2023 brought massive personal milestones for numerous solvers in the field. Ben Long delivered a standout improvement in the 2x2x2 Cube, logging a personal best of 3.45 to cut 49.2 percent off his former mark of 6.79. Jackson Gaffiero took on four different events, improving his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 2.44 by 47.6 percent, slicing his 3x3x3 One-Handed time down by 18.9 percent to 46.20, and registering his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a time of 6:08.87. Sunny Vo dropped 35.9 percent off his previous standard to record a 15.34 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube while also making his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 36.02.

Other competitors marked crucial breakthroughs across the four disciplines on offer. Sammy Gordon lowered his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 35.9 percent to 30.38 and improved his 3x3x3 Cube mark to 14.49. Hayden Wai registered a 36.92 personal best in 3x3x3 One-Handed, representing a 35.2 percent leap forward, alongside a 2.28 personal best in 2x2x2 Cube. Nicholas Pennell carved 31.8 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube standard to reach 3.26. Taking on three events at his first WCA competition, Omer Mohammed Alhassan debuted with 27.14 in 3x3x3 Cube, 9.53 in 2x2x2 Cube, and 1:10.58 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, while Joshua Isaac McAliece completed his first ever attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 56.63, 2x2x2 Cube with 5.44, and 3x3x3 Cube with 20.09.

Across every bracket, Australian competitors captured all 12 available podium positions, reflecting the strength of speedcubing talent in the region during the 2023 season. From blindfolded feats and one-handed control to rapid two-by-two turns and standard solves, the tournament delivered high-calibre speed cubing across all ten rounds. The Big Cube Melbourne 2023 demonstrated the depth of the local community, giving seasoned competitors and newcomers alike a memorable proving ground.

With four distinct events concluded and a full slate of new personal benchmarks written into the books, The Big Cube Melbourne 2023 highlighted the diverse technical disciplines that define modern puzzle competitions. The community now looks ahead to upcoming opportunities on the calendar as solvers continue refining their craft.