Turnin' in Termonfeckin Saturday 2023

A blistering 1.87-second final average set the standard for speed in County Louth as 76 competitors gathered on March 11, 2023, for a high-tempo day of official puzzle solving. Hosted at the St Fechins GAA Club in Termonfeckin, Drogheda, Louth, Ireland, Turnin' in Termonfeckin Saturday 2023 offered a compact yet demanding lineup of six distinct disciplines spread across ten rounds. From early morning heats to afternoon finals, the action highlighted both rapid sprint solving on the smaller cubes and technical command across the broader schedule of the WCA competition.

The 2x2x2 Cube tournament became a standout showcase of pure pace. Kalin Doherty captured first place with an extraordinary winning average of 1.87 seconds over the concluding five solves, backed by a lightning-fast single of 1.39 seconds across the two rounds. The event drew 71 competitors, making it the second largest bracket of the day. Rory Menary of the United Kingdom took the second podium spot with an average of 3.27 seconds, while Peter Illes finished third with a 3.36 average to round out an exceptionally rapid podium.

Attention quickly shifted to the main stage for the classic Rubik's Cube, where 75 competitors vied for the title in the largest event of the weekend. CJ Furey delivered an unmatched performance to top the 3x3 results, registering a winning average of 9.34 seconds alongside the tournament's fastest single solve at 7.63 seconds. Doherty followed closely behind to claim the runner-up position with a 10.00-second average, while Ruben McEwan took third place with an 11.07-second mark in a compelling display of standard speedcubing form.

Furey was not finished with the top step of the podium, returning to dominant form in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event. Navigating the field of 43 competitors in a single decisive round, Furey logged a winning average of 19.59 seconds and a best single time of 16.42 seconds. Natan Regiec secured second place with an average of 24.02 seconds, while Ronan Finke earned third place with a 24.79-second average, proving that one-handed speed cubing remains one of the sharpest tests of technical handling.

The broader rotation of puzzles brought further variety to the floor at Turnin' in Termonfeckin Saturday 2023. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Natan Regiec claimed victory with a 47.85-second average, punctuated by a best single of 41.07 seconds, finishing ahead of Eric Quinn at 49.50 and Furey at 51.13. William Carey took the Skewb title with an average of 3.59 seconds, besting Finke at 3.95 and McEwan at 5.44. In the Pyraminx final, Diarmuid Leo Clarke prevailed with a 5.51 average, narrowly edging Finke at 5.58 and Furey at 5.86 across two closely matched rounds.

Beyond the championship races, individual milestones defined the rhythm of the floor for competitors chasing new standards across multiple disciplines. Jack Smyth took on six separate events and delivered an enormous breakthrough, securing an eighth-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a personal best of 25.34 seconds, which was 65.8 percent faster than his previous mark, alongside a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 12.86 seconds and a first career Skewb mark of 8.87 seconds. Nathan Callaghan cut his 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 5.56 seconds, an improvement of 51.8 percent, while also recording his first official attempts in Skewb at 12.67 and Pyraminx at 7.10. Ava Geraghty logged a busy schedule of five events, placing 16th in Pyraminx while logging first-ever attempts in Skewb at 7.48, 4x4x4 Cube at 1:50.20, and Pyraminx at 6.71. Charles Mac Alister tackled six events, achieving 12th in 4x4x4 Cube with a personal best of 55.94 seconds, an improvement of 23.3 percent, a Skewb personal best of 8.60 seconds, and a first one-handed solve of 35.01 seconds.

That drive extended across the full roster of competitors testing new events and achieving major progress. Rory Power Breen posted a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 36.37 seconds, cutting 36 percent off his prior benchmark to place 16th, while also registering his first 4x4x4 Cube attempt at 2:31.24 and a 3x3x3 personal best of 14.25. Ethan Kelly improved his Pyraminx personal best by 33.4 percent with a 9.97-second result and recorded his first one-handed solve at 1:03.89. James Rainey notched personal bests in Skewb at 5.65 seconds and One-Handed at 54.05 seconds while taking his first 4x4x4 solve at 1:46.28. Robert Haraszti advanced his Skewb mark to 7.05 seconds, an improvement of 47.8 percent, alongside improvements in 4x4x4 Cube and 2x2x2 Cube across a full six-event program.

The day concluded with Irish competitors claiming 15 podium places and visiting United Kingdom solvers taking three across the six contested formats. From the lightning-fast turnarounds of the 2x2x2 finals to the layered complexities of the larger cubes, the cubing competition provided a comprehensive test of dexterity and mental sharpness. With the tables packed away at St Fechins GAA Club, the results stand as a strong testament to the quality of the 2023 speedcubing circuit.