UCSD Extravaganza 2023

Matty Hiroto Inaba delivered the defining performance of the tournament by capturing first place in the 3x3x3 Cube with a winning average of 5.66 seconds, edging out Max Park in a high-stakes duel between elite competitors. The clash headlined an electric day of speedcubing at Mandeville Auditorium on the campus of UC San Diego, where a packed field of 165 entrants assembled to test their skills. Across 13 intense rounds in six different disciplines, contenders pushed each other to the limit, setting a ferocious standard right from the opening solves of the classic Rubik's Cube.

The battle between regional and international contenders brought extraordinary energy to the floor at UCSD Extravaganza 2023. Taking place on October 7, 2023, in San Diego, California, USA, the single-day WCA competition showcased fierce rivalries across multiple puzzle categories. While American speedcubers claimed 13 total podium spots throughout the event, visiting competitors from Korea, China, and Brazil mounted formidable challenges in nearly every bracket, demonstrating remarkable precision across both short-format sprint puzzles and demanding big cubes.

In the premier division, the 3x3 results confirmed the depth of the rivalry at the top tier of speed cubing. Inaba sealed the gold with his 5.66 average and recorded the best single solve of the event at 4.87 seconds across three rigorous rounds. Max Park secured second place with an average of 6.08 seconds, while Kavin Tangtartharakul rounded out the podium in third with a mark of 7.13. Park answered back emphatically in the 5x5x5 Cube, taking first place with a blistering winning average of 37.39 seconds and a single of 33.55, finishing ahead of Inaba who claimed second in 46.78 and Brendyn Dunagan in third at 50.13.

The sprint events featured a razor-thin finish between international stars in the 2x2x2 Cube final. Nancy Liu of China captured the title with an average of 1.57 seconds, narrowly overcoming Kyeongmin Choi of Korea, who finished in second place with a 1.59 average, while Dunagan placed third at 2.19. Choi established remarkable speed throughout the rounds, setting a single of 0.89 and an average of 1.43 seconds, while Liu registered an average of 1.87 and a single of 1.27. In the Clock event, Brazil found its champion as Vinícius Shaw secured victory with an average of 6.37 seconds, prevailing over Elijah Brown at 7.23 and Drake Denton Richard at 7.50.

Square-1 and blindfolded solving added further excitement to the schedule. Brendyn Dunagan took first place on Square-1 with a winning average of 6.99 seconds and a tournament-best single of 4.91, fending off Choi in second at 8.92 and Jack Flynn Stewart in third at 10.74. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded division, where competitors rely solely on memorisation before donning a blindfold, Graham Siggins led the standings with a winning average of 20.48 seconds and a single of 19.26. Tangtartharakul earned second place with an average of 24.12, and Choi picked up another podium finish by taking third in 31.31 seconds.

Beyond the podium contests, the cubing competition brought dozens of significant milestones and breakthroughs across the roster. Avery Neil Jimenez took on five disciplines, securing a best finish of 11th in Clock, attempting Square-1 for the first time with a 45.14, logging a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt of 2:14.93, and dropping their 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 2.51, which was 59.3 percent faster than before. Aayush Sahu also tackled five events, recording a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt of 1:36.24, a first Clock solve of 17.93, and a 2x2x2 Cube best of 2.76, an improvement of 50.9 percent. Lorelai Fath King improved their 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 13.76, a 40.7 percent jump, alongside a first 2x2x2 Cube mark of 5.69. Ian Park completed a first Clock attempt in 42.05, cut their 5x5x5 Cube mark by 39 percent to 2:54.52, and improved their 2x2x2 Cube time by 33.1 percent to 3.68.

The spirit of expanding into new events continued throughout UCSD Extravaganza 2023. Issac Goldberg completed all six offered events, logging first-ever attempts in the 5x5x5 Cube at 2:28.84, Square-1 at 56.58, and Clock at 11.89. Liv Coverdale also entered all six disciplines, recording a first 5x5x5 Cube time of 3:14.63, a first 3x3x3 Blindfolded solve of 4:19.68, and a 24 percent personal best drop in the 2x2x2 Cube to 4.35. Jason Chang tackled five events, posting first attempts in Clock at 38.36, the 5x5x5 Cube at 5:30.65, and the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event at 8:27.41. Christopher Alcaraz took on three events, achieving a first Clock mark of 1:03.12, a first 2x2x2 Cube solve of 9.46, and a 3x3x3 Cube best of 35.03, which was 33.4 percent faster than their prior record.

When the final solves concluded at UCSD Extravaganza 2023, the event underscored how friendly rivalries elevate the standard for every competitor. From world-class battles on the main stage to personal triumphs achieved across new disciplines, the gathering in San Diego demonstrated the vibrant community spirit that defines modern competitive speedcubing.