Utah Championship 2023

Paul Mahvi set an extraordinary standard on the big cubes, claiming four distinct championship titles across a packed schedule at the University of Utah Union Building. His commanding sweep of the 4x4x4 Cube, 5x5x5 Cube, 6x6x6 Cube, and 7x7x7 Cube highlighted an intense weekend of puzzle solving in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. While blindfolded solving stands as the ultimate test of pure memorisation and quiet focus in speedcubing, navigating the vast layers of the largest puzzles requires a similar level of deep concentration. Across 23 rounds of play on November 11 and November 12, 127 competitors brought their sharpest calculation to the tables.

The Utah Championship 2023 offered an extensive slate of 11 official events, drawing solvers from across the region to test their preparation under match conditions. In the classic Rubik's Cube category, 122 competitors battled through three rounds before Eric Pesci seized first place. Pesci secured the victory with a 7.60 winning average, supported by a rapid 6.66 single. Mahvi followed closely in second place with an 8.00 average, while Canyon Pettitt rounded out the podium in third with an 8.78 average. The premier 3x3 results demonstrated how fine the margins were between the top contenders throughout the final round.

Pesci doubled his gold medal haul by securing the 2x2x2 Cube title, recording a 2.49 average along with a best single of 2.39. David Dopp earned second place with a 2.62 average, while Elijah Poma finished third with a 2.89 mark. The event saw remarkable depth across two rounds, featuring a large field of 113 competitors aiming for quick turn sequences and minimal pauses. The rapid-fire format of the smaller puzzle served as a dramatic contrast to the extended stamina required for the weekend's heavier events.

In the big cube divisions, Mahvi proved completely dominant across the entire weekend. He opened his multi-event triumph by capturing the 4x4x4 Cube with a 28.52 average and a 26.83 single in an 82-competitor field. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Mahvi took first with a 54.31 average, besting Pesci who took second with 1:00.89 and Mateo Tiul in third at 1:06.75. Stepping up to the 6x6x6 Cube, Mahvi won with a 1:35.56 average ahead of Ty Baird at 1:46.14 and Pesci at 1:53.41. Mahvi finished his sweep in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a 2:24.39 winning average.

Beyond the main cubes, the side events delivered sharp finishes and diverse technical challenges. Mateo Tiul took top honours in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a winning average of 14.74 over Canyon Pettitt at 15.13 and Isaac Myers at 17.01. In Megaminx, Anton Smolyanyy paced the 37-person roster by winning with a 42.94 average, clear of Pettitt at 58.93 and Tiul at 1:01.23. Jacob Levie captured the Skewb title with a 3.23 average, leading Ace Schembri and Pettitt, while Calvin Nielson won Square-1 in 10.40 and Corbin Rodriguez claimed Pyraminx in 2.85.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved notable milestones during the Utah Championship 2023. Hunter Ford produced one of the largest gains of the weekend, cutting his Skewb personal best by 72 percent down to 9.07, lowering his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 22.9 percent to 6.10, and logging a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 2:09.45. Brock Davies took on five events and dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best by 59.5 percent to 15.91, alongside a first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 54.84 time. Brodie Bishop improved his Pyraminx personal best by 55 percent down to 11.37 while attempting both 4x4x4 Cube and Skewb for the first time. Jeffrey Evan Trewartha lowered his Skewb personal best by 50.7 percent to 17.50 and posted his first official results in two other puzzles.

Other participants took on broad event programs and achieved critical breakthroughs at this WCA competition. Asher Watkins lowered his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 61.2 percent to 2.73 and improved his Skewb time by 34.5 percent to 13.38. Amethyst Mak tackled an extensive schedule of 11 events, registering a first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube in 5:08.18, a first attempt at Square-1 in 25.65, and a first Skewb solve at 10.34. Peter K. Haws also took on 11 events, marking his initial attempts in Pyraminx at 6.44, Square-1 at 37.90, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:52.44. Trevin Durfee completed seven events, securing ninth place in Skewb while logging first attempts in Square-1, 4x4x4 Cube, and 3x3x3 One-Handed.

The successful run of the Utah Championship 2023 concluded two full days of high-level speed cubing in the Intermountain West. With 33 podium places earned by competitors representing the United States, the gathering demonstrated the impressive skill present throughout the regional community. From the fastest three-by-three sprints to the demanding mental focus of multi-layered puzzles, this cubing competition provided a comprehensive stage for solvers in 2023 as they look ahead to the next season.