Vegas Cubing Fall 2023

Ivan Vanek delivered the defining performance of the tournament by capturing top honors in both 2x2x2 Cube and Square-1, establishing his presence across both rapid-fire short puzzles and complex shape-shifting formats. The single-day WCA competition brought high-level speedcubing back to the tables on October 28, 2023, drawing 87 competitors to Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Vanek sealed the 2x2x2 Cube title with an average of 2.04 seconds, edging ahead of a fiercely competitive field that tested the limits of turning efficiency at The Orleans Hotel & Casino.

The one-day cubing competition featured 6 official events and 11 rounds of intense match-ups, with United States competitors sweeping all 18 podium positions across the schedule. The 2x2x2 Cube event stood out as an extraordinary display of speed cubing depth, producing a series of blistering marks. Elijah Poma secured the event single with a 1.28-second solve and took second place overall with a 2.10 average, while Dan Tran captured third on the podium with a 2.66 average and a best solve of 1.69 seconds.

In the classic 3x3x3 Cube, Jaden Thompson emerged victorious after navigating three demanding rounds against 85 competitors. Thompson clinched the title with a tournament-winning average of 9.29 seconds and posted the fastest single of the category at 7.91 seconds. Dan Tran took second place in the 3x3 results with an average of 9.74 seconds, followed by Ivan Vanek in third with a 10.17 average. The high standard of play across the main bracket underlined the sharpening technical abilities of the region in 2023.

Dan Tran proved to be the most versatile entrant of the meet, claiming two distinct championship titles alongside his podiums in other disciplines. Tran dominated the 5x5x5 Cube, finishing with an average of 56.31 seconds and a 50.72 single to finish well clear of runner-up Cy Hamilton at 1:28.42 and Jaden Thompson in third at 1:29.67. In Megaminx, Tran once again outpaced the 26-player field, recording a winning average of 54.36 seconds and a 50.06 single, ahead of Daniel Doherty at 1:01.05 and Remy Trieu at 1:29.07.

The remaining puzzle events offered equally compelling podium battles. Preston Schwartz captured the Pyraminx crown with an impressive 3.59-second average and a 3.27 single, holding off Andrew Soberano with a 4.26 average and Jaden Thompson with a 4.31 average. In Square-1, Ivan Vanek secured his second tournament triumph with a 9.27-second winning average, finishing ahead of Dan Tran at 13.33 seconds and Jaden Thompson at 14.33 seconds.

Beyond the championship podiums, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones in their personal development. Jaxon Roberts took on three events and slashed his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 67.1 percent, dropping his personal best to 5.16 seconds from a previous 15.68, while also making a first career attempt at Pyraminx with an 18.10 result. Oleksandr Sheikin improved his Pyraminx personal record to 4.55 seconds, an impressive 54.5 percent drop from 10.01, alongside a first attempt in 2x2x2 Cube at 9.47 seconds. Kyle Price contested six separate events, logging a personal best of 8.66 seconds in Pyraminx to best his previous 14.07 by 38.5 percent, and entered Megaminx for the first time with a 2:44.37. Zachary Tawresey Zapata saw significant progress across his three events, lowering his Pyraminx personal record by 40.2 percent to 12.58 seconds and cutting his Rubik's Cube best down to 43.64 seconds.

First-time event entries and breakthrough solves continued down the roster. Christin Ponciano tackled six events, earning a 9th-place finish in Megaminx at 1:34.56, while also completing maiden attempts in Square-1 at 32.44 seconds and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:35.73. Adonis Cabasa took on six disciplines, claiming 14th place in 5x5x5 Cube with a debut 2:14.36, in addition to initial attempts in Megaminx at 2:01.93 and Square-1 at 24.10 seconds. Connor Pavicic recorded a 9th-place finish in 3x3x3 Cube and set personal bests in 2x2x2 Cube at 3.34 seconds and Pyraminx at 5.75 seconds, while also logging a 34.77 in his first Square-1 attempt. Making an official tournament debut, Miles Henderson entered four disciplines, achieving a best finish of 24th in 5x5x5 Cube with a 3:24.00, while recording initial marks of 5.24 in 2x2x2 Cube and 11.82 in 3x3x3 Cube.

Vegas Cubing Fall 2023 brought together veterans and newcomers in a display of steady progress across the speedcubing community. With balanced fields in large cubes, side events, and short formats, the single-day competition concluded a memorable chapter of competitive turning in the desert.