Virginia Beach Fall 2023

A blistering 1.12-second winning average in the 2x2x2 Cube set the tone for an extraordinary display of speedcubing brilliance in coastal Virginia. Zayn Khanani delivered a commanding performance on September 30, 2023, capturing multiple top spots and dictating the pace across the tables. Held at the Great Neck Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, the gathering brought together 107 competitors for a packed schedule spanning six diverse disciplines and ten full rounds of tournament action.

The centerpiece of the cubing competition was the classic 3x3x3 Cube, where 106 competitors tested their abilities over three intense rounds. Zayn Khanani maintained his composure through the final round, locking down the premier title with a winning average of 7.32 seconds and a best single of 6.23 seconds. Ashten Jampayas secured second place on the podium with a 7.72 average, while Michael Nielsen completed the top three with an 8.08 average in the final 3x3 results.

Zayn Khanani doubled his haul of gold medals by securing top honors in the 2x2x2 Cube. His 1.12 final average outpaced runner-up Charles Jerome, who logged a 1.71 average, and third-place finisher Hassan Khanani, who registered a 1.76 mark. In the opening round of the event, Zayn Khanani also laid down an exceptional 0.91 single alongside an official 1.07 single and 1.52 average, spearheading a fast-paced field where competitors pushed the sprint discipline to its absolute limits.

The 4x4x4 Cube brought a longer test of lookahead and turning precision, drawing 74 entrants to the single-round showdown. Ashten Jampayas earned the victory on the big Rubik's Cube with a crisp 30.77 winning average and a single solve of 29.02 seconds. Charles Jerome took second place with an average of 32.87 seconds, and Blake Thompson rounded out the podium positions by taking third place with a 33.12 average.

In the Pyraminx, Michael Nielsen commanded the two-round bracket of 88 solvers, sealing first place with a stellar 2.02 average and a lightning single of 1.39 seconds. Hassan Khanani claimed the silver position with an average of 4.28 seconds, followed by William Klauer in third at 4.49 seconds. Hassan Khanani responded in the Square-1 event, dominating the 42-person contest with a winning 5.74 average and a 4.59 single, finishing ahead of Zayn Khanani at 7.45 and Charles Jerome at 9.74.

Beyond the championship races, the floor featured remarkable personal milestones across every tier of the field. Joel A. Beck Sarmiento entered four events and made enormous gains, cutting his 3x3x3 Cube best by 45.9 percent down to 21.14 seconds, shaving his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 41.3 percent to 5.05 seconds, and posting a first ever attempt of 2:03.02 in the 4x4x4 Cube. Caroline Feldman took on four events, dropping her 3x3x3 Cube time by 44.5 percent to 44.88 seconds, cutting her 2x2x2 Cube time by 30.6 percent to 9.49 seconds, and logging an initial 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 2:56.82. Luke Stevenson made major strides in five events, lowering his 4x4x4 Cube time by 43.5 percent to 1:13.25 while making his first ever official attempts in Clock at 19.02 and Pyraminx at 9.96. Erik Tifft tackled six disciplines, slashing his Clock personal best by 55.4 percent to 12.35 seconds, improving his Pyraminx time by 17.6 percent to 5.96 seconds, and completing his first ever attempt at Square-1 in 53.38 seconds.

Other competitors took on ambitious multi-discipline slates to expand their tournament repertoire. John Sluss entered three events, cutting his Pyraminx record by 47.4 percent down to 7.77 seconds, lowering his 3x3x3 Cube best to 51.67 seconds, and recording a first ever attempt of 9.99 in the 2x2x2 Cube. Manny Hernandez took on six events, achieving a best finish of 27th place in Pyraminx while logging first ever official attempts in the 4x4x4 Cube at 1:36.48, Clock at 17.98, and Square-1 at 1:23.21. Zion Causey contested six events, finishing 16th in the 2x2x2 Cube, reducing his Pyraminx personal best by 19.3 percent to 5.23 seconds, and completing first ever attempts in Clock at 18.13 and Square-1 at 33.22. Anias Del Campo made their first WCA competition appearance, taking on six events, securing 24th in Clock with an initial attempt of 13.72, and registering first attempts of 13.38 in the 3x3x3 Cube and 1:26.07 in Square-1.

The single-round Clock contest provided a razor-thin finish among 52 entrants. Bhuvanesh Ganta clinched the victory with a 6.71 winning average and a 5.32 single, edging out Hassan Khanani, who took second place with a 6.73 average, and Charles Jerome, who earned third with a 7.16 average. Competitors from the United States collected all 18 podium positions available across the program.

The smooth execution of Virginia Beach Fall 2023 highlighted the vibrant energy of speed cubing in the region throughout 2023. From decisive multi-event triumphs at the top of the standings to hundreds of personal benchmarks set across the venue, the tournament delivered a compelling day of competitive puzzle solving.