Virginia Championship 2023

Inside the Henrico Sports & Events Center, the solving stations were in perpetual motion from November 10 to November 12, 2023. Over three full days in Richmond, Virginia, USA, tables were covered in an expansive range of hardware: tiny pocket cubes, sprawling multi-layered big cubes, flat circular clocks, and dodecahedrons. The gathering brought together 268 competitors navigating 30 rounds across 17 official disciplines, turning the arena into a living showcase of the immense mechanical diversity found in modern speedcubing.

The Virginia Championship 2023 tested every facet of mechanical agility, memory, and spatial reasoning. Across the weekend, participants moved between the fast turns of the standard Rubik's Cube and specialized disciplines that demand entirely distinct solving techniques. From rapid two-handed twisting to solitary blindfolded trials and the deliberate scrutiny of fewest moves, the schedule offered a comprehensive look at what a massive cubing competition can deliver when all official puzzle categories share the floor.

Ari Randers-Pehrson delivered an extraordinary sweep across the big-cube roster, taking victories in four separate events. Randers-Pehrson captured first place in the 4x4x4 Cube with a winning average of 24.91 seconds ahead of Carson Widjaja at 29.16 and Stanley Chapel at 29.18. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Randers-Pehrson posted a 52.01 average to lead Chapel at 53.56 and Hassan Khanani at 1:01.01. Randers-Pehrson also claimed the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:39.98 mean and the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:42.55 mean, overcoming Chapel in both finals.

Stanley Chapel produced a masterclass across the specialized and memory-heavy events, winning six different disciplines over the weekend. Chapel excelled without sight, claiming the 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a top single of 16.14 seconds, the 4x4x4 Blindfolded in 59.21 seconds, and the 5x5x5 Blindfolded in 2:04.41. Chapel also conquered the grueling 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event by successfully solving 46 out of 52 cubes in 59:16. Chapel rounded out the collection of hardware by winning the Megaminx with a 46.71 average and taking first in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 27.00 average.

The premier 3x3 results at the Virginia Championship 2023 saw Carson Widjaja secure the title in a field of 259 entrants. Widjaja delivered a winning average of 6.83 seconds, highlighted by a best single of 6.50, to take the top step on the podium. Randers-Pehrson secured second place with an average of 7.35 seconds, while Zayn Khanani finished third at 7.44 seconds. Widjaja showed great consistency through all three rounds of the classic three-by-three format.

Beyond the flagship contest, speed cubing specialists made their mark on the shorter events. Zayn Khanani claimed the 2x2x2 Cube with a blistering 1.20 average, having earlier recorded an ultra-fast 0.71 single, and went on to win Skewb with a 2.04 average. Michael Nielsen claimed top honors in Pyraminx with a 1.54 average and won 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 13.45. Hassan Khanani controlled the remaining side puzzles, winning Square-1 with a 6.76 average and Clock with a 5.71 average, edging out Charles Jerome at 5.84 and Chapel at 6.02.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors broadened their horizons across the packed schedule. Anias Del Campo tackled 12 events, taking on a first official Megaminx attempt with a time of 2:58.08, a debut 3x3x3 One-Handed single of 26.25, and an initial 6x6x6 Cube mark of 7:03.30. Luke Stevenson completed 12 events, logging inaugural official marks in Skewb at 8.02 seconds, 7x7x7 Cube at 9:30.30, and 6x6x6 Cube at 5:14.97. Lucas Benjamin Hyles entered 14 events, posting a first attempt of 45 moves in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, a 9:50.39 in 7x7x7, and a 3:08.26 in Megaminx. Parker Drumheller took on 12 events, trying Square-1 for the first time with a 24.76 single, while registering maiden attempts of 2:43.98 in 6x6x6 and 5:31.00 in 7x7x7.

The push into new disciplines continued throughout the venue. Sai Kintali took on 9 events, trying Megaminx for the first time with a 3:24.47, Square-1 with a 1:19.54, and Skewb with an 11.10. Ty Yeager entered 9 events, recording first marks in Skewb at 6.65, 3x3x3 One-Handed at 31.58, and Square-1 at 1:02.53. Landon Jones tackled 8 events, registering a first 2x2x2 Cube solve of 2.90 seconds, alongside debuts of 32.37 in 3x3x3 One-Handed and 5:17.82 in 6x6x6 Cube. Annelise Cummings also contested 8 events, logging first attempts in Megaminx at 3:07.42, Skewb at 15.31, and 5x5x5 Cube at 4:11.05.

The three-day WCA competition highlighted how diverse the sport has become across every tier of participation. Over hundreds of solves, competitors tackled everything from straightforward sprints to intricate geometric endurance tests. With 55 podium finishes for United States competitors and 2 for Colombia, the action concluded with a rich set of performances across every puzzle format on the program.