WA Open 2023

The cavernous Ellie Eaton Pavilion at Claremont Showground carried the unmistakable hum of spinning plastic, clicking mechanisms, and ticking timers across two intense days of puzzle solving. Competitors and spectators gathered around the tournament tables, tracking the digital displays as the final rounds drew down to their deciding attempts. Across August 26 and August 27, the venue served as the focal point for regional speedcubing, hosting 143 competitors across eight distinct events and 17 grueling rounds of head-to-head play.

The marquee showdown came down to the wire in the 2x2x2 Cube final, where margins were reduced to mere hundredths of a second on the decisive solves. Joshua Hounslow claimed victory with a blisteringly fast 2.44-second winning average, holding off Jonathan Charlesworth who locked in second place at 2.48 seconds. Tyler Williams secured third on the podium with a 2.80 average, concluding an exceptionally tight podium race in front of the Perth gallery.

In the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, Alevio Hamizan Ersha delivered a masterclass in consistency and pace, capturing the title with an average of 7.91 seconds and a tournament-best single of 6.92 seconds. Jeremy Foott earned the silver position with an average of 8.40 seconds, while Jonathan Charlesworth stepped onto the podium once again in third place with 8.57 seconds. The standard 3x3 results across the 137-competitor bracket underscored the elite level of execution demanded over three rigorous stages.

Jonathan Charlesworth compiled an extraordinary weekend across multiple categories, capturing three individual titles. Charlesworth secured top honors in the 4x4x4 Cube with an average of 32.52 seconds, besting Joshua Hounslow at 34.00 and Zak Kenny at 35.50. Charlesworth also prevailed in Skewb with a 3.56-second average, narrowly edging Tyler Williams at 3.61 and Amy Smith at 4.25, and rounded out his triumphs by claiming the 5x5x5 Cube title in 1:00.58 ahead of Jaxon Foster and Alevio Hamizan Ersha.

The diverse schedule featured varied disciplines testing different styles of speed cubing, from intricate geometric shapes to complex memorisation. James Holdsworth stood atop the podium in Megaminx, navigating the twelve-sided puzzle to post a winning average of 49.35 seconds, finishing ahead of Charlesworth and Kenny. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded category, Amy Smith demonstrated exceptional spatial memory and precision, winning the title with a 52.22-second average, followed by Joshua Hounslow at 54.88 and Zak Kenny at 1:43.10. Hounslow collected another gold in Pyraminx with a 3.90 average.

Away from the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones and substantial personal bests across the schedule. Gagan Gupta entered four events and made significant strides, recording a first ever attempt in Pyraminx at 14.75 and a first 4x4x4 Cube mark of 2:24.24, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 4.76 that cut his previous mark by 66.9 percent. Jakobie Fernandez took on four events, logging a first Pyraminx solve of 10.33 and a first Skewb attempt of 12.29, while improving his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 4.51, a 63.5 percent leap. Aaron Edwards tackled eight events, securing 13th in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging debut attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 3:07.24 and Megaminx at 2:08.32, and dropping his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 44.5 percent to 3.16. Elodie Smith competed across seven events, registering first attempts in Megaminx at 2:48.54 and Pyraminx at 11.54, while achieving a 30.5 percent personal best improvement in 2x2x2 Cube with a 4.58.

The momentum continued as Nathaniel Xian Loong Lee completed four events, posting first attempts in Megaminx at 2:19.01 and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:38.42, alongside a 41.7 percent personal best cut in the 3x3x3 Cube down to 9.56 seconds. Henry Hunter logged a debut 2x2x2 Cube mark of 2.68 and a Pyraminx time of 9.10, while slashing his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 37.5 percent to 1:29.36. Oliver Kandiah completed seven events, charting debut marks in 5x5x5 Cube at 3:43.07 and Megaminx at 2:28.59, complemented by a 33.4 percent drop in Skewb to 11.55. Liam Reid embraced seven events, setting first attempts in Megaminx at 2:54.83 and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:59.82, while trimming his Pyraminx personal best by 31.7 percent to 4.59.

Across the entire weekend, this major WCA competition illustrated the immense depth present in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Home competitors earned 22 podium places during the meet, joined on the leaderboards by two podium finishes for Indonesia. Whether attacking the classic Rubik's Cube in the main bracket or conquering the largest multilayer puzzles, participants showcased technical excellence throughout WA Open 2023.

As the final timers stopped and the tournament tables were cleared at Claremont Showground, WA Open 2023 concluded as a memorable showcase of focused dexterity and athletic speedcubing. The 2023 calendar continues to highlight sharp progression across all disciplines, leaving the local speedcubing community with fresh benchmarks to chase as preparation begins for future tournament challenges.