Weston-super-Mare Autumn 2023

Ben Stokes delivered a performance for the ages over the November 18-19 weekend, claiming the main 3x3x3 Cube title with an 8.14 average and securing two separate blindfolded victories. Hosted at the Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, United Kingdom, the event brought together 84 competitors across 11 disciplines and 19 rounds. Staging an expansive speedcubing schedule over the sea required meticulous coordination from the organising team, appointed WCA delegates, and regular volunteers. Their precise management kept every station running on schedule from early qualifying heats to late blindfolded sessions.

The operational crew managed judging stations, score runners, and scrambling tables across two packed days of speed cubing action. Delivering a full WCA competition on a coastal pier demands steady logistics, particularly when moving through 19 structured rounds without missing a beat. With 83 competitors taking part in the primary event, volunteers handled hundreds of scrambles with consistent accuracy. Their behind-the-scenes discipline gave seasoned title contenders and newcomers alike the stable platform needed to deliver their best possible times on the seaside stage in 2023.

The 3x3 results proved remarkably tight in the final round as Ben Stokes claimed top honours with his 8.14 average, followed closely by Joseph Briggs at 8.22 and Fabio Schwandt at 8.30. Stokes also conquered the classic Rubik's Cube without sight, taking the 3x3x3 Blindfolded crown with a best single solve of 22.99 seconds ahead of CJ Brooke at 57.92 and Cham J. Chambers at 51.71. Rounding out an exceptional triple crown, Stokes secured the 4x4x4 Blindfolded title with a single mark of 2:55.67.

German competitor Sebastian Weyer showcased supreme execution on big cubes at Weston-super-Mare Autumn 2023, claiming first place in both the 4x4x4 Cube and 5x5x5 Cube. In the 4x4x4 final, Weyer achieved a winning average of 21.54 seconds to top the 64-person field, while securing the 5x5x5 Cube victory with a 56.90 average. Philipp Weyer pressed closely behind in the 5x5x5 final to take second place with a 57.18 average, while Stokes earned third in 59.38 seconds, making it a five-podium weekend for Germany.

Multi-event specialist Cham J. Chambers collected two event wins across the weekend schedule, triumphing in Clock with a winning average of 4.09 seconds alongside Sam Shaw in second at 4.81 and Stokes in third at 6.80. Chambers also took first place in the 6x6x6 Cube with an average of 1:42.76, edging past Sebastian Weyer at 1:45.26 and Stokes at 1:59.64. In other contested brackets, Joseph Briggs won 3x3x3 One-Handed in 11.34 seconds, Aidan Grainger topped Megaminx in 33.72, Jason Harley claimed the 7x7x7 Cube in 2:51.54, and Callum Hales-Jepp seized 5x5x5 Blindfolded in 9:58.09.

Away from the podium battles at Weston-super-Mare Autumn 2023, numerous entrants achieved substantial personal benchmarks. Lamorna Luckhurst recorded a massive 48.9 percent drop on the 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 20.35 seconds, down from 39.80, and posted a first ever 4x4x4 Cube mark of 1:50.78. Thomas Parker dropped his 5x5x5 Cube best by 28.3 percent to 1:20.55 while tackling his first attempts at 6x6x6 Cube in 3:04.74 and 7x7x7 Cube in 5:29.43, finishing tenth overall in Megaminx across eight entered events.

Other competitors took on major multi-event programmes with remarkable breakthroughs. Milo Dymock improved his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 27.2 percent down to 18.36 seconds and registered a first 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt of 1:25.69. Maia Sanda reduced her 3x3x3 Cube time by 26.5 percent to 23.64 seconds alongside a debut 4x4x4 Cube effort of 1:44.41. Joh Fujita cut their Clock mark by 42.5 percent to 13.60 seconds, while Toby Sainthouse entered seven events, improving their 6x6x6 Cube best by 15.1 percent to 2:20.40 and debuting in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 28.51 seconds.

First-time competitors also made strong impressions during their maiden weekend appearances. Glyn Brown completed a five-event slate featuring a 16.60 single on the 3x3x3 Cube, a 1:58.18 in 5x5x5 Cube, and a 20th-place finish in 7x7x7 Cube with 5:23.96. Jacob Cosmod took on three events at his debut competition, recording 13.33 seconds in the 3x3x3 Cube for 30th place and logging maiden attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 30.98 and Megaminx at 2:45.15.

The 19 rounds of competition brought 28 podium finishes for United Kingdom entrants alongside five for German visitors across an expansive array of puzzles. From the initial heats to the concluding finals, the dedicated team of organizers, delegates, and community volunteers kept Weston-super-Mare Autumn 2023 moving smoothly from start to finish on the Somerset coast, providing a memorable weekend of competition for all 84 solvers as attention now turns to the upcoming tournament schedule.