Westport Warmup 2023

Sixty-nine competitors gathered across two days of intense action as Westport Warmup 2023 got underway in Westport, Connecticut, USA. Staged across The Westport Library and a private residence from July 15 to July 16, 2023, the cubing competition packed ten full rounds of high-speed solving into a vibrant summer weekend. The event schedule tested dexterity across six varied disciplines, demanding complete mastery of ergonomics, recognition, and algorithmic execution.

While traditional two-handed speedcubing relies on raw turning speed, solving disciplines that emphasize isolated mechanics showcase pure efficiency and turn precision. Across the weekend, athletes proved that economy of movement remains the ultimate equalizer on the table. Every turn had to count, from the fast setups on shorter puzzles to the deep analytical foresight required when planning each layer without wasted rotations.

In the marquee 3x3x3 Cube event, three rounds of competition culminated in an exciting final. Timothy Yang claimed top honors with a decisive winning average of 7.27 seconds, backed by a best single of 6.08. Daniel Gutierrez took the second step on the podium with a 7.63 average, while Kymberlyn Calderon secured third place with a 7.68 mark. The standard 3x3 results reflected remarkable consistency among the 67 competitors who entered the main bracket.

Kerry Creech delivered one of the weekend's standout performances by clinching two event victories. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Creech topped the field of 64 competitors with a 1.89 winning average after earlier notching a 1.52 average and a 1.11 single in the rounds. Calderon took second with a 2.12 average, and Daniel Karnaukh followed in third at 2.16. Creech returned to the top of the podium in Pyraminx, taking first place with a 2.03 average ahead of Parker Trager at 2.35 and Krish Shah-Nathwani at 2.66.

Beyond the sprint formats, the schedule challenged competitors with distinct mental tests. Daniel Karnaukh captured victory in the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves contest with a 21.67 average and a best single of 20 moves, edging out Creech at 23.00 and Shah-Nathwani at 23.67. Alexei Sinyavin dominated the Megaminx division, winning with a 32.61 average and a blistering single of 29.00. Blindfolded solving, which requires intense memorisation and spatial recall, saw Evan Liu win the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title with a 1:04.98 average.

The official results sheet captures only a fraction of the progress made on the competition floor, where numerous competitors reached major personal milestones. Luke DeMeo achieved a 10th-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a personal best of 2:45.62 that was 48.1 percent faster than his prior mark. Priya Batra took on three events, posting a personal best of 20.28 in 2x2x2 Cube for a 43.9 percent improvement alongside a first attempt at Pyraminx with a time of 28.70. Ian Liong recorded a 3.08 in 2x2x2 Cube, trimming 43.5 percent off his previous record, while Emilia Austrian cut 42.7 percent from her Pyraminx best to finish at 11.87.

Breakthrough performances continued across the roster throughout the weekend. Linus Afloarei Tsapelas took on three events and improved his Pyraminx personal best by 35.3 percent to 8.29, while also completing a first official 2x2x2 Cube attempt at 23.84. Chase Harman also saw a 35.3 percent drop on Pyraminx, reaching a 10.85 personal best. Julian Lev Straff recorded a first official 2x2x2 Cube solve of 3.80 and dropped his Pyraminx mark by 24.7 percent to 9.56. Yingjie Fan logged three personal bests across three events, highlighted by a 9.98 in 2x2x2 Cube, which was 29.2 percent faster than before.

Four entrants also made their official debut appearances at Westport Warmup 2023, diving straight into multiple disciplines. Dylan Igel completed initial marks across three events, including a 43.53 in 3x3x3 Cube, while Charles Kopcsay debuted with a 3.95 in 2x2x2 Cube, a 14.12 in Pyraminx, and a 27.55 in 3x3x3 Cube. Haru Watanabe posted first-time marks of 8.95 on 2x2x2 Cube and 24.24 on the classic Rubik's Cube. Yiming Qi entered two events, establishing opening marks of 11.36 on 2x2x2 Cube and 22.92 on the 3x3x3 Cube.

With 18 podium spots swept by United States competitors across six events, the gathering showcased the depth of the regional speed cubing scene. From the meticulous planning required on the twelve-sided Megaminx to the rapid pace of the short-format finals, the WCA competition proved to be a masterclass in focus and execution as competitors look ahead to the next stage of the season.