Wisconsin Cubing Marathon 2023

Ninety-six competitors gathered on August 26, 2023, turning Central Wisconsin Convention + Expo Center into a relentless test of puzzle efficiency. Over the course of 11 rounds across six distinct events, speedcubing competitors based in the United States completed a total podium sweep, claiming all 18 top-three spots available during the day. Wisconsin Cubing Marathon 2023 served as a dynamic arena where elite performers traded championships across multiple formats and emerging talents found their footing in classic speed cubing disciplines.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a large field of 95 competitors across three rounds of intense action. Zeke Mackay captured the title with a winning average of 6.97 seconds, powered by a round-best single solve of 6.31 seconds. The traditional Rubik's Cube final saw Brian Johnson secure second place with a 7.47 average, while Carter Kucala took third place at 7.59 seconds. These 3x3 results marked the fastest resolution of the day on the standard puzzle.

Zeke Mackay repeated his gold-medal performance in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, claiming first place among eight entrants with a winning single time of 3:47.07. Simon Kellum earned second place with a time of 7:34.34, and Ben Becker claimed third with a 12:06.00 mark. The demanding discipline requires complete memorisation of pieces before blindfolded execution, leaving no room for error, and Mackay topped the standings as the only competitor to record a sub-four-minute single.

Brian Johnson produced two victories of his own across the schedule, prevailing first in 2x2x2 Cube. Johnson recorded a winning average of 1.51 seconds and a best single of 1.25 seconds in the 89-person event, edging out Carter Kucala at 1.63 seconds and Zeke Mackay at 1.89 seconds. Johnson later returned to the podium summit in Megaminx, conquering the 12-sided dodecahedron puzzle with a winning average of 49.53 seconds and a best single of 44.04 seconds, finishing ahead of Mackay at 52.23 and James Ekins at 52.85 seconds.

The Pyraminx event featured 74 competitors over two rounds and saw Simon Kellum capture the title with a 2.19 winning average and a 1.50 single solve. Carter Kucala took the runner-up spot with an average of 3.31 seconds, while Brian Johnson earned third at 3.38 seconds. In the big-cube discipline, Nathan Phillips commanded the 6x6x6 Cube event, recording an average of 1:37.89 and a single of 1:35.76 across 33 competitors to claim gold ahead of Mackay and Johnson.

Beyond the championship battles, several under-the-radar performers achieved significant breakthroughs at Wisconsin Cubing Marathon 2023. Raela Cantrall recorded a substantial Pyraminx personal best of 5.91 seconds, improving her previous mark by 62.9 percent. Yogi Wells dropped their 3x3x3 Cube best by 47.5 percent down to 41.04 seconds while logging first-ever official attempts of 6.35 seconds in 2x2x2 Cube and 23.86 seconds in Pyraminx. Clara Lederer posted a 30.7 percent improvement in 3x3x3 Cube with a 50.02 single, adding first official marks of 19.03 in 2x2x2 Cube and 13.70 in Pyraminx. Ian Harkins lowered his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 26 percent to 20.94 seconds alongside new event debuts of 6.99 seconds in 2x2x2 Cube and 12.79 in Pyraminx.

Noah A. Wilson advanced his Pyraminx personal best by 31.3 percent to 3.33 seconds and logged his first 6x6x6 Cube attempt at 4:43.01, finishing 27th overall. Colton Mrozinski took on five separate events, finishing 11th in Megaminx with a debut time of 1:03.36, submitting a first 6x6x6 Cube single of 4:00.53, and shaving 11.5 percent off his Pyraminx best to reach 7.03 seconds. Jonah Premnath entered five events and recorded initial career marks of 3.29 seconds in 2x2x2 Cube, 2:29.08 in Megaminx, and 7.75 in Pyraminx. Making his debut appearance at a WCA competition, Tony Pupp contested four events, posting opening marks of 4.82 in 2x2x2 Cube, 17.15 in 3x3x3 Cube, and 5.32 in Pyraminx.

The action in Rothschild, Wisconsin, USA illustrated the impressive depth of regional talent throughout a demanding single-day schedule. With multi-event podium finishes shared among leading solvers and meaningful milestones logged across the roster, Wisconsin Cubing Marathon 2023 concluded a full programme of competitive solving in Central Wisconsin.

As another official cubing competition wrapped up in 2023, the balance of veteran precision and widespread personal growth set a high benchmark for the upcoming regional season.