Keep cubing and carry on: 11 countries represented in the CubingUSA Southeast Championship in Orange Beach

Sports tourism extends far beyond the traditional ball fields with esports and events like chess and cubing continuing to grow. The CubingUSA Southeast Championship will take place at the Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf April 15-16, 2023, with more than 230 competitors representing 11 countries.

This year's championship will feature 16 event categories, including the standard 3x3x3 cube to the 7x7x7 cube and even 3x3 blindfolded. Further popularized by “The Speed Cubers,” a 2020 documentary on Netflix, competitive cubing has increased tremendously, particularly among younger generations.

“As we continue to diversify the events we bid on and host in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, this cubing championship will not only bring sports/event-related tourism dollars to the destination but will also expose families from around the globe to Alabama’s beaches,” said Michelle Russ, vice president of sales, sports and events for Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events.

Among the top competitors traveling to Orange Beach are the following:

• Noah Swor: 15.30-second single in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded category, ranking him 6th in the world
• Vishwa Sankar: 4.27-second average in the Clock category, ranking him 8th in the world
• Heewon Seo: 32.70-second average in the Megaminx category, ranking him 11th in the world
• Dylan Miller: 5.78-second average in the 3x3x3 category, ranking him 12th in the world

Spectators – especially aspiring “speedcubers” – are encouraged to attend this high-stakes event for free. For more information on the CubingUSA Southeast Championship, visit WorldCubingAssociation.org, and for CubingUSA, go to CubingUSA.org.

For information on upcoming athletic events along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, visit GSOBsports.com, or call 1-800-745-SAND.