Max Park is an American Rubik's Cube speedsolver. Widely regarded as one of the greatest speedcubers of all time, Park is one of only two speedcubers ever to win the World Cube Association World Championship twice (the other being Feliks Zemdegs), winning in 2017 and 2023.[1] He currently holds the world record for the fastest 3×3×3 single solve, set in June of 2023 at 3.134 seconds,[2] in addition to the (single and average) world records for the 4×4×4, 6×6×6, and 7×7×7 solves, as well as the 5×5×5 mean record.
Max Park | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Park in 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 November 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Known for | Rubik's Cube speedsolving | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Records held
editPark holds the world record for average of five 4×4×4 solves: 19.38 seconds, set at Arizona Speedcubing Spring 2023. He also holds the world record for a single solve with a time of 15.71, achieved at Colorado Mountain Tour - Evergreen 2024 .[3]
Park holds the world record for the average of five 5×5×5 solves - 34.76 seconds - set at Rubik's WCA North American Championship 2024.[4] Prior to Park's first 5×5×5 record, the records for single and average of five 5×5×5 solves had been held by Feliks Zemdegs of Australia, who had improved the two records a combined 32 times.[5] Park is the only cuber other than Zemdegs or Tymon Kolasiński to have set either 5×5×5 record since 11 August 2012.[5]
Park holds the world records for single and mean of three 6×6×6 solves: 58.03 seconds and 1:05.66 seconds, respectively, both set at CubingUSA Western Championship 2024 .[6] At Southeast Championship 2022, Max Park became the first cuber to break the 1 minute barrier on 6×6×6 with a solve of 59.74, a feat that his rival Feliks Zemdegs had previously stated was impossible[7]
Park holds the world records for single and mean of three 7×7×7 solves: 94.15 seconds and 99.68 seconds, set at Rubik's WCA North American Championship 2024 and Nub Open Yucaipa 2024, respectively.[8]
Park previously held the world record for average of five 3×3×3 solves with one hand (OH): 8.62 seconds but this has since been beaten by Sean Patrick Villanueva from the Philippines.[9] Park was the first person to achieve a sub-10 second one-handed average in competition, with an average of 9.99 seconds on 13 January 2018 at Thanks Four The Invite 2018.[10]
At the World Championship 2017 in Paris, Park won 3×3×3 and 3×3×3 one-handed and placed 3rd in 5×5×5 and 6×6×6.[11]
At the World Championship 2019 in Melbourne, Park won 4×4×4, 5×5×5, 6×6×6, 7×7×7, and 3×3×3 One-Handed. Park finished 4th in the 3×3×3 final after winning the first three rounds.[12]
Park is the 2-time US National Champion in 3×3×3, 3-time champion in 4×4×4, 2-time champion in 5×5×5, 2018 champion in 6×6×6, 2018 champion in 7×7×7, and 2-time champion in 3×3×3 One-Handed.
Park is currently ranked 1st in the world for 3×3×3 single with a result of 3.13, set in 2023 and 5th in the world for 3×3×3 average, with a result of 4.86, set in 2022.[13]
Park is autistic, and has used cubing to develop his social and fine motor skills.[14]
Career
editPark got into cubing in 2012, and went to his first competition in the same year. At his second competition, Park won the 6×6×6 event.[15] Park continued competing and improving, winning his first gold medal in the 3×3×3 event at the Nub Open 2016.[16] On February 25, 2017, Park broke the North American Average for the 3×3×3 event, with a result of 6.92 seconds.[17]
| Event | Type | Time (min:sec) | World Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3×3×3 | Single | 3.13 | 1st |
| Average | 4.86 | 5th | |
| 4×4×4 | Single | 15.71 | 1st |
| Average | 19.38 | 1st | |
| 5×5×5 | Single | 32.52 | 2nd |
| Average | 34.76 | 1st | |
| 6×6×6 | Single | 58.03 | 1st |
| Average | 1:05.66 | 1st | |
| 7×7×7 | Single | 1:34.15 | 1st |
| Average | 1:39.68 | 1st | |
| 3×3×3 One-Handed |
Single | 6.20 | 3rd |
| Average | 8.62 | 5th |
References
edit- ^ "Most wins of the WCA World Championship". Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ a b World Cube Association - Max Park rankings
- ^ World Cube Association - 4x4x4 Records
- ^ World Cube Association - 5x5x5 Records
- ^ a b World Cube Association - 5x5x5 History
- ^ World Cube Association - 6x6x6 Records
- ^ [1]
- ^ World Cube Association - 7x7x7 Records
- ^ World Cube Association - 3x3x3 One-Handed Records
- ^ 3x3x3 One-Handed History
- ^ World Cube Association - World Championship 2017 podiums
- ^ World Cube Association - Max Park at World Championship 2019
- ^ "Rankings | World Cube Association". www.worldcubeassociation.org. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
- ^ For Every Mom - Article on Park's Autism
- ^ "Diamond Bar Open 2012 | World Cube Association". www.worldcubeassociation.org. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Nub Open 2016 | World Cube Association". www.worldcubeassociation.org. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Caltech Winter 2017 | World Cube Association". www.worldcubeassociation.org. Retrieved 2024-10-16.