Arizona Favorites 2025

Jeremy Bulambot set the standard in Tucson by capturing the 3x3x3 Cube title with a commanding 6.63 winning average, underscored by a blistering 5.48 single. That performance anchored an action-packed schedule at the The University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center on November 8, 2025. With 43 competitors tackling 13 events across 17 rounds of action, Arizona Favorites 2025 delivered a bustling program that saw established champions go head-to-head while a substantial wave of newcomers made their presence felt.

The 2025 cubing competition in Tucson, Arizona, USA proved especially significant for the sheer volume of competitors stepping onto the official stage for the very first time. Enthusiasts gathered from across the region to experience the atmosphere of a sanctioned WCA competition, creating an energetic mix of experienced tournament regulars and nervous first-timers. Throughout the single-day schedule, the classic Rubik's Cube shared table space with big cubes, side events, and unconventional puzzles, giving the emerging roster a broad proving ground.

Beyond the main event, Dan Tran put together an extraordinary sweep across the larger cube categories. Tran secured top honors in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 28.07 average, besting Bulambot who finished second in 30.04. Tran continued his dominance by claiming the 5x5x5 Cube with a 50.54 average, the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:41.14, and the 7x7x7 Cube in 2:49.88, demonstrating exceptional endurance and accuracy across the big-cube roster.

Shorter formats delivered tight finishes at Arizona Favorites 2025, none closer than the 2x2x2 Cube final. Emmett Galli captured the victory with a 2.68 average, edging out Kellan Kight at 2.72 and Bulambot at 2.77. Galli also added a gold medal in Pyraminx, averaging 4.88 to lead Saudi Arabia's Zaynab Alkhalifa and David Kugler. Kight had his own golden moments, claiming first place in Skewb with a 3.87 average as well as taking the Clock title with a mark of 4.86.

Away from the top steps of the podium, the heart of the tournament belonged to those establishing new milestones. Sebastian Bompadre delivered a huge step forward by lowering his 2x2x2 Cube mark to a personal best of 1.87, which was 53.7% faster than his previous best, while also logging his first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 11.36. William Bustamante tackled five events, slicing 50.7% off his 2x2x2 Cube best with a 2.66 single, taking fifth in Square-1, and logging his first ever attempt at Square-1 with a 23.03. Athos Beyer dropped 46.3% from his 3x3x3 Cube mark to record a 40.45 personal best and made his first ever attempt at Skewb in 39.53. Meanwhile, James Wilding improved his 4x4x4 Cube single by 28% to 1:43.42 and recorded his first ever attempts in both 5x5x5 Cube at 2:50.75 and Clock at 17.24.

The influx of first-time competitors added tremendous depth to the field at Arizona Favorites 2025. Bodhi Schur took on five events in their first WCA competition, recording an 18.97 in their first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Cube and finishing eighth in Megaminx. Colton Aguirre also debuted on the circuit across five events, securing fifth place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a first ever attempt of 58.78. Leo Torres entered three events for his debut, completing a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 12.24, while Josiah Henderson marked his first official appearance by taking tenth in 5x5x5 Cube with a 2:10.40 first attempt alongside a 12.85 debut single on the 3x3.

Specialist events rounded out the day with sharp execution across the board. Jeremy Bulambot collected another victory in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, putting up a winning average of 12.60 with a best single of 9.78. Mia Sponseller took the Megaminx crown with a 52.07 average, while Brady Lawrence paced the Square-1 field in 11.24. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded division, where competitors rely purely on memory and tactile execution, Matthew Low captured first place behind a winning single of 1:33.36.

When the final timers were stopped, the 3x3 results confirmed Jeremy Bulambot at the top of the podium, followed by Dan Tran in second with 8.06 and TJ Hayward taking third in 9.87. Across the entire weekend of speedcubing, 37 podium positions went to competitors from the USA, with international medals secured by Saudi Arabia and India. As another chapter of speed cubing in the region came to a close, the strong showing from emerging solvers at Arizona Favorites 2025 highlighted a bright path ahead for the upcoming tournament season.