Axemann Fall 2025

Inside the spacious hall of the Axemann Brewery, the distinct clicking of puzzle mechanisms echoed off the walls as timers lit up across the tables. Enthusiasts and families gathered in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, USA on October 4, 2025, creating an energized environment focused on rapid problem solving. The single-day cubing competition brought together 35 competitors who tested their skills across 6 events and 8 rounds, blending experienced tournament hands with an impressive wave of newcomers taking their initial strides on the competitive stage.

The tournament served as a gateway into speedcubing for several first-timers whose debuts set the tone for the day. For these competitors, stepping up to an official WCA competition table for the very first time represented the culmination of dedicated practice at home. The presence of emerging talent brought palpable excitement to the floor, showing how the speed cubing community continues to expand across the region with every passing season.

The spotlight shone brightly on remarkable individual progressions that defined the lower half of the schedule. Peter Bertucco made massive strides by registering a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 4.53 seconds, which was 61.7 percent faster than his prior mark, alongside a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 24.65 seconds, an improvement of 46.4 percent. Christopher Tindall delivered a standout performance in the 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 24.35 seconds, cutting his previous record down by 60.6 percent. Aden Harvey took on 5 events, recording his first ever attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube in 40.43 seconds, his first attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube in 2:19.90, and a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 8.67 seconds that proved 44.9 percent faster than before. Ben Callender entered 5 events, making his first attempt at Clock in 15.46 seconds and shaving 32.7 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube personal best with a time of 52.77 seconds.

Other competitors similarly seized the opportunity to reset their personal benchmarks across various formats. Sean Van Alen tackled 3 events, locking in an 11th place finish in the 4x4x4 Cube with a personal best of 49.41 seconds and trimming his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 13.8 percent to 12.14 seconds. Sam Connelly took on 5 events and posted a Clock personal best of 11.92 seconds, outperforming his previous record by 15.8 percent. Debutant Rohith Nirmal Kumar logged an official first attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube in 14.54 seconds and a 2x2x2 Cube attempt of 4.05 seconds across his 2 events. Theodore Arbaugh also completed his first tournament appearance across 2 events, logging his initial official attempts of 11.81 seconds on the 2x2x2 Cube and 37.69 seconds on the standard puzzle.

At the top of the standings, the battle for the classic Rubik's Cube crown proved fiercely competitive across two hard-fought rounds. Jacob Nobili took first place in the 3x3x3 Cube with a winning average of 8.29 seconds and a best single of 7.51 seconds. Toby Waters finished in second place with an average of 8.53 seconds, while Ganghui Lin secured third place with an average of 8.85 seconds, rounding out a high-caliber set of 3x3 results among the 34 competitors in the event.

Jacob Nobili added a second gold medal in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, securing victory with an average of 13.72 seconds and a single of 12.14 seconds among 18 entrants. Ganghui Lin took the second position on the podium with an average of 14.78 seconds, and Declan Wilhelm finished third with an average of 15.96 seconds, demonstrating incredible dexterity and fingertip control on the single-handed stage.

Big cubes belonged entirely to Ganghui Lin, who delivered commanding victories in both the 4x4x4 Cube and 5x5x5 Cube brackets. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Lin posted a winning average of 31.45 seconds and a single of 26.94 seconds, finishing ahead of Graham Lively with 33.59 seconds and Caleb Kearney with 36.69 seconds. Lin later captured the 5x5x5 Cube title with an average of 53.60 seconds, leading Graham Lively at 1:02.92 and Stephen Griggs at 1:08.13.

The short-format disciplines brought high drama, led by Declan Wilhelm in the 2x2x2 Cube where he captured the title with a winning average of 2.59 seconds and a best single of 2.04 seconds over two rounds. Caleb Kearney took second place with a 3.18 average, while Gabriel Gowman earned third with 3.19. In Clock, Mark Gowman claimed the top spot with an average of 4.84 seconds and a single of 4.12 seconds, topping Caleb Kearney at 5.51 seconds and Gabriel Gowman at 6.48 seconds.

As the tables were packed away at Axemann Fall 2025, the tournament concluded with competitors from the USA taking 14 podium places and China collecting 4. The gathering highlighted both seasoned precision and the inspiring drive of newcomers who established their first official marks, leaving the local scene well prepared for the upcoming competitive season.