Beijing Winter 2025

Inside the spacious TAL Building, the continuous hum of twisting plastic and the rhythmic tap of timers marked a thrilling start to the competitive year. A massive crowd of 248 competitors converged in Beijing, China on January 4, 2025, filling the staging areas with focused energy. For seasoned veterans and wide-eyed newcomers alike, the opening moments of this cubing competition offered a memorable stage. Every station bustled with activity as participants inspected their puzzles, adjusted their grip, and prepared to put months of practice to the test.

The one-day WCA competition brought a packed schedule of five events spread over 11 intense rounds. While the pursuit of gold drives the top seeds, the real heartbeat of speedcubing is found among those stepping onto the tournament floor for the very first time. Walking into an official venue changes everything for an aspiring solver. The pressure of strict regulations, running timers, and unfamiliar surroundings creates a uniquely demanding atmosphere that tests technique and composure in equal measure.

Across the main stage, the classic Rubik's Cube drew huge attention with 237 competitors lining up for three grueling rounds. Yiheng Wang delivered an exceptional performance to capture first place in the 3x3x3 Cube event, posting a decisive winning average of 4.91 seconds along with the round's best single of 4.22 seconds. Chasing closely on the podium were Yufang Du with an average of 5.24 seconds for second place and Zhaokun Li taking third with 5.72 seconds, capping a stellar display of 3x3 results at Beijing Winter 2025.

In the 2x2x2 Cube, Jiazhou Li secured victory with an impressive winning average of 1.46 seconds and a best single solve of 1.20 seconds across two competitive rounds. Yutong Wang claimed second place with a 1.48 average, followed closely by Chenhao Ma in third with 1.68 seconds. Jiazhou Li added a second gold medal later in the day by conquering Square-1, recording a top average of 6.74 seconds and a single of 5.85 seconds. Zijia Liu followed in second with 8.39 seconds, while Zhiquan Li placed third with 9.18 seconds.

The spotlight also shone bright on competitors pushing their personal boundaries away from the main podium. Xingzhi Zhao achieved a massive leap in the 3x3x3 Cube, recording a personal best of 10.04 seconds to beat an earlier mark of 24.20 seconds by 58.5 percent, alongside a 2x2x2 personal best of 5.55 seconds. Xiwen Ruan entered four events, posting a first ever official 2x2x2 attempt of 4.03 seconds, achieving an 18th place finish in Megaminx, and dropping their Square-1 personal best by 39.1 percent down to 16.47 seconds as well as improving to 12.79 seconds in 3x3x3. Meanwhile, Ruiyang Liang took on four events, setting a first 2x2x2 mark of 3.37 seconds, cutting their Square-1 best by 29.8 percent to 12.39 seconds for a 10th place finish, and setting a 3x3x3 personal best of 9.18 seconds.

That same drive was evident across multiple events as solvers embraced unfamiliar territory. Ziyang Guo tackled a first ever attempt in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a completed solve of 7:52.13, while earning 11th place in 2x2x2 with a personal best average of 2.52 seconds, a 33 percent improvement. Guoqiao Wang delivered an outstanding run in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, taking 7th place with a personal best of 1:05.89 that slashed 39.4 percent off their prior mark, while also setting personal bests of 2.87 seconds in 2x2x2 and 11.54 seconds in 3x3x3. Yuxuan Liu rounded out these great performances by recording a first official 2x2x2 solve of 5.25 seconds and dropping their 3x3x3 personal best by 19.2 percent to 8.30 seconds.

Alternative puzzle categories brought distinct challenges to the tables throughout Beijing Winter 2025. In the Megaminx event, Shang Liu took the top step of the podium with a winning average of 39.21 seconds and a best single of 35.46 seconds, edging out Zejun Chen who finished in 39.89 seconds and Zhenyu Wang who took third in 42.41 seconds. The tactical demands of 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where competitors rely entirely on memorisation before executing turns without sight, saw Yifan Wang win the title with a rapid single of 15.66 seconds. Tianyu Zhao secured second with 23.29 seconds and Xingyan Ding placed third with 26.94 seconds.

As the final timers were cleared at the TAL Building, all 15 podium positions went to competitors representing China, showcasing the incredible regional depth in modern speed cubing. From the fastest championship finals to the breakthrough personal marks earned in early heats, Beijing Winter 2025 captured the full breadth of the community spirit. For every solver who logged a fresh personal record or stepped up to their first official table, this gathering provided an unforgettable milestone to start the competitive season.

248名魔方选手齐聚一堂，在多轮淘汰与严苛晋级的赛制下展开高水平角逐。作为2025年的开年魔方赛事，Beijing Winter 2025于2025年1月4日在Beijing, China的TAL Building正式打响。整场比赛共设有5个项目与11个轮次的较量，参赛者必须在各项目层层选拔的轮次晋级线前保持高度专注，才能最终站上领奖台。

在压轴的三阶魔方项目中，多达237位选手进入了长达3轮的激烈争夺。Yiheng Wang (王艺衡)展现出惊人的稳定性，在决赛中以4.91秒的夺冠平均成绩斩获冠军，其单次成绩最快达到4.22秒。紧随其后的Yufang Du (杜昱方)以5.24秒的平均成绩获得亚军，Zhaokun Li (李昭昆)以5.72秒的成绩位居第三名。

二阶魔方赛场则历经2轮选拔，最终决战几乎在毫秒之间分出胜负。Jiazhou Li (李佳洲)在决赛中凭借极高的还原速度，以1.46秒的微弱优势夺下冠军，其最佳单次成绩为1.20秒。Yutong Wang (王宇彤)以1.48秒的极近成绩位列第二名，Chenhao Ma (马晨皓)则以1.68秒的优异成绩夺得第三名。

Jiazhou Li (李佳洲)的强势表现还在Square-1项目中延续。在该项目2轮赛制中，他以6.74秒的平均成绩摘得个人第二座冠军奖杯，最佳单次成绩为5.85秒。Zijia Liu (刘子甲)以8.39秒的平均成绩获得该项目亚军，Zhiquan Li (李志权)则以9.18秒的平均成绩位列领奖台第三位。

五魔方项目同样经过了2轮赛制的严格考验。Shang Liu (刘尚)在43位选手中一路领跑，最终以39.21秒的平均成绩登顶夺冠，并在比赛中做出35.46秒的单次成绩。Zejun Chen (陈泽鋆)以39.89秒的平均成绩获得亚军，Zhenyu Wang (王振宇)以42.41秒的成绩获得季军。

在极具挑战性的三阶盲拧项目中，30名选手在2轮赛制下接受无视线记忆与还原的考验。Yifan Wang (王逸帆)凭借出色的表现，以15.66秒的最佳单次成绩勇夺桂冠，其决赛平均成绩为DNF。Tianyu Zhao (赵天愉)以23.29秒夺得亚军，Xingyan Ding (丁醒炎)以26.94秒取得第三名。

除了领奖台上的激烈争夺，多位选手在赛场上突破了自我纪录。Siming Lu (陆思铭)在二阶项目中创造出6.61秒的个人最好成绩，较此前大幅提升了41.6%。Xinyu Wang (王昕雨)在三阶盲拧中拿下第8名，其1分08.60秒的成绩比原先提速37.6%，同时三阶成绩也刷新至11.60秒，提升10%。Chengming Xie (谢丞铭)同样带来亮眼突破，二阶成绩大幅提速37.3%至4.70秒，三阶成绩也提速28.9%来到14.03秒。

另有多名选手展现了多项目作战的实力与初次尝试的勇气。Weisen Zhao (赵伟森)参加了全部5个项目并在盲拧取得第14名，他的二阶成绩提速34.1%达到3.06秒，五魔方提速28%达到1分30.37秒，盲拧也提升18.6%来到2分27.39秒。Junyi Zhao (赵峻仪)在盲拧中拿下第16名并完成生涯首次尝试，成绩为3分10.11秒，二阶也提升12.8%至4.56秒。Yiqin Sun (孙弋钦)在Square-1获得第17名并将成绩提速18.5%至16.02秒，同时完成了五魔方的首次尝试，取得1分04.74秒。

本场WCA competition的全部15个领奖台席位均由中国选手获得。在层层选拔与高压对决中，Beijing Winter 2025圆满落幕，不仅检验了顶尖高手的技术与心态，也见证了众多魔方爱好者在极限竞速中对自我的不断超越。