Berkeley Fall 2025

A blistering 6.04 winning average on the 3x3x3 Cube delivered Ethan Jan the premier title in Pauley Ballroom, illustrating how disciplined, repeatable speed trumps single-solve fortune. That performance anchored an action-packed Saturday on October 4, 2025 in Berkeley, California, USA, where 168 competitors gathered across five different disciplines. Over eleven full rounds of play, the standard at Berkeley Fall 2025 was set not by isolated bursts of speed, but by unflinching round-to-round control across every turn of the puzzle.

The flagship 3x3 results demonstrated exactly how important steady execution remains at a top-tier cubing competition. Ethan Jan held off a stacked lineup of 167 entrants over three rigorous rounds, topping the final with his 6.04 average and a 5.62 best single. Zerui Cheng (程泽睿) pushed hard to secure second place with a 6.49 average, while Varun Mohanraj closed out the podium with a 6.70 mark. In a classic Rubik's Cube battle, maintaining composure across five consecutive attempts proved to be the ultimate separator.

That theme of steadiness carried over into the high-speed 2x2x2 Cube, where Will Callan produced a masterclass in swift precision. Callan navigated two rounds featuring 115 competitors to capture first place with a 1.19 average and a sharp 1.16 single. Jan returned to the podium steps in second place with a 1.60 average, followed closely by Stanley Tran in third at 1.88. The tight gaps in this sprint event left zero room for handling mistakes, rewarding those who executed their solutions without hesitation.

In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Anto Kam (甘浩東) of Hong Kong delivered an exceptional showing of single-arm dexterity to claim the top spot. Kam posted a 9.34 average alongside a 7.99 single, standing as the only solver to break the ten-second barrier over five solves among 100 competitors. Micah Yeo earned second place with a 10.81 average, edging Jan who collected his third podium of the competition with a 10.87 in third place, adding an international highlight to the American stop.

Big cubes and shape-shifting puzzles tested a different kind of stamina. Varun Mohanraj commanded the 5x5x5 Cube, taking first place across two rounds of 77 competitors with a 45.80 average and a best single of 42.34. Danny Sungin Park (박성인) finished second with 48.53, while Paul Mahvi took third with 50.88. Meanwhile, Calvin Nielson navigated the unpredictable geometries of Square-1 to win with a 7.36 average over Matt Mao at 7.69 and Joseph Ong at 7.82, proving that intricate alignment requires total focus under time pressure.

Away from the top step of the podium, personal progress defined the atmosphere across the venue floor. Jennifer Bautista made massive strides in the 2x2x2 Cube, dropping her personal best by 63.6 percent down to 5.67 seconds. Eric Asher Jones tackled five separate events, slicing his 2x2x2 personal best by 58.7 percent to 1.67, while also cutting his one-handed mark by 29.9 percent to 17.93 and his 5x5x5 best by 16.5 percent to 1:33.17. Hridham Patel logged a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 2:48.92 and improved his 3x3x3 personal best by 55.8 percent to 12.46. Vikas Pagalone logged an initial 5x5x5 effort of 1:41.32 while cutting his 3x3x3 best by 43.9 percent down to 12.97.

Other competitors similarly expanded their repertoires and shattered previous personal records during Berkeley Fall 2025. Justin Deng entered four events, posting a first ever attempt at Square-1 of 35.60 while improving his one-handed personal best by 41.7 percent to 17.02 and his 3x3x3 mark by 22.1 percent to 9.17. Ryan Chiang recorded a debut 5x5x5 single of 2:31.86 and improved his one-handed best by 32.4 percent to 21.15. Harper Huang registered a first ever attempt at one-handed of 49.03 alongside a 40.9 percent drop in 2x2x2 to 4.66, while Joshua Motley took on four events, carding debut runs of 42.06 in one-handed and 27.30 in Square-1.

The overall depth of the regional speed cubing community was evident throughout every stage of the weekend. Across eleven rounds, competitors pushed each other to higher standards, ensuring that this WCA competition delivered memorable races and meaningful personal milestones in equal measure. With thirteen podium finishes earned by United States competitors alongside single podiums for Hong Kong and China, the event highlighted the vibrant reach of modern speedcubing.

As the final timers were cleared from Pauley Ballroom, the legacy of Berkeley Fall 2025 stood firmly on the quality of steady, reproducible execution. Whether battling for a gold medal in the marquee 3x3 final or trimming precious fractions of a second on a personal record, the competitors proved that lasting speed is built on consistency. With the 2025 schedule continuing onward, the marks set in Berkeley provide a benchmark for everyone preparing for their next turn on the competition stage.