Beyond the Cube PTY 2025

Inside Jade Grill and Sports, the hum of turning plastic mingled with quiet conversations as competitors gathered around shared practice mats. Tables were filled with timers, lubricant bottles, and an array of twisty puzzles ranging from compact minis to massive seven-layered cubes. Handshakes between longtime rivals and quick tips exchanged between newer solvers set an inviting tone across the hall. The one-day gathering brought together 38 competitors for Beyond the Cube PTY 2025, transforming the Panama City, Panama venue into a bustling hub of camaraderie and shared passion for the sport.

The tournament took place on August 16, 2025, offering a diverse schedule across five official events and seven rounds. While every official cubing competition naturally tracks podium finishes, the atmosphere between heats was defined by mutual support. Groups gathered to watch competitors memorize puzzles in complete silence, while nearby tables saw participants sharing solving methods and celebrating personal milestones. Whether racing against the clock or exploring less common disciplines, participants embraced the full spectrum of speedcubing across a focused day of action.

The spotlight shone brightly on personal progress, where dedicated practice yielded major breakthroughs. Edgar Rodríguez Ramos delivered remarkable improvements, lowering his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 12.64, which was 63.4 percent faster than his prior 34.49, alongside a 30.46 in the 3x3x3 Cube that was 45.2 percent faster than his former 55.55. Gabriel Arrue Mcclarin took on four events, securing a best finish of 4th place in Square-1 after logging a first ever attempt of 22.21, while also posting a first ever attempt of 8:24.97 in the 7x7x7 Cube and improving his 3x3x3 Cube best to 13.41, 10.9 percent faster than before. Alejandro Enrique Royo Rodríguez dropped his 3x3x3 Cube mark to 13.58, an improvement of 29.3 percent. David Isaac Isaza Delgado earned a best finish of 25th in the 2x2x2 Cube while cutting his 3x3x3 Cube best to 26.70, which was 24.6 percent faster, and his 2x2x2 Cube best to 6.41, 23.6 percent faster.

Other solvers expanded their repertoires and logged notable milestones in their competitive journeys. Dylan Enrique Herrera Hidalgo entered two events, finishing 10th in the 2x2x2 Cube with a new personal best of 3.69 while lowering his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 24.4 percent to 15.53. Mark Chen finished 6th in the 3x3x3 Cube, cutting his mark by 21.7 percent down to 10.33 and improving his 2x2x2 Cube single to 4.79. Josip De Lora tackled all five events on the schedule, achieving a 6th place finish in Square-1 with a first ever attempt of 23.46, in addition to a first ever attempt of 10:09.00 in the 7x7x7 Cube. Diego Trejo Guzmán of Mexico made this his first WCA competition, competing in three events to claim a best finish of 7th in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded while recording a first ever attempt of 6.85 in the 2x2x2 Cube and 21.12 in the 3x3x3 Cube.

When the main event reached its deciding stages, the 3x3 results drew strong attention from the room. Over three rounds involving 37 competitors, David Montenegro maintained outstanding composure to take the classic Rubik's Cube crown. Montenegro posted a winning average of 9.30 and delivered the fastest single of the entire event at 6.76. Miguel Ángel Hernández claimed second place on the podium with an average of 9.69, while Gaspar Guillén took third place with a solid 11.10 mark, completing an all-Panamanian podium.

Sprint events brought intense pace to the venue floor. The 2x2x2 Cube event gathered 33 competitors, where Gustavo Ross demonstrated remarkable speed to take first place with a 2.79 winning average and a top single of 2.09. Omar Aguilar earned second place with a 3.26 average, followed by David Laffaurie in third at 3.79. This fast-paced speed cubing bracket also featured a series of official personal records throughout the field, adding to the energy surrounding the short-format timers.

Specialist categories pushed competitor skill sets in very different directions at Beyond the Cube PTY 2025. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, which demands total concentration and flawless memorisation before solving without sight, Omar Arrocha took the victory with a winning single of 1:00.23. Juan David Pérez followed closely in second place with a time of 1:00.96, and Fabián García took third with 1:34.42 across the eight-person field.

The larger puzzles and shape-shifting events concluded the tournament schedule with endurance and technique. In the 7x7x7 Cube, Egdar Castillo mastered the grueling layers to win with an average of 3:29.14 and a single of 3:19.12, ahead of Miguel Ángel Hernández in second at 3:33.55 and Omar Aguilar in third at 3:55.52. Meanwhile, Arturo Andrés Buckley Nieto captured the Square-1 title with a 16.60 winning average and an 11.42 best single, leading David Montenegro at 28.95 and Tiago Andrés González De León at 29.33. All 15 podium positions across the tournament were earned by Panamanian competitors.

As timers were packed away and tables cleared, participants lingered to talk through solutions and congratulate fellow competitors. Beyond the Cube PTY 2025 highlighted not only top-tier speed on the stage but also the vibrant connections that make local gatherings special. With new personal benchmarks established and memories shared across the tables, competitors departed looking ahead to the next season of competitive solving in the region.