Big and Blind Rīga 2025

Inside the halls of NVO nams on February 8, 2025, an intense focus settled over the tables as competitors prepared for a demanding slate of complex disciplines. The one-day gathering brought together specialists ready to test their mental endurance across large twisty puzzles and memory-heavy challenges. Big and Blind Rīga 2025 offered a concentrated arena where competitors could push their problem-solving skills to the absolute limit in Rīga, Latvia.

While the meeting featured a focused group of 8 competitors across 7 distinct events, the schedule welcomed participants stepping up to advanced categories. A classic Rubik's Cube is challenging on its own, but mastering high-order layers and blindfolded execution requires deep discipline. For those taking on these specialized categories for the first time, this cubing competition served as a proving ground where ambition met the official timer across seven intense single-round brackets.

The 3x3x3 Fewest Moves discipline delivered a standout showcase of analytical skill. Roberts Dreijers took the top spot on the podium with a winning average of 33.67, bolstered by a best single of 32 moves. Jānis Zirnis earned second place with an average of 40.33, while Toms Edvards Vucens secured third place at 43.67 moves. Fans tracking traditional 3x3 results found plenty of technical depth in this strategic contest.

In the 6x6x6 Cube, Roberts Dreijers claimed another victory with a winning average of 2:04.99 and a best single time of 2:00.47. Ruslans Ševčuks followed in second place with an average of 2:17.44, and Vladislavs Baranovs finished third with a 2:18.70 mark. In the 7x7x7 Cube, Vladislavs Baranovs took the victory, posting a 3:21.49 average with a single of 3:12.12. Roberts Dreijers placed second with 3:24.21, and Ruslans Ševčuks completed the podium with 3:31.06.

The blindfolded categories demanded exceptional memorisation and spatial awareness. Lithuania's Kasparas Lienys dominated the individual blindfolded disciplines, winning the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event with a single of 1:34.79, ahead of Roberts Dreijers in 1:50.08 and Toms Edvards Vucens in 2:26.55. Kasparas Lienys also captured the 4x4x4 Blindfolded title with a mark of 9:05.67, standing as the only competitor to record a successful time in that round.

Away from the top of the podium, dedicated participants logged meaningful achievements that the final rankings do not fully capture. Mihails Teļkijevs entered five different disciplines across the schedule and secured a strong fourth-place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Along the way, Mihails Teļkijevs established a new personal best single of 40 moves, improving by 16.7 percent compared to the previous mark of 48 moves. Marks Fridmans also demonstrated solid execution, registering a successful 2:43.16 single in 3x3x3 Blindfolded across an ambitious schedule.

Long-form memory puzzles concluded the specialized program. Kasparas Lienys secured a third blindfolded victory at Big and Blind Rīga 2025 by recording a 27:24.00 single in the 5x5x5 Blindfolded event. In the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind competition, Roberts Dreijers claimed first place by solving 2 out of 2 cubes in 7:59, while Ruslans Ševčuks took second with 3 of 4 cubes in 35:26 and Toms Edvards Vucens placed third with 3 of 4 cubes in 40:00.

Throughout the weekend, Latvian competitors amassed a total of 18 podium positions, alongside 3 podium finishes earned by Lithuania. The speed cubing community continues to develop technical depth across these intricate formats, making every WCA competition a critical stepping stone for personal progression. The memorable performances seen at Big and Blind Rīga 2025 reinforce the skill required in modern speedcubing, laying the foundation for further milestones in the upcoming competitive season.