Big Cube Battle of Waterloo 2025

Inside the Waterloo Convention Center, the usual ambient chatter of plastic pieces turning at breakneck speed dropped into complete stillness whenever competitors donned their blindfolds. Solving a scrambled puzzle entirely from memory requires total sensory detachment, forcing contenders to encode piece positions in seconds before executing long sequences without visual feedback. That quiet intensity set the stage for Big Cube Battle of Waterloo 2025, held on January 18, 2025 in Waterloo, Iowa, USA, where 62 competitors gathered across 12 total rounds of competition.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded event proved to be a masterclass in concentration. Carter Kucala of the USA led the 16-person field by taking the victory with a remarkable single solve of 20.28 seconds. Cale Schoon secured second place on the podium with a single of 37.53 seconds, while Kaius Young completed the podium sweep for the United States with a time of 57.86 seconds. With memory execution dictating every turn, Kucala stood clear of the pack to earn top honors in the discipline.

Beyond the blindfolded spectacle, traditional speedcubing events generated intense battles across the tables. The 3x3x3 Cube drew all 62 entrants through three rounds of fast-paced Rubik's Cube action. Brian Johnson earned the title with a winning average of 7.03 seconds, flanked by a blistering 5.66 best single. Kaius Young pushed hard to take second with an average of 8.27, and Simon Kellum finished third at 8.40. Fans following 3x3 results witnessed incredible consistency throughout the final round.

Brian Johnson was not finished with a single victory, doubling up his title count in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Out of 43 competitors across two rounds, Johnson claimed first place with an average of 10.96 seconds and a best single of 9.94 seconds. Carter Kucala added another podium finish by taking second with an 11.75 average, while Simon Kellum captured third with 14.81. This dual-title performance highlighted Johnson's dexterity in standard and one-handed formats at Big Cube Battle of Waterloo 2025.

In the larger puzzles, Nathan Phillips emerged as the dominant force of the weekend. Phillips took first place in the 5x5x5 Cube, topping a 40-competitor field with an average of 49.37 seconds and a best single of 46.49 seconds, besting Young's 52.22 average and Johnson's 54.81. Phillips followed up in the 6x6x6 Cube with a winning mark of 1:41.98 ahead of Josh Crook at 1:48.32 and Young at 1:53.53. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Kaius Young claimed gold with an average of 27.56 seconds, narrowly edging Phillips who averaged 27.75.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several participants delivered breakthrough performances that defined the spirit of the cubing competition. Matthew Sanders entered five events and unlocked huge gains, logging an 18.03 single in 3x3x3 One-Handed to improve by 71.1 percent, a 9.86 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube that was 15 percent faster, and a first ever 6x6x6 Cube attempt of 3:34.84 to finish 18th. Keegan Joyce completed a first official 3x3x3 Blindfolded solve of 5:04.77 for 10th place, alongside a 50.40 single in 4x4x4 Cube that cut his previous mark by 53.6 percent and a 12 percent drop in 6x6x6 Cube to 5:13.25.

That momentum continued through the roster as Jonah Taylor recorded a first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed of 26.82, while improving 41.1 percent in 4x4x4 Cube to 48.02 and 21.9 percent in 3x3x3 Cube to 10.62. Joaquin Rodriguez posted a first attempt of 2:40.23 in 5x5x5 Cube, an improved 1:02.36 in 4x4x4 Cube that was 46.7 percent faster, and an improved 12.96 in 3x3x3 Cube. Landen Leerhoff made debut attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 37.87 and 5x5x5 Cube at 3:27.89, while cutting 19.7 percent in 4x4x4 Cube to 1:14.62. Sanjay M. Gurumurthy registered debuts in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:42.89 and one-handed at 35.97, paired with a 13.6 percent drop in 4x4x4 Cube to 1:01.61. Josian Turner completed a first blindfolded attempt of 3:21.24 for ninth place and lowered his 4x4x4 Cube mark to 55.53, while Josiah Bolton tackled five events in a first career WCA competition, recording a 53.40 debut in 4x4x4 Cube, a 1:47.57 in 5x5x5 Cube, and a 19th-place finish in 6x6x6 Cube at Big Cube Battle of Waterloo 2025.

Across six diverse events, the gathering showcased the wide spectrum of modern speed cubing, from the silent focus of memory-based solves to the physical speed required on heavy multi-layered puzzles. Competitors representing the USA swept all 18 podium positions in an energetic showcase of Midwest talent. As the equipment was packed away at the Waterloo Convention Center, Big Cube Battle of Waterloo 2025 concluded having delivered remarkable milestones for seasoned champions and rising solvers alike as they look forward to the next season.