Brilliant Ballarat 2025

A championship weekend always tests nerve and consistency across every discipline, and Feliks Zemdegs set the standard in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia by capturing three major titles. Over February 15–16, Brilliant Ballarat 2025 gathered 82 competitors at St Patrick's Cathedral Hall for a packed slate of 10 events across 19 rounds. Zemdegs set the pace from the start of the weekend, delivering a decisive victory in the premier Rubik's Cube category while sweeping the 4x4x4 and 5x5x5 titles against top-tier Australian talent.

The 3x3 results formed the centerpiece of the program, requiring solvers to navigate three intense rounds to reach the podium. Zemdegs claimed top honors with a winning average of 6.32 seconds and a best single of 5.45 seconds, holding off a fierce challenge from Riley Dexter, who took second place with a 6.53 average. Phoenix Patterson rounded out the top tier in third at 7.03 seconds. The field of 80 competitors showcased the depth of modern speedcubing, turning the final round into a showcase of razor-thin margins.

Patterson struck back emphatically in the 2x2x2 Cube final, claiming the title with a blistering 1.35-second average, anchored by a best single of 1.26 seconds. Roman Rudakov pushed hard to take second with a 1.38 average, while Zemdegs secured third place with 2.13. Rudakov found his own championship moment in Skewb, taking first place across two rounds with a 3.36 average ahead of Levi Benjamin Matara-Ng at 3.79 and Riley Dexter at 4.27. The fast-paced side events set a high energy level throughout the venue.

The larger cube events belonged entirely to Zemdegs, who maintained complete control across every round. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Zemdegs posted a commanding winning average of 22.92 seconds with a single of 20.78, finishing ahead of Dexter in second at 31.51 and Patterson in third at 33.70. The 5x5x5 Cube told a similar story, where Zemdegs won with a 41.86 average and a 39.97 single, with Dexter securing another runner-up finish at 59.64 and Patterson taking third at 1:00.00.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, Brilliant Ballarat 2025 served as a proving ground for competitors pushing their limits in multiple disciplines. Aiden Yi Jun Jie Stephens posted an enormous improvement in the 2x2x2 Cube, cutting their personal best down to 2.63 seconds—a 73.8 percent drop from 10.04—while also taking on a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:21.49 single and a first Skewb attempt at 9.70. Miles Baker achieved a 62.3 percent drop in 2x2x2 Cube to hit 1.43 seconds, tackled a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt in 1:11.98, a first Skewb attempt in 4.32, and placed 12th in blindfolded solving.

Other competitors took on wide programs and major breakthroughs throughout the cubing competition. Spencer Collins tackled three new events, recording a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 2:43.52, a first Skewb attempt of 14.35, and a Pyraminx single of 16.96. Jude Rogers entered eight events, taking on their first attempts at Pyraminx in 8.30 seconds, Skewb in 19.38, and Clock in 24.23. Jayden Chen lowered their 2x2x2 Cube best by 33.7 percent to 5.55 seconds and dropped their 3x3x3 Cube time by 26.8 percent to 20.93. Lincoln Lam tackled seven events, logging a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt at 3:36.34 while taking 28.8 percent off Skewb for an 8.55 best. Angelos Triantafyllou completed six events, logging a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt in 3:34.55 and a Skewb personal best of 6.14. First-time participant Andrew Tolliday jumped straight into seven events, posting initial competition marks of 16.18 in 3x3x3, 1:12.77 in 4x4x4, and 2:02.67 in 5x5x5.

The specialized events produced dramatic conclusions across the schedule. In Clock, Zayd Chaudhry took first place with a 4.05 average, winning on tiebreak criteria over Alex Butera, who also recorded a 4.05 average, while Nicholas Mouratidis placed third at 5.59. Emmet Hobbs secured victory in Pyraminx with a sharp 2.47 average and a 2.01 single across two competitive rounds. In total, Australian solvers secured 31 podium placements across the weekend, alongside three for China and one for Spain.

Memory and execution were tested in the blindfolded events, where Michael Tripodi dominated the field. Tripodi won the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title with a rapid 21.56 single, leading Putian Ye at 41.64 and Lennon Hughes at 59.44. Tripodi doubled his title haul in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a 1:49.68 single, ahead of Hughes at 5:05.30 and Ye at 7:55.53. Hughes earned top honours in the marathon 5x5x5 Blindfolded event, recording a winning single of 14:48.00.

As the final timers reset at Brilliant Ballarat 2025, the tournament demonstrated the high standard of speed cubing in Victoria for 2025. Across big cubes, side events, and blindfolded challenges, this WCA competition offered a full showcase of technical skill and competitive resolve. Solvers now turn their attention to training for the upcoming circuit and the next set of championship milestones.