Crewe FMC Day 2025

Inside the function spaces of Crewe Alexandra Football Club, a distinctly studious atmosphere took hold as the competitive calendar opened for the new year. Rather than the frantic clatter of conventional speedcubing events, the rooms were defined by intense concentration, scratch paper, and blindfolds. Crewe FMC Day 2025 offered a dedicated stage for alternative disciplines, setting an early benchmark in Crewe, Cheshire, United Kingdom as solvers gathered on January 12, 2025 to test their efficiency and memory across a focused slate of events.

Occupying a vital spot at the dawn of the 2025 season, the gathering brought together a compact field of 13 competitors tackling three specialized events across four rounds. While main-stage Rubik's Cube races often grab headlines, this specialized WCA competition served as a test of patience, deep algorithmic knowledge, and spatial recall. Solvers arrived ready to establish their baseline form for the year ahead, exploring the quiet precision demanded by Fewest Moves and blindfolded disciplines.

The 3x3x3 Fewest Moves contest proved to be a masterclass in planning, where competitors spent their allotted time mapping efficient paths on the standard puzzle. Kai Cui of the United Kingdom secured victory with a 23.33 average, anchored by a best single solution of 22 moves. Dorian Chan of Hong Kong finished in second place with a solid 25.33 average, while the United Kingdom's Bella Campbell claimed third on the podium with a 33.67 average, delivering decisive 3x3 results on the scoresheet.

Blindfolded solving added dramatic tension to the timetable, demanding complete memorisation before executing turns without sight. Akash Jain, competing for Japan, dominated the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event across two rounds, taking the win with a fastest single solve of 45.36 seconds. AJ Nicholls of the United Kingdom secured the second step on the podium with a 1:10.64 single, followed by Dorian Chan in third place with a time of 2:01.87.

Akash Jain doubled his gold medal haul in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, an event requiring solvers to commit multiple scrambled cubes to memory before solving them consecutively under a strict time cap. Jain successfully completed 12 out of 13 puzzles in a time of 51:13 to take first place. Dorian Chan delivered a flawless attempt, solving all 7 of 7 cubes in 54:37 for second place, while Chris Bonnello earned third place with a 9 out of 12 result in 59:46.

Away from the top of the standings, several participants marked personal milestones that made Crewe FMC Day 2025 especially memorable. Isaac Winster took on two events during the gathering, notably making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves to record a score of 51 and secure an 11th place finish. Callum Inglis also expanded his repertoire by making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, registering a 48 on his way through three contested events and earning a best finish of 7th in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind.

The depth of participation continued across the board as competitors tested their limits in specialized formats. Maximilian Berkmann focused on a single event, earning a 7th place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Steve Clarke took on three events, achieving a best finish of 5th in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind. Fred Lang entered three events and placed 5th in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, while Billie Hammill took on two events and finished 4th in 3x3x3 Blindfolded. Nevins Chan Pak Hoong also competed in two events, taking 4th place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind.

Across the four podium tables, the United Kingdom secured four top-three finishes, Hong Kong earned three, and Japan collected two. The dedicated focus of this cubing competition provided an ideal testing ground for mental stamina, proving that speed cubing encompasses quiet calculation just as much as raw turning speed. With the first specialized marks of the year logged, the participants left Crewe with meaningful momentum for the remainder of the competitive calendar.