Cube in Luanda 2025

The tables were set and the timers stood waiting inside Colégio Gregório Semedo as speedcubing returned to Luanda, Angola on June 7, 2025. A focused energy filled the hall as competitors unpacked their puzzles, inspected tensions, and completed their final practice turns. With 25 participants gathering across five different events and six total rounds, Cube in Luanda 2025 provided an electric stage for seasoned performers and newcomers alike.

A defining hallmark of this WCA competition was the sheer influx of fresh talent taking their first competitive steps. First-time competitors stepped onto the official floor with confidence, diving headfirst into official solving. In the premier 3x3x3 Cube contest, 24 competitors took part across two intense rounds, bringing a welcome surge of enthusiasm to the local scene as new solvers measured their abilities on the international stage.

Beyond the newcomers, the under-the-radar competitors delivered immense strides on the score sheets throughout the competition. Adriano Bussa entered three events and delivered a massive leap in the 3x3x3 Cube, setting a personal best of 15.59 seconds that was 55.6% faster than his previous mark of 35.15, while also recording his first ever attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 55.76. Kinavuidi Simão Paxe tackled four disciplines, logging a first ever attempt in the 4x4x4 Cube of 1:29.67, a first ever attempt in One-Handed of 45.77, and cutting his 3x3 personal best by 38.3% down to 15.72 on his way to 10th place.

The breakthroughs continued across the roster as solvers expanded their competitive ranges. Emrullah Yavuz Gonen took on three events, posting a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:00.99 while slashing his 2x2x2 personal best by 40.9% to 9.76. Mikael Akili Cipriano da Silva finished fourth in the 5x5x5 Cube with a debut mark of 2:29.91 and improved his 3x3 time by 25.2% to 18.36. Mikaela Alika Cipriano da Silva logged her first 4x4 attempt at 2:21.22 and improved her 2x2 personal best by 24.1% to 8.96. Aniceto Rodrigues Cahongolo Lourenço took fifth in the 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 3.34 and made his first 5x5 attempt at 4:36.23. Meanwhile, Carlos Madureira Sumbula made his first WCA competition appearance with an opening 3x3 single of 11.01 to place 15th, and Livongue Jesuino Kayuivi Carruagem successfully debuted in the 3x3 with a time of 51.10.

At the sharp end of the classic Rubik's Cube division, André Firmino Tchivango stood out with remarkable consistency. In the final round of the 3x3x3 Cube, Tchivango secured victory with a winning average of 10.86 seconds, bolstered by a best single of 10.59. The official 3x3 results saw José Francisco Manuel earn the runner-up position with an average of 11.47, while Daniel Ginina Vunge rounded out the podium in third place at 12.52 seconds.

Roger Nataniel Issassa dos Santos produced a dominant masterclass across multiple categories at Cube in Luanda 2025. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Issassa dos Santos seized the title with a winning average of 4.75 seconds, outpacing Carlos Junior de Carvalho Correia who took second with 5.11 and Ariclenes Ebenézer Dias Manuel in third with 5.29. The fast-turning 20-person field saw lively exchanges throughout the single round of play.

Issassa dos Santos carried that momentum straight into the big cube categories. He clinched first place in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 48.54 average, edging past Daniel Ginina Vunge who took silver at 48.62, with Hilton Adolfo Cardoso Batalha taking bronze with 53.75. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Issassa dos Santos triumphed once more with an average of 1:14.90 and a single of 1:08.42, leading Ariclenes Ebenézer Dias Manuel at 1:39.39 and André Firmino Tchivango at 2:04.71 on the podium.

The technical challenge of the 3x3x3 One-Handed event brought fifteen competitors to the stations, demanding exceptional fingertip control and tactical efficiency. José Francisco Manuel claimed top honors with a solid 19.42 winning average and a best single of 17.16. Hilton Adolfo Cardoso Batalha took second place with an average of 19.95, while Belarmino Eusébio Chalale earned third place with a 24.03 average to complete the podium.

By the time the final timers were cleared at Colégio Gregório Semedo, Angolan solvers had swept all 15 available podium positions across the five disciplines. Cube in Luanda 2025 highlighted the rapid growth of speed cubing in the region, showcasing a powerful balance of established champions and promising new competitors ready to push times lower in the seasons ahead.