Cubeando en Mérida 2025

Rafael Antonio Sanchez delivered a masterclass at C.C. Plaza Mayor on August 16, 2025, capturing four gold medals in a dominant showing of veteran form. His standout moment came in the classic 3x3x3 Cube, where he sealed the title with a tournament-best 10.33 winning average and an unmatched single solve of 8.77 seconds across two rounds of play. Sanchez set the standard from his first inspection, setting up a commanding weekend across the board in Mérida, Mérida, Venezuela.

Cubeando en Mérida 2025 brought together 28 competitors for seven rounds of intense action spanning six distinct events. The single-day WCA competition showcased both experienced hands finding their rhythm and a huge contingent of newcomers eager to make their mark on the national scene. Sanchez was the undisputed centerpiece of the gathering, claiming the top spot on the podium in four separate formats while showing the calm precision that comes from years behind the timer.

In the 3x3 results, Sanchez held off a determined challenge from Abinadab Gutiérrez, who finished as runner-up with an average of 13.11 seconds. Juan David Lagos Botina took the third spot on the podium with an average of 13.79 seconds. The 27 competitors in the 3x3x3 Cube bracket demonstrated deep quality, but Sanchez proved steady under pressure, closing out the final round without a single stumble to secure the premier crown of the cubing competition.

Sanchez carried that momentum directly into the shorter formats and the more complex rotational puzzles. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, he stormed to victory with an average of 2.40 seconds and a best single of 1.98 seconds, leading Gutiérrez in second place at 4.67 and Lagos Botina in third at 4.68. Switching to the twelve-sided Megaminx, Sanchez posted a winning mark of 50.36 seconds, including a remarkable 40.26 single, well clear of Gutiérrez at 1:52.41 and Daniel Alexander Medina Márquez at 2:34.83. He then added a fourth triumph in Skewb, posting a 5.26 average ahead of Lagos Botina at 6.46 and Medina Márquez at 12.87.

Beyond the multi-event sweep by Sanchez, two other disciplines crowned standout champions on the day. Gutiérrez captured top honors in 3x3x3 One-Handed, solving the Rubik's Cube with a single hand to record a winning average of 25.73 seconds, edging out Hildebrando Barrera at 27.44 and Alejandro Jose Villarreal Ramirez at 32.92. In the Pyraminx event, Lago Ezequiel Terán Paredes earned gold with a precise 6.45 average, finishing ahead of Lagos Botina at 9.47 and Gutiérrez at 10.94 in a sharp 16-competitor field.

Away from the top steps of the podium, the weekend was defined by substantial personal breakthroughs and vital competitive milestones. Nayarid Villarreal took on all six events on the schedule, achieving a career-best fourth-place finish in Skewb with a first-ever attempt of 8.71 seconds, while also trimming 11.9 percent off their 3x3x3 Cube best with an 11.35 single. Santiago Jose Ramirez Hernandez competed across four events, logging an 8.06 in Pyraminx to improve by 3.1 percent and dropping their 3x3x3 One-Handed personal record to 50.46 seconds, an improvement of 10.8 percent.

A massive wave of debutants also announced their arrival in competitive speed cubing. Kerwin Adrián Quintero Bonilla entered five events at their first official competition, securing fourth place in 3x3x3 One-Handed and logging first-ever marks of 6.91 in 2x2x2 Cube, 12.31 in Pyraminx, and 16.52 in 3x3x3 Cube. Juan Ignacio Alvarado Pérez tackled five events in their debut, recording 5.11 in 2x2x2 Cube, 11.86 in Pyraminx, and 21.04 in Skewb. Diego Mendoza took on five events, Carlos Eduardo Romero Ballesteros achieved a 6.55 single in 2x2x2 Cube, Andrés González logged a 4.00 single in 2x2x2 Cube across four events, and Sebastian Alberto Contreras Lopez placed fifth in Pyraminx with a 9.38 solve.

The gathering in Mérida highlighted the growing depth of Venezuelan speedcubing as 2025 unfolds. Every single podium position across all six events belonged to national competitors, demonstrating exceptional regional vitality. Between the decisive multi-title performance of established veterans and the energetic influx of fresh talent taking their very first official solves, Cubeando en Mérida 2025 provided a complete picture of a vibrant, evolving sporting community heading into the next cycle of competition.