DFW Back to School 2025

A total of 153 competitors gathered under the bright lights of the Fort Worth Convention Center on August 30, 2025, bringing international speedcubing energy to North Texas. Journeying from across the United States as well as representing India, Kenya, and Mexico, entrants converged in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, ready to test their agility across 14 packed rounds. DFW Back to School 2025 served as a proving ground for both road-tested veterans and ambitious newcomers travelling considerable distances to register official times on the World Cube Association stage.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest, featuring traditional Rubik's Cube solving, attracted a massive field of 146 entrants over four rigorous rounds. Ryan Pilat delivered a commanding performance to capture the title, logging a 6.09 winning average alongside a blistering best single of 5.46 seconds. Jimmy Tran secured the runner-up spot with an average of 7.58 seconds, while Zack Rubio claimed third place on the podium with an 8.37 average, capping an electrifying run through the weekend 3x3 results.

Ryan Pilat continued his dominant campaign across several other disciplines throughout DFW Back to School 2025. In the 2x2x2 Cube event, which saw 129 participants battle through two rounds, Pilat topped the standings with a 1.73 average and an event-best 1.40 single. Samarth Sutar of India took second place with a 2.54 average, closely followed by Marcus Kamen in third at 2.76. The short-format contest demonstrated exceptional turning precision right down to hundredths of a second.

Expanding his mastery to the larger puzzles, Ryan Pilat secured his third gold medal of the weekend in the 5x5x5 Cube. Navigating a field of 59 competitors across two rounds, he posted a winning average of 51.18 seconds and a single mark of 48.63 seconds. Jose Ortiz Jr. earned the silver medal with an average of 56.62 seconds, while Jimmy Tran returned to the podium steps to take third place with an average of 1:01.45.

Beyond the main podiums, the official scorecards revealed immense milestones that travel far beyond simple final placements. Peter Garner entered five events and sliced 63.5 percent off his Skewb mark with a 7.86 personal best down from 21.54, while also tackling Clock for the first time with a 42.65 effort. Adam Elmore took on six events, achieving a 3.38 personal best in 2x2x2 Cube that was 62.7 percent faster than his prior 9.05, in addition to clocking official debuts of 22.62 in Clock and 2:51.62 in 5x5x5 Cube. Gabriel Bergknoff improved his 2x2x2 Cube best by 61.6 percent down to 7.29 while trying Skewb for the first time at 13.70. Yeshua Cabrera registered a 12.61 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube, cutting his previous mark by 60.3 percent, alongside opening attempts in Pyraminx at 6.53 and Skewb at 10.11.

The progress continued across every corner of the venue roster. Aniruddh Madhu notched a 3.69 personal best in 2x2x2 Cube, a 59 percent improvement, while trying Pyraminx for the first time at 8.20. Mateo Garcia recorded a 4.52 Pyraminx personal best to improve by 49.6 percent over an earlier 8.97, while registering maiden attempts of 10.44 in Clock and 2:38.08 in 5x5x5 Cube. Caleb Krug achieved a 6.51 Skewb personal best, 46.5 percent faster than before, paired with first-time marks in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:11.90 and Clock at 17.24. Enzo Cantwell completed five events, dropping his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 46.2 percent to 2.73 and recording initial efforts in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:27.27 and Pyraminx at 10.50.

The non-cubic events produced thrilling speed cubing showdowns as well. Marcus Kamen claimed victory in the 109-person Pyraminx division, securing the top spot with a 2.25 average and a 2.00 single. Matthew Kleineberg followed in second place averaging 2.52 seconds, with Andres Rodriguez finishing third at 2.58. In Skewb, Joseph Hirsch clinched first place with a 3.20 winning average, edging out Benjamin Spradley at 3.51 and Brendon Hatfield at 4.28 across two tight rounds.

The Clock event closed out the six-discipline program at DFW Back to School 2025, with Vyom Sharma of India taking the title courtesy of a 7.64 winning average and a stunning 3.54 best single. Jose Ortiz Jr. earned his second silver of the meet with a 7.85 average, while Zack Rubio collected third place at 8.10. Across all events, competitors representing the United States earned 16 podium places, while entrants from India claimed two.

As the final timers stopped, the successful cubing competition in Fort Worth concluded an action-packed 2025 gathering. Whether travelling across regional borders or venturing from overseas, every participant contributed to a high-standard WCA competition. The remarkable times set at DFW Back to School 2025 demonstrate the ever-rising bar of competitive solving as players look ahead to future tests on the circuit.