Europe FMC Friends - Winter 2025

Pencils moved across blank sheets of notation paper, stopwatches counted down sixty-minute windows, and competitors examined the classic 3x3x3 puzzle from every conceivable angle. Across multiple locations connected for a unified event, the quiet intensity of competitive solving was on full display. The schedule brought together solvers tackling the standard Rubik's Cube through a pure test of analytical efficiency, where each twist of the plastic layers had to be calculated rather than executed at breakneck turning speed. The multi-venue setup allowed participants across different sites to compete on identical scrambles under uniform conditions on February 1, 2025.

Staged simultaneously across Multiple cities, XE, Europe FMC Friends - Winter 2025 gathered a large contingent of specialists eager to demonstrate their methodical mastery. A total of 91 competitors took part in the single-discipline schedule across 2 full rounds of competition. While speed cubing usually emphasizes rapid finger movements and split-second physical execution, this cubing competition inverted the formula by focusing entirely on the strategic depth of the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves discipline. Solvers navigated through two rounds of attempts, searching for the most concise path to restore the cube to its solved state.

The 3x3 results at the top of the standings produced an extraordinarily close finish between two Polish solvers. Radomił Baran claimed the title with an average of 21.67 moves, matching the identical winning mark of 21.67 achieved by fellow countryman Wojciech Rogoziński. Both solvers demonstrated remarkable precision across their attempts, with Baran securing the competition's best single solution of the entire weekend at 18 moves. Their matched averages placed Poland firmly atop the leaderboard in an event where fractions of a move separate the elite performers from the rest of the field.

Joining Baran and Rogoziński on the podium was Enrico Tenuti of Italy, who finished third with an average of 22.00 moves. Tenuti delivered remarkably consistent solutions throughout the contest, including a notable single attempt of 24 moves and an average of 24.67 in earlier tracking. The final standings showed Poland taking two podium positions and Italy earning one, reflecting the concentrated talent present at the summit of this WCA competition. The battle for the top three remained undecided until the final notations were submitted and verified by the judging team.

A wave of strong performances rippled through the ranks as competitors systematically dismantled difficult scramble sequences. Germany's Jan Bentlage posted an impressive average of 23.00 moves alongside a single mark of 22. France's Louis-Marie Ratto followed closely behind with an average of 23.33 moves and a single of 22. Ukrainian solver Yurii Riabov logged an average of 24.00 moves, matching his single of 22, while Krzysztof Pietrusiak of Poland also locked in a 24.00 average with a best single of 23 moves during his runs.

The depth of quality continued further down the score sheets, highlighting the broad international expertise assembled for the winter contest. Mauro Moisés Ortega López of Spain delivered a tight average of 24.33 moves with a single of 24. Vasco Vasconcelos of Portugal registered an average of 25.33 moves with a 25-move single, and Dunhui Xiao representing Germany concluded the round with an average of 26.00 moves supported by a single of 24. These performances showed how solvers adapted diverse block-building and insertion techniques across the distinct scrambles presented over the day.

With 91 entrants competing across 2 rounds, the event demonstrated how a focused format can produce rich competitive drama. Each round demanded rigorous concentration, requiring solvers to manage their sixty-minute allocations between preliminary drafting and the final submission of their solution steps. Europe FMC Friends - Winter 2025 highlighted the expanding community around move-count optimization, proving that the intellectual challenges of speedcubing continue to draw high participation numbers across Europe and international borders in 2025.

As the final notation sheets were signed and the results were ratified, the gathering across Multiple cities, XE stood as a testament to the enduring appeal of the 3x3x3 puzzle. The shared top honors for Baran and Rogoziński capped a day defined by analytical discipline and competitive parity. Solvers departed their respective venues with fresh ideas, refined move counts, and new benchmarks to target as the international calendar moves forward into the next season of competitive solving.