Fort Payne Summer 2025

Forty-seven competitors journeyed across the region to gather in Fort Payne, Alabama, USA, for a packed single day of elite puzzle solving on August 2, 2025. Travelling from various communities to take their seats at Grace Presbyterian Church, these dedicated solvers converged to put their dedicated practice to the test over 12 hard-fought rounds. The atmosphere throughout Fort Payne Summer 2025 was defined by the shared determination of travellers who made the trek to chase fast times and test themselves across 5 distinct events.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a full roster of 47 entrants across 3 rounds of intense speedcubing. Caleb Chen emerged at the top of the standings, delivering a winning average of 6.68 seconds alongside the fastest single of the entire event at 5.79 seconds. The battle for the remaining steps on the podium proved remarkably tight, as Nicolás Sánchez and Eli Parker both posted matching averages of 7.29 seconds to take second and third place respectively. These standout 3x3 results anchored an electric day of top-tier competition.

Short-format solving delivered equal excitement in the 2x2x2 Cube event, which also welcomed all 47 competitors across 3 full rounds. Nicolás Sánchez captured first place with a blistering winning average of 1.29 seconds, having previously logged a best single of 0.88 seconds in the earlier stages. Rowan Stough kept the pressure on until the very end, claiming second place with a 1.32 average, while Caleb Chen secured third place with a 1.37 average, showcasing the remarkable speed cubing skill required on the smaller puzzle.

The 3x3x3 One-Handed event tested the agility of 33 competitors over 2 demanding rounds. Eli Parker demonstrated exceptional dexterity, winning the title with a 10.14 second average and setting the event benchmark with an 8.79 single solve. Caleb Chen followed in second place with an average of 13.83 seconds, while Rowan Stough earned third place on the podium with an average of 14.34 seconds. The discipline highlighted the diverse mechanical mastery present throughout the Grace Presbyterian Church venue during Fort Payne Summer 2025.

The specialized events offered plenty of drama for the assembled speedcubers. In the Clock event, which featured 32 competitors over 3 rounds, Drake Denton Richard claimed victory with an impressive average of 3.08 seconds after logging a best single of 2.35 seconds. Jasper Wolfe-Tham took the runner-up spot with a 3.29 average, followed by Drew Windham in third at 4.21. Meanwhile, the Megaminx event saw Jared Stinson navigate the 12-sided puzzle with unmatched precision, winning the 25-competitor field in a single round with an average of 37.30 seconds and a best single of 32.63 seconds.

Beyond the championship podiums, the official WCA competition served as a showcase for substantial individual milestones among participants throughout the bracket. Soren Wells Yarnell delivered a massive breakthrough in the classic Rubik's Cube, recording a personal best of 34.70 seconds to mark a 49.2 percent improvement over their prior mark of 1:08.32, while also logging their first ever attempt in Clock at 46.68. William Quick dropped his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 41.7 percent down to 2.08 seconds. Saankhya Kotha tackled 4 events, taking on a first ever attempt in Clock at 15.78 while lowering their 2x2x2 personal best by 32.1 percent to 4.02 seconds and improving their one-handed best by 21.8 percent to 33.20.

Progress continued across the scorecards as Vraj Chekuri recorded a first ever attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed of 33.85 seconds alongside personal best cuts of 28.6 percent in 2x2x2 at 3.20 and 27.7 percent in 3x3x3 at 13.59. Shreyas Dhulipudi entered all 5 events, earning a 24th place finish in Megaminx, completing a first Clock attempt in 19.97, and dropping their one-handed mark by 27.7 percent to 39.06 seconds. Natalie Figueroa also took on 5 events, achieving an 18th place finish in Megaminx with a personal best of 1:35.83, a 17.7 percent improvement, alongside a 17.5 percent drop in Clock to 12.47. Will Bryan logged a first attempt in one-handed of 57.50, and Emmett Dawson improved their 2x2x2 best by 33.3 percent to 3.11 seconds.

A total of 15 podium places were claimed by competitors representing the USA over the course of the tournament. First-time competitors Jackson Surtees, Luke Williams, and Chandler Strain made their debuts under the official timer, each logging initial marks in both the 2x2x2 and 3x3x3 events. From newcomers to seasoned specialists, the collective effort across all rounds reflected the vibrant energy of the regional community.

As the day of solving concluded at Grace Presbyterian Church, Fort Payne Summer 2025 demonstrated the enduring appeal of the sport across Alabama. Every participant who travelled to the venue left their mark on the scoresheet, from standard puzzles to complex dodecahedrons. With another successful cubing competition completed in the 2025 season, the solvers now take their fresh personal bests and championship hardware home, setting the stage for their next appearances on the circuit.