Grand Slam of Cubing: Lloydminster 2025

The tables at the Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre were filled with an array of geometric shapes and varying mechanisms on November 22, 2025. Competitors moved between compact two-layered puzzles, tetrahedral challenges, and massive multi-layered cubes, adjusting their tension and lubrication throughout the single-day gathering. The atmosphere inside the venue captured the focus of the sport, where athletes transitioned rapidly from high-speed finger turns on miniature layers to calculated, endurance-heavy rotations on complex hardware across eight complete rounds.

The wide spectrum of disciplines defined Grand Slam of Cubing: Lloydminster 2025, bringing together 23 competitors in Lloydminster (Alberta/Saskatchewan), Saskatchewan, Canada. Speedcubing enthusiasts tackled six distinct events that tested completely different spatial and mechanical skill sets. From the rapid agility needed for the Pyraminx to the stamina demanded by the 7x7x7 Cube, the tournament showcased the full breadth of modern speed cubing in an engaging showcase of precision.

At the center of the hardware spectrum was the classic Rubik's Cube, featuring two rounds of intense solving. Benjamin Ragan delivered outstanding 3x3 results, capturing the championship title with a winning average of 8.64 seconds and logging the best single time of the event at 7.09 seconds. Aloysius Pade secured second place on the podium with a 10.93 average, while James Matthews earned third place by averaging 11.00 seconds in a closely contested final round.

Ragan demonstrated exceptional adaptability across different formats, securing victories in five of the six categories staged during the cubing competition. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Ragan topped the standings across two rounds with a 2.74 average and a 2.31 single, finishing ahead of James Matthews with 3.40 and Aloysius Pade with 3.80. Ragan also showed complete mastery of the one-handed discipline, winning the 3x3x3 One-Handed event in 16.46 seconds ahead of Zach Ramer at 17.21 and Aloysius Pade at 25.26.

The large-cube categories pushed hardware management and pattern recognition even further. Benjamin Ragan continued his dominance across the bigger mechanisms, winning the 5x5x5 Cube with an average of 1:02.77 and a best single of 55.53 seconds, followed by Zach Ramer at 1:13.92 and Nicolas Gravel at 1:22.95. On the massive 7x7x7 Cube, Ragan completed his sweep of the big puzzles with a winning average of 2:32.82 and a single of 2:24.36, while Ramer took second place in 3:52.52 and Gravel placed third in 4:30.61.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, Grand Slam of Cubing: Lloydminster 2025 offered deep personal milestones across the field. Victor Verbitsky took on five events and made a massive leap on the 5x5x5 Cube, recording a personal best of 3:40.34 to cut 41.5 percent off his previous benchmark. Thomas Dilworth also embraced the demanding upper end of the schedule, completing his first ever attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube in 3:45.40 and his first ever attempt at the 7x7x7 Cube in 14:02.00 on his way to an eighth-place finish. Kolbi Zen Xavier cut 33.6 percent off his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark with a new personal best of 40.39 seconds and finished eighth in the 5x5x5 Cube with a debut time of 2:18.11. David Sellmer registered a 28 percent improvement in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 4.32 personal best alongside his first official 5x5x5 Cube solve of 3:02.05.

The personal achievements continued across both veterans and newcomers attending this WCA competition. Archer Williston recorded a 21.18 personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube, improving by 27.6 percent while also completing a first official 2x2x2 Cube solve of 8.33 seconds. Augustus Pade improved his Pyraminx personal best by 16.4 percent to 20.96 seconds while logging his first official 2x2x2 Cube time of 16.40 seconds. Jiwoo Song took part in their first WCA competition, tackling five separate events and registering a first attempt on the 5x5x5 Cube of 2:41.27 alongside a 4.91 debut on the 2x2x2 Cube. Christian Gagné also made his tournament debut across three events, posting an opening 3x3x3 Cube solve of 33.32 seconds and a 5.10 mark on the Pyraminx.

The mechanical variety of the weekend was capped by the Pyraminx, which offered a unique triangular challenge compared to the cubic events. Zach Ramer broke through to claim the Pyraminx title with a swift 3.50 winning average and a single of 3.05 seconds, leading James Matthews at 4.33 seconds and Roland Dutrisac at 4.40 seconds. All 18 podium positions across the tournament went to Canadian competitors, closing out a dynamic day of solving that celebrated the full spectrum of competitive puzzles.