Ithaca Summer 2025

The tables were set inside the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center as timers clicked and plastic pieces spun on August 2, 2025. Solvers arranged their gear, adjusted their tensioned layers, and stepped forward for their official turns at the solving stations. A roster of 16 competitors gathered for Ithaca Summer 2025, bringing together experienced tournament regulars and first-time participants taking their inaugural turns on the official stage. The single-day schedule offered 11 rounds across 8 distinct events, testing everything from rapid sprint turning to patient memory work in Ithaca, New York, USA.

For newcomers stepping into an official cubing competition, the environment brings an unmistakable rhythm. The inspection countdown, the steady placement of hands on the timing mat, and the sharp drop of the puzzle create a distinct focus that home practice cannot replicate. Every competitor at this WCA competition shared the same floor, whether they were testing themselves on the Rubik's Cube for the very first time in public or contending for top podium spots across multiple disciplines throughout the packed afternoon.

The developmental progress across the field highlighted the depth of the event. Charley Eucker tackled 5 events and secured a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.22 seconds, cutting 27 percent off the previous mark, alongside a 54.04-second mark in 4x4x4 Cube that was 3.7 percent faster to finish 5th. Diego Laguia entered 4 events, logged a first official attempt of 5.49 in 2x2x2 Cube and 1:33.98 in 4x4x4 Cube, took 5th in Pyraminx, and dropped their 3x3x3 Cube best by 12.6 percent down to 14.35 seconds. Charlie Heier took on 6 events, finishing 6th in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves while setting a 3x3x3 One-Handed best of 30.39, a 4x4x4 Cube best of 1:13.52, and a 2x2x2 Cube mark of 3.79.

Other solvers delivered strong milestones of their own across diverse formats. Skyler Wilkinson took 9th in 3x3x3 Cube, improved their 3x3x3 best by 11.8 percent to 14.82 seconds, and recorded a first 2x2x2 Cube result of 4.83 seconds. Alexis Xiao dropped their 3x3x3 Cube time by 13.6 percent to 29.77 seconds, while Jason Xiao improved by 12 percent with a 24.24-second finish. John Grant completed a debut tournament across 3 events, placing 9th in Pyraminx while logging first official attempts of 19.41 in 3x3x3 Cube, 6.64 in 2x2x2 Cube, and 12.61 in Pyraminx. Pascal Schreiber also debuted across 3 events, placing 8th in 4x4x4 Cube while establishing initial marks of 9.62 in 2x2x2 Cube and 16.32 in Pyraminx.

In the marquee 3x3x3 Cube event, the 3x3 results culminated in an exciting final round among the 14 competitors who took part. Evan Liu took first place with a winning average of 8.61 seconds and delivered the tournament best single solve of 7.63 seconds. Darshan Bhavanasi claimed the second podium spot with an average of 8.89 seconds, edging Matthew Kim who also recorded an 8.89-second average for third place. The two rounds of classic speed cubing showcased tight margins at the top of the leaderboard.

Evan Liu also captured victories across three other disciplines on the schedule. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Liu finished first among 8 competitors with an average of 13.41 seconds and a single of 9.08 seconds, ahead of Darshan Bhavanasi at 16.30 and Adelynn Neal at 21.04. In 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, Liu solved the scramble in 28 moves to lead Bhavanasi with 35 moves and Alex Hancock with 49 moves. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Liu delivered a winning average of 55.46 seconds, including a best single solve of 51.49 seconds to earn the top spot.

Darshan Bhavanasi dominated the remaining categories, collecting four gold finishes. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Bhavanasi averaged 1.99 seconds with a 0.99 single to finish ahead of Davis Johnson at 2.06 and Liu at 3.12. In Pyraminx, Bhavanasi took first with a 1.87 average, leading Liu at 3.60 and Neal at 3.75. Bhavanasi added a victory in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 33.81 average over Liu at 34.19 and Louis Truong at 34.93, before winning the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:43.61 ahead of Truong at 2:00.79 and Liu at 2:03.95.

By the conclusion of Ithaca Summer 2025, competitors had collected 23 total podium awards, with 15 earned by solvers representing the United States and 8 by solvers representing India. From first-time entrants completing their opening solves to seasoned athletes trading top spots across eight disciplines, the action in Ithaca demonstrated the breadth and community spirit that defines modern speedcubing as solvers look ahead to the next season.