It's a Long Way to Tipperary 2025

Nineteen competitors stepped up to the tables for the big cubes and specialized formats in Nenagh, Ireland, where the razor-thin margin of error in mean-of-three events shaped the entire weekend. Unlike standard formats where a safety net allows solvers to discard their slowest time, disciplines like 6x6x6 Cube, 7x7x7 Cube, and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves demand absolute consistency across every single attempt. A single slip or miscalculation immediately ruins an entire average, making precision vital. Across May 17 to May 18, It's a Long Way to Tipperary 2025 put that unforgiving test at center stage at the Abbey Court Hotel Nenagh.

The harsh reality of the three-attempt structure played out vividly across the big cube disciplines. Cillian Hainbach demonstrated extraordinary stability through these uncompromising formats, navigating the 6x6x6 Cube with a winning mean of 1:42.50 alongside a top single of 1:38.74 across the single scheduled round. Hainbach carried that exact same control into the 7x7x7 Cube, capturing first place with a mean of 2:47.36 and a best single of 2:35.18. In these events, maintaining pace without incurring a disastrous lockup or mechanical error across three consecutive solves is among the hardest tasks in modern speedcubing.

The intellectual test of 3x3x3 Fewest Moves brought another demonstration of mean-of-three discipline to the cubing competition. Adam Bermingham secured victory by delivering a 27.33 mean, anchored by a best attempt of 23 moves. In an event where sixty minutes of analysis yields a single solution, doing it three times without faltering separated the top of the table. Bermingham also claimed the Square-1 title with a 9.63 average, leading a podium that featured Ronan Finke in second at 12.38 and Hainbach in third at 12.79, further emphasizing the versatility required at this WCA competition.

Beyond the three-solve disciplines, the main classic Rubik's Cube categories brought high drama of their own. CJ Furey produced a standout weekend, sweeping both three-style formats. In 3x3x3 Cube, Furey topped a field of 56 competitors across three rounds, sealing the title with a 6.64 winning average and a lightning single of 5.93. Hainbach placed second with an 8.07 average, while Kalin Doherty took third at 9.88. The 3x3 results proved Furey's speed under pressure, which carried directly into the 3x3x3 One-Handed final where Furey won with a 13.63 average over Hainbach's 15.73 and Deasúin Kenny's 19.53.

Hainbach remained a dominant figure on the podiums throughout the 2025 competition, adding victories in 4x4x4 Cube with a 27.31 average, 5x5x5 Cube with a 54.07 average, and Clock with a 4.51 average. In 5x5x5 Cube, Furey followed in second place with 1:04.47 and Ben Timmons took third at 1:09.48. Meanwhile, Jack Corr secured second in Clock at 4.93 ahead of Timmons at 5.20. Jane Kelly took top honors in Megaminx, logging a winning average of 57.55 and a single of 51.88 across two rounds. Blindfolded solving yielded another dramatic test of memory, where Colm McCarthy won the 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 29.66 single and took the 4x4x4 Blindfolded title with a time of 4:00.83.

Away from the top of the podiums, It's a Long Way to Tipperary 2025 delivered remarkable individual milestones across every stage of development. Reilly Kinahan slashed previous personal standards, cutting the 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 18.23 from 28.83 for a 36.8 percent drop, improving their Clock best to 8.34, and taking on a first official 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt with a time of 32.33. Maurice Hunt delivered a massive 27.3 percent cut to their 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best with a time of 25.70, while logging first career attempts in both 7x7x7 Cube at 6:51.12 and Square-1 at 31.02. Kenna Lyons tackled a busy slate of 11 events, taking seventh in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 28.4 percent personal best drop to 48 moves, reducing their 3x3x3 Cube best to 13.29, and completing a first 6x6x6 Cube attempt in 6:09.96.

The depth of progress continued with Chloe O'Loughlin, who reached eighth in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logged a first blindfolded attempt of 4:47.67, set a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 15.44, and recorded a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt at 2:10.19. Dylan McAuliffe tackled six events, achieving a 16th-place finish in Square-1 alongside debut attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 3:46.35, 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:01.88, and Clock at 26.21. Cian Crowley also completed debuts across three separate disciplines, recording 3:13.42 in Megaminx, 53.75 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, and 24.09 in Clock. In addition, Fionn Walsh and Killian Wajdzik both embraced their very first speed cubing tournaments in Nenagh, with Walsh logging a Megaminx time of 3:15.93 and Wajdzik posting a 1:03.15 single in the standard cube.

Across 13 events, 20 rounds, and 58 competitors, the gathering in County Tipperary showcased the technical diversity of the sport. From the nerve-wracking demands of mean-of-three solves to the rapid bursts of one-handed and blindfolded play, the weekend rewarded those who could maintain composure under intense pressure. As the season rolls forward, the performances set at It's a Long Way to Tipperary 2025 will stand as a benchmark for precision, endurance, and composure across every format.