Land of Lincoln 2025

Luke Garrett delivered an extraordinary display of precision at the Bank of Springfield Center, sealing the 3x3x3 Cube title with a blistering 5.45 winning average and a best single of 5.01 seconds. In a discipline where competitors rely on deep pattern recognition and immense focus akin to the mental demands of blindfolded solving, Garrett stayed completely composed across three rounds. His victory over a field of 128 solvers capped an intense day of Rubik's Cube action at Land of Lincoln 2025, which gathered 130 competitors in Springfield, Illinois, USA on June 21, 2025.

The one-day WCA competition showcased 6 events across 11 rounds, testing solvers through a gauntlet of twisting puzzles. Blindfolded events in speedcubing are famous for demanding total recall and steady nerves under pressure, and that same unyielding concentration was required on the open tables in Springfield. Competitors navigated shifting setups, high-stakes cutoffs, and rapid-fire rounds, producing memorable moments throughout the regional cubing competition.

Garrett asserted complete control over multiple disciplines beyond the classic puzzle. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, he captured first place with an astonishing 1.52 average after posting a 1.23 single. He followed that performance with another top finish in the 4x4x4 Cube, securing the title with a 26.18 average and a fast single of 25.39. Across both short and long puzzles, his dominant execution left little margin for the rest of the field.

Elliott Perkins prevented a clean sweep by claiming the Pyraminx title, taking top honours with a 2.40 average and a 1.74 single, narrowly edging Garrett who finished second at 2.48. In the Skewb event, Maxim Duncan took the victory with a 3.42 average and a round-best 1.81 single, holding off Sebastian Carrillo and Garrett. Meanwhile, Carter Thomas solved his way to the top of the Clock standings, logging a winning average of 3.80 alongside a 2.68 single.

Beneath the podium finishes, the heart of the tournament beat through personal milestones across the venue floor. Alphonse Thomas took on all 6 events on the schedule, setting a major Clock personal best of 17.30 that was 78.8 percent faster than before, while also recording a first attempt in Skewb at 13.31. Kane Maddix Lankster registered a first attempt in Clock at 36.52, a first Skewb attempt of 15.45, and cut their Pyraminx mark down to 8.85, an improvement of 52 percent. Lucas Xiong achieved a 28th place finish in Clock with an 11.67 personal best, 53.3 percent faster than their prior benchmark, and tried Pyraminx for the first time with a 12.46 mark. Elijah Eckert took on 6 events, posting an 11.49 in their first Skewb attempt while carving 49.4 percent off their 4x4x4 Cube best to finish at 1:24.57.

The momentum continued with Tarun Avantsa, who entered 5 events, logged a first Pyraminx solve of 12.27, and improved their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 58.7 percent to 4.69. Varun Sai Golakoti achieved a 32nd place finish in 4x4x4 Cube with an initial attempt of 53.80, posted a first Pyraminx time of 13.26, and cut their 3x3x3 Cube best by 36.9 percent to 10.72. Hawon Song stepped up for 4 events, recording first attempts in 2x2x2 Cube at 3.75, Pyraminx at 10.92, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:30.60 to finish 53rd. Jax Howe rounded out the notable progression across 5 events, logging first attempts in Skewb at 9.28, 2x2x2 Cube at 3.95, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:12.63.

Podium battles across the afternoon remained fierce, with United States competitors sweeping all 18 podium spots available. Carter Thomas earned second in the premier event with a 7.86 average, while Elijah Ackerman took third at 8.73 as the final 3x3 results were tallied. Thomas also added a second-place finish in 4x4x4 Cube at 29.73 and third in 2x2x2 Cube at 2.74, proving his versatility across diverse puzzle formats throughout the day.

As the final timers stopped, the 2025 tournament demonstrated the depth of the regional speed cubing scene. With champions pushing winning marks into elite territory and rising competitors slashing personal bests across the board, Land of Lincoln 2025 provided a compelling showcase of skill and concentration that will resonate into the next season of play.