Lopes Up AZ 2025

Ninety-two competitors gathered inside Antelope Gym on February 15, 2025, bringing the energy of competitive speedcubing to Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The single-day tournament packed nine rounds of intense action across five official events, creating an electric atmosphere for both seasoned contenders and fresh faces taking the stage for the first time. The Lopes Up AZ 2025 meeting served as an ideal showcase for the depth of talent emerging across the Southwest region.

Stepping up to the solving station at a debut WCA competition brings a unique blend of focus and anticipation. For newcomers entering a formal speed cubing environment, the rhythm of official timers, judges, and running sheets transforms hours of home practice into real results. First-time competitor Joshua Bentley took on three separate events, delivering an initial 3x3x3 Cube benchmark of 22.61 seconds alongside a 4.83 in 2x2x2 Cube and a 13.49 in Skewb.

Beyond the newcomers, several developing solvers produced remarkable breakthroughs that went far beyond their previous bests. Henry Adams delivered a massive leap on the 2x2x2 Cube, logging an 11.31 personal best that shaved 60 percent off his prior 28.26 mark, alongside a first ever Skewb attempt of 21.57 and a 52.52 in 3x3. Grayson Adamic tackled five disciplines, recording a 25th-place finish in Megaminx, first-ever attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 34.53 and Megaminx at 2:19.47, and cutting his Skewb personal best down 56.2 percent to 8.02.

The progress across the floor continued with Gavin Schoenhardt, who lowered his 3x3x3 Cube standard by 53.5 percent to 14.86, took 25th in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an opening mark of 33.22, and trimmed his 2x2 to 7.71. Christopher Supergan took on a five-event slate to finish 22nd in Megaminx while logging first official attempts in One-Handed at 36.38, Megaminx at 2:09.16, and Skewb at 7.79. Austin Lee Gagnon also took on all five events, securing a 30th-place Megaminx result while notching first attempts in Skewb at 10.43, One-Handed at 35.79, and Megaminx at 3:16.58. Joshua Stevenson posted a 16th-place Megaminx finish with debut attempts of 1:49.96 in Megaminx and 33.24 in One-Handed, alongside a 4.70 in 2x2. Zander Pack posted a 13.25 debut in Skewb and reduced his 2x2 mark by 46.5 percent to 7.02, while Jackson Taylor Guastella opened his Skewb ledger at 14.66 and dropped his 2x2 best by 46.5 percent to 6.13.

At the sharp end of the main draw, the classic Rubik's Cube delivered top-tier drama across three rounds of play. Jeremy Bulambot captured the victory in the 3x3x3 Cube final, posting a winning average of 6.69 seconds and an event-best single of 6.04. Dan Tran took second place on the podium with an 8.27 average, narrowly edging Jesse Gonzales, who earned third place with an 8.28 mark in a tense conclusion to the 3x3 results.

Bulambot was not finished with just one title, proving his versatility by also taking top honors in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event. He posted a dominant 11.46 winning average and an event-low single of 10.57 across a field of 48 competitors. Tran secured his second runner-up finish of the day with an average of 15.02, while Nathan Agan rounded out the podium positions in third with a 17.02 average.

The shorter formats featured equally sharp racing on the tables. Quintin Audisho clinched the 2x2x2 Cube title from an 82-competitor field, averaging 2.40 seconds in the final round and recording a fastest single of 1.44. Tran added another silver placement to his tally with a 2.65 average, while Bulambot claimed third step on the podium at 2.81. In Skewb, Micah Arnold topped the 54-solver lineup with a 3.64 winning average and a 2.89 single, finishing ahead of Brian Yi at 4.72 and Bulambot at 5.19.

The twelve-sided Megaminx concluded the day's proceedings with an exacting test of endurance and spatial awareness. Mia Sponseller claimed victory with a 52.02 winning average and the best single time of the competition at 46.98. Tran continued his steady podium presence by taking second in 53.05, while Ruichen Li secured third with an average of 53.73 among 37 contenders.

By the time the final timers clicked shut, the cubing competition demonstrated the full breadth of the community, pairing high-caliber championship solving with major milestones for newer participants. Lopes Up AZ 2025 concluded as a definitive success in Phoenix, setting a high standard for future regional tournaments.