Marino Madness 2025

The tables were set and the displays were glowing inside the Marino Community Hall as dozens of puzzle bags were unzipped. Competitors made their way to Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, crossing various distances across the region and beyond to gather for a full single-day schedule on November 30, 2025. With timers waiting and scorecards neatly stacked, the floor filled with 51 solvers eager to put their preparation to the test at Marino Madness 2025.

The assembly of talent included solvers making journeys across state lines and international borders, all converging under one roof to celebrate speedcubing at its finest. From dedicated families commuting across Adelaide suburbs to solvers navigating longer interstate and international trips, the effort to attend this WCA competition was evident in every bracket. Across six different events and 10 competitive rounds, the day showcased the very best of modern speed cubing.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube drew an impressive field of 50 entrants across three intense rounds of competition. Seth Ferry captured the top step of the podium, posting a winning average of 8.65 seconds alongside the tournament's best single of 7.57 seconds. Tess Karon secured second place with an average of 9.25 seconds, while Jonah Blakeley rounded out the podium in third with an average of 9.82 seconds. The 3x3 results highlighted how narrow the margins were among the leading Australian contenders.

Jonah Blakeley proved to be one of the busiest and most successful competitors of the weekend, securing victories across multiple disciplines. In Megaminx, Blakeley navigated the 12-sided puzzle to take first place with a 1:02.99 average, having also delivered the single of the round at 57.33 seconds. Seth Ferry placed second with a 1:06.32 average, followed closely by Marina Bai in third at 1:07.53. Blakeley also claimed the top spot in Skewb with a 4.00 average, finishing ahead of Nathan Putman who recorded 4.58 and Aaron Mi who finished third at 4.97.

Short-format sprinting took center stage in the 2x2x2 Cube, where Gerard McGinley dominated the 48-player field across two rounds. McGinley posted a rapid winning average of 1.95 seconds and a best single of 1.51 seconds. Jonah Blakeley earned the runner-up position with a 2.93 average, while Charlie Fry claimed third place on the podium with a 3.51 average. McGinley later showcased his deep theoretical versatility by also winning the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves event with a 25.33 average and a single of 22 moves, finishing clear of Tess Karon at 32.67 and Jonah Blakeley at 36.00.

The Square-1 event produced one of the most thrilling finishes of the entire cubing competition. Peter Vu captured victory with an average of 13.14 seconds, edging out Gerard McGinley by a mere single hundredth of a second as McGinley recorded 13.15 seconds. Vu also logged the fastest single of the round with a blistering 6.16 seconds. Seth Ferry completed the Square-1 podium in third place with an average of 14.99 seconds, concluding an exciting battle among the 18 competitors.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones and personal breakthroughs. Max Cook improved his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 6.40 seconds, a 51.1 percent leap over his previous mark, while also making a first ever attempt at Megaminx with a time of 2:23.47. Eamon Wellington took on five events and dropped his 2x2x2 Cube best by 51 percent down to 1.71 seconds, while also posting a 13.4 percent improvement in Megaminx at 1:38.06. Frank Hu-Ao Li recorded a 44 percent drop to earn a 2.53 personal best in the 2x2x2 Cube, alongside inaugural attempts in Skewb at 8.26 and Megaminx at 2:37.59.

Other solvers similarly seized the moment on the competition floor. Hai Minh Dominic Cao cut 40.2 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube mark with a new best of 3.51 seconds. Edward Blake took on three events, posting his first ever official attempts in Skewb at 9.97 and the 2x2x2 Cube at 6.16, while lowering his Rubik's Cube best by 37.6 percent down to 16.48 seconds. Ethan Qiu improved his classic puzzle mark by 37.6 percent to 15.53 seconds, Ryan Waters dropped his 2x2x2 Cube best by 37.4 percent down to 4.02 seconds, and Nathanial Taylor tackled his first official Square-1 solve in 55.60 seconds while shaving 32 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube personal record to hit 2.19 seconds.

With all six events concluded, Australian competitors swept all 18 podium positions available across the tournament schedule. As solvers packed up their gear and prepared for their return trips home across South Australia and beyond, the memorable battles and massive personal time drops affirmed the vibrant spirit of the local scene. The successful staging of Marino Madness 2025 closed another memorable chapter for the community, with eyes already looking forward to the next season of competition.