Menlo Cubing Open 2025

Inside the bustling competition hall at Laerskool Menlopark, Daniel Rush delivered an extraordinary weekend of speedcubing, highlighted by a dominant victory in the classic 3x3x3 Cube where he recorded a winning average of 6.70 seconds and a single solve of 5.64 seconds. That marquee performance set the standard for a remarkable display of consistency across the entire schedule. Across two days of high-intensity action from September 27 to September 28, the venue in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa provided an energetic backdrop for 72 competitors taking part in 11 different events spanning 19 total rounds.

The Menlo Cubing Open 2025 transformed the Pretoria hall into a focal point of South African puzzle solving. Spectators and participants gathered around the solving tables across multiple tiers of competition, tracking every turn of the standard Rubik's Cube alongside an extensive array of alternate puzzles. For local followers tracking the 3x3 results, Rush stood clear of the 67 competitors in the main draw, finishing ahead of Shivaan Harichander with an 8.21 average and Juandré Jacobs with an 8.55 average in the final round.

The breadth of the schedule gave all-around specialists a stage to test their range across big cubes and side events. Rush claimed first place in six separate disciplines throughout the weekend. In the 4x4x4 Cube, he led a field of 42 solvers with a 26.44 average and a best single of 24.16. He then secured the 5x5x5 Cube title with a 47.06 average, ahead of Ruben Grobler at 1:02.40 and Osman Badroodin at 1:02.53, before taking the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:30.95 and capturing Megaminx with a 49.31 winning average.

Ruben Grobler put together his own stellar campaign at the competition, capturing multiple event victories and podium places. In the fast-paced 2x2x2 Cube final, Grobler locked in the win with a 2.29 average, holding off Rhynard Steyn at 3.07 and Juandré Jacobs at 3.49. Grobler followed that success with a first-place finish in Skewb, posting a winning average of 4.15 to top Rush at 5.24 and Steyn at 5.80. Grobler also earned the top single in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a time of 1:13.24 across ten competitors.

Other puzzle events delivered tightly contested battles on the Menlopark tables. Rhynard Steyn topped a 46-competitor field in the Pyraminx, taking victory with a 3.89 average to edge Grobler at 4.42 and Rush at 5.07. In Clock, Rush added another title to his tally with a winning average of 7.17, leading Ian Luies at 9.04 and Miga Ferreira at 9.83 across 25 competitors. The blindfolded category saw Marike Faught capture the 4x4x4 Blindfolded title with a winning single solve of 4:32.75, finishing ahead of Grobler at 6:34.94 and Rush at 7:54.55 in a demanding memory test.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the weekend. Luka Cvetkovic produced massive gains, cutting their Pyraminx personal best down to 10.81 from 1:24.01, representing an improvement of 87.1 percent, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube mark of 6.09 that was 60.6 percent faster than their prior best. Muhammed Trajia took on 10 events, logging a 2x2x2 Cube best of 1.87 that was 59.1 percent faster, while completing first ever attempts in the 6x6x6 Cube at 5:03.63 and Clock at 35.69. Tyrone Pedro tackled nine events, posting a 2.19 in 2x2x2 Cube for a 45.8 percent improvement, and Lewis Janse van Rensburg achieved a 14.63 in Skewb, improving by 43.5 percent while completing his first 4x4x4 Cube attempt in 2:03.58.

First-time experiences and breakthroughs continued across the scorecards. Ariella Ngari lowered her 2x2x2 Cube mark to 2.35, an improvement of 56.1 percent, alongside a 5.67 Pyraminx personal best. Rudransh Bindra improved his Skewb mark by 42.6 percent to 3.78 and his 2x2x2 Cube time to 2.72. Kéan Botha took on five events, improving their Megaminx mark by 40.8 percent down to 2:11.11 and making a first ever attempt in the 6x6x6 Cube with 4:31.32. Daanyaal Mohamed entered their first ever WCA competition, competing in six events and logging debut marks of 15.75 in the 3x3x3 Cube and 2:20.94 in the 4x4x4 Cube.

The 2025 edition of this speed cubing gathering in Pretoria concluded with all 33 podium places earned by South African competitors across the 11 disciplines. From the fast-moving short rounds to the extensive multi-layered big cubes and blindfolded sessions, the Menlo Cubing Open 2025 delivered an exhaustive test of dexterity and focus. With personal bests tumbling throughout the lower seeds and commanding multi-event sweeps at the sharp end, the gathering highlighted the vibrant strength of the regional cubing competition scene.