Mission Viejo Fall 2025

The gymnasium at Tesoro High School buzzed with focused energy as stacks of timers lined the competition tables on October 12, 2025. Competitors methodically inspected their puzzles, turning layers back and forth under the bright venue lighting while parents and fellow solvers watched intently from the surrounding bleachers. Across twelve rounds of play, the single-day gathering brought a massive wave of activity to Orange County, creating an atmosphere that blended high-pressure tournament solves with a shared passion for rapid puzzle solving.

Representing the home contingent in Las Flores, California, USA, Max Park delivered a commanding presence that anchored the tournament schedule. Competing on familiar ground, the American standout stepped up to the main stage and set the standard across multiple disciplines. His presence at the tables served as the centerpiece of Mission Viejo Fall 2025, drawing the eyes of the entire venue whenever he sat down behind the timer for his official runs.

The signature 3x3x3 Cube event drew a large field of 144 competitors who pushed through three demanding rounds of classic Rubik's Cube solving. Park secured the top spot in the final round with a winning average of 5.39 seconds, supported by the event's fastest single solve of 5.11 seconds. The rest of the podium featured fellow American solvers, with Nancy Liu taking second place on a 6.91 average and Remy Trieu claiming third place with a 7.14 average, rounding out the official 3x3 results at the top of the table.

Park doubled his gold medal haul in the 4x4x4 Cube, dominating a field of 102 solvers across two rounds of play. He posted a winning average of 18.74 seconds and logged the weekend's best single solve at 17.08 seconds. Brendyn Dunagan took second place with an average of 27.41 seconds, while Ethan Yeh finished third at 30.38 seconds, cementing an all-American podium sweep in the big cube category.

Beyond the championship battles, the tournament floor served as a launchpad for major personal milestones across the full roster. Ryan Tang delivered one of the most dramatic leaps of the weekend, cutting his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 51.5 percent down to 18.55 seconds while also recording his first official attempts in Pyraminx with a 7.31 and 2x2x2 Cube with a 6.50. Rachel Waung tackled four separate events, recording her first ever attempts at 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.37, 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:50.63, and Pyraminx with a 10.94. Devin Zepeda-Cruz dropped his 4x4x4 Cube mark by 41.3 percent to 1:00.52 and took on his first Clock attempt at 18.02 seconds, while Derrick Lo carved 42.4 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube best to hit 7.34 seconds alongside a debut 12.03 Pyraminx solve.

The progress continued across every corner of the venue as solvers expanded their competitive repertoires. Rowan Selmo improved his Clock mark by 42.3 percent to 22.56 seconds and registered a first official 4x4x4 Cube mark of 3:03.62. Anka Engin achieved a 38.6 percent improvement in 4x4x4 Cube with a 44.26 time while making a first Clock attempt of 55.60. Akash Kelkar improved his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 34.8 percent to 1.65 seconds and tackled Clock for the first time with a 12.52 solve. Wyatt Chan rounded out a busy five-event slate by cutting 27 percent from his 2x2x2 Cube best to reach 3.41 seconds while logging his first Clock run of 15.61 seconds.

Specialty disciplines rounded out the competitive program, offering a wide variety of puzzle mechanics for the 152 total participants. In the Pyraminx event, Owen Yepeng Sun of China claimed first place among 105 competitors with a swift 1.47 winning average and a 1.14 single. Vinícius Shaw of Brazil followed in second place with a 2.77 average, while Shiloh D'Espyne took third for the USA at 2.98 seconds. The Clock contest saw Brendyn Dunagan top a field of 91 solvers with a 2.74 average and a 1.84 single, finishing ahead of China's Yunhao Lou at 3.93 and Ethan Yeh at 4.21.

The fast-paced 2x2x2 Cube wrapped up the proceedings with 135 competitors navigating three rounds of speed cubing action. Ian Cantius Fredric of India emerged victorious with a stellar 1.49 average and a 1.22 single solve. Brendyn Dunagan earned his second podium finish of the day by taking second place with an average of 1.80 seconds, while Remy Trieu collected third with a 2.54 average. Across all five events, the WCA competition proved to be a vibrant display of talent from international stars and local competitors alike.

As timers were packed away and the final results were entered into the database, Mission Viejo Fall 2025 concluded as a standout celebration of speedcubing excellence. Solvers from four different nations earned podium spots, highlighted by eleven medals for United States competitors. With breakthrough times recorded throughout the ranks, the cubing competition at Tesoro High School provided a fitting showcase for southern California's thriving puzzle community as competitors turn their attention toward the next season of play.