Ota Spring 2025

Sixty-five competitors gathered on March 20, 2025, as Ikegamikaikan in Ota, Tokyo, Japan played host to a packed schedule of puzzle solving. The single-day WCA competition moved briskly through eight rounds across four distinct categories. Spectators following the broader speedcubing calendar were treated to a full day of head-to-head racing, drawing specialists from across the country and overseas to test their pace across multiple formats.

The morning schedule opened with intense rounds in the 6x6x6 Cube, testing stamina and mechanical precision across the larger hardware. Ivan Li Ka Leong of Hong Kong led the pack from the outset, eventually securing top honors with a winning average of 1:27.76 alongside the round's best single mark of 1:26.72. Japan's Tomohiro Kobayashi followed in second place with a 1:40.38 average, while Takeru Iguchi completed the podium at 1:46.04 amidst a starting field of 41 participants.

As the day advanced into midday, the geometric complexity of Square-1 took center stage at Ota Spring 2025. Sotaro Hayashi produced a commanding display across two competitive rounds, capturing the title with an average of 9.77 seconds and delivering the event's fastest single solve of 6.71 seconds. Yasunari Kumekawa took second step on the podium with a 9.95 average, while Yoshito Kotani finished third at 11.58 in a tightly contested final round.

The afternoon shifted toward the twelve-sided Megaminx, bringing 38 solvers to the tables in a demanding showcase of turn efficiency. Masayuki Hirai emerged victorious after two rounds, locking in a first-place average of 36.17 seconds and posting a rapid 32.02 single. Takumi Kawazoe captured second place with a 37.33 average, while Yusuke Takada rounded out the all-Japan podium positions by claiming third place with a 39.84 average mark.

While enthusiasts often check speed cubing tables for classic Rubik's Cube milestones or standard 3x3 results, this cubing competition offered plenty of individual breakthroughs beyond the trophy stand. Haruki Tsutsui tackled four events on the day, placing fourth in Skewb while dropping their personal best to 3.43 seconds, an improvement of 53.9 percent over their previous best of 7.44, alongside first-ever official attempts in Megaminx at 53.55 and the 6x6x6 Cube at 2:46.08. Seiya Matsuyama also took on four events, finishing sixth in Megaminx, cutting their Skewb best by 29.9 percent to 5.55 seconds, and registering inaugural official attempts in Square-1 with 13.57 and 6x6x6 Cube with 2:20.65.

Other multi-event entrants achieved key milestones throughout the day. Yuto Morishita entered four disciplines, taking 12th in Skewb and logging first attempts at Skewb in 2.96, Megaminx in 1:05.05, and 6x6x6 Cube in 2:55.02. Shota Wakabayashi completed a four-event slate featuring first-time marks in Square-1 at 15.54, Megaminx at 52.90, and 6x6x6 Cube at 3:40.13. Kazuhiko Kusano logged initial marks in Square-1 at 38.64, Megaminx at 1:56.94, and 6x6x6 Cube at 5:42.49 across four events. Yousef Salib took on three events with debuts in Skewb at 7.31, Square-1 at 19.88, and 6x6x6 Cube at 4:13.35, while Fumitaka Nakamura registered three new event attempts with 6.22 in Skewb, 1:17.45 in Megaminx, and 2:57.61 in 6x6x6 Cube.

The late-afternoon rotation closed the day with the explosive turns of Skewb, where 42 entrants vied for the final title of the tournament. Shunya Ishikawa took the win in decisive style, averaging 2.91 seconds in the finals and logging a field-leading single of 1.68 seconds. Noriyuki Okada secured second place with an average of 3.54 seconds, while Thailand's Itthikorn Jittaveeroj earned third place with a 5.09 average.

By the close of Ota Spring 2025, competitors had worked through all eight rounds across the four featured events. The podium breakdown saw ten medals claimed by competitors representing Japan, one by Hong Kong, and one by Thailand, wrapping up a full day of action at Ikegamikaikan and establishing an exciting standard for the rest of the 2025 calendar.

東京都大田区にある池上会館の競技ホールは、2025年3月20日の開催当日、キューブを回転させる乾いた音とタイマーの作動音に包まれていました。卓上に広がるスタックマットやジャッジの配置など、スピードキュービングの公式大会ならではの整然とした空間が整えられ、参加者たちが集中力を高めていました。

この会場で実施されたWCA公認大会がOta Spring 2025です。春の気配が漂うOta, Tokyo, Japanの地には合計65名の競技者が集い、4種目8ラウンドにわたってそれぞれの技術を競い合いました。ルービックキューブ関連の多様なパズルを愛する選手たちが一堂に会した一日となりました。

競技種目のひとつである6x6x6 Cubeでは、41名がエントリーしハイレベルな戦いが繰り広げられました。香港のIvan Li Ka Leong (李嘉亮)が単発1:26.72、平均1:27.76をマークして見事に優勝を果たしました。2位には平均1:40.38でTomohiro Kobayashi (小林知広)、3位には平均1:46.04でTakeru Iguchi (井口丈瑠)が続いています。

Megaminx部門には38名が参加し、Masayuki Hirai (平井雅之)が単発32.02、平均36.17を記録して頂点に立ちました。2位は平均37.33のTakumi Kawazoe (川添匠)、3位は平均39.84のYusuke Takada (高田祐介)となり、上位陣による僅差のタイム争いが会場を大いに沸かせました。

変形パズルのSquare-1では、Sotaro Hayashi (林聡太朗)が単発6.71、平均9.77という素晴らしい記録で優勝を飾りました。これにYasunari Kumekawa (粂川泰成)が平均9.95で2位、Yoshito Kotani (小谷慶人)が平均11.58で3位につけ、最後まで緊迫した展開となりました。

Skewbでは42名の選手が出場し、Shunya Ishikawa (石川隼也)が単発1.68、平均2.91の驚異的なタイムで1位の座を射止めました。2位は平均3.54のNoriyuki Okada (岡田典之)、3位には平均5.09を記録したタイのItthikorn Jittaveeroj (อิทธิกร จิตทวีโรจน์)が入賞を果たしました。

今大会では個々の大幅な自己記録更新も相次ぎました。Square-1に出場したGuangzhi Hou (侯广智)は自己ベストを従来の29.01から10.23へと64.7パーセント短縮し8位に入りました。Soichiro Yamamoto (山本颯一郎)も同種目で21.99から9.55へと56.6パーセント更新して5位に入り、Makoto Asano (淺野真)は35.19をマークして従来の1:17.59から54.6パーセントの大幅更新を達成しました。

初挑戦の舞台で確かな足跡を残した選手たちもいます。Taichi Saito (齋藤太智)はSquare-1で12.40、Skewbで9.77を記録してSquare-1で11位に入り、Yu Nagahora (永洞優)はSquare-1で24.61、Skewbで10.63をマークしました。初の公式大会となったJorge Laraは4種目に挑みSkewbで19.17、6x6x6 Cubeで4:45.49、Square-1で1:22.06を記録し、同じく初出場のKenta Kobayashi (小林謙太)は6x6x6 Cubeで2:09.21を記録して12位、Square-1で28.05を残しました。

全8ラウンドの熱戦が終了したOta Spring 2025は、各競技者の努力と情熱が存分に発揮された素晴らしい大会となりました。池上会館に響いたキューブの回転音とともに、参加者それぞれが手応えと新たな課題を持ち帰り、次のシーズンに向けた歩みを力強く進めていきます。