Ottawa Big Cubes 2025

A total of 45 competitors gathered at the Carleton University Teraanga Commons on October 18, 2025, for a high-intensity single-day WCA competition dedicated to large puzzles and complex geometry. Across four distinct events and five total rounds, speedcubing enthusiasts in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada took on some of the most demanding formats in the sport. The Ottawa Big Cubes 2025 program delivered remarkable depth, pitting regional standouts against experienced international entrants in a race against the timer.

Although enthusiasts tracking conventional 3x3 results and standard Rubik's Cube categories might look for smaller puzzles, the speed-oriented format of the weekend pushed the quickest available disciplines directly into the spotlight. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Omar Ellabban set a blistering pace right from the start, putting up a winning average of 42.59 seconds along with the best single time of 39.18 seconds. Ellabban captured first place for Canada ahead of Kevin Hays of the USA, who posted a mark of 52.64, and Darshan Bhavanasi of India, who secured third on the podium with a 58.83 average across a field of 45 entrants.

The 12-sided Megaminx event provided another intense test of speed cubing efficiency, featuring 35 competitors solving across multi-layered turning patterns. Breton MacDonald earned the title for Canada, delivering a winning average of 43.73 seconds and claiming the quickest single solve of the round at 39.27 seconds. Darshan Bhavanasi took second place with an average of 51.64 seconds, while Sophia Warren rounded out the podium in third place with a 54.94 mark to complete an exceptional display of dexterous puzzle solving.

Moving up in scale, the 6x6x6 Cube was the only event of the weekend staged across two full rounds, challenging 41 competitors to maintain consistency over prolonged solves. Omar Ellabban once again rose to the top, taking the victory with a winning average of 1:17.86 and the lowest single of 1:12.80 in the final. Darshan Bhavanasi earned second place for India with an average of 1:44.52, while Kevin Hays locked in third place with a time of 1:51.32.

The 7x7x7 Cube tested the utmost concentration among 37 participants in a single deciding round. Omar Ellabban completed his sweep of the large cube categories by claiming first place with a winning average of 1:45.39 and a best single solve of 1:37.93. Kevin Hays secured the runner-up position with an average of 2:00.35, while Darshan Bhavanasi added another podium finish to his tally by taking third place with a 2:45.74 result.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, numerous competitors delivered breakthrough moments that defined the true character of this cubing competition. Stephen Scott recorded significant personal bests across multiple categories, dropping his Megaminx mark by 40.5 percent to 2:44.12 and cutting his 6x6x6 Cube mark by 32.6 percent to 6:17.41, in addition to making a first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube with a time of 14:46.00. Sebastian Narvaez improved his 5x5x5 Cube personal best by 37.3 percent to 1:38.46 and took on his first ever attempts at 6x6x6 Cube with 3:19.23 and 7x7x7 Cube with 5:54.37, achieving a 20th-place finish.

Fresh milestones continued through the order as several solvers tackled unfamiliar events for the first time on the official stage. Chezhiyan Senthil Kumar completed his first WCA competition by entering four events, including first attempts of 6:09.52 in 5x5x5 Cube, 15:08.00 in 6x6x6 Cube, and 27:26.00 in 7x7x7 Cube. Devon Cui took on four events, highlighted an 11th-place finish in Megaminx, and posted first attempts of 1:18.03 in 5x5x5 Cube and 2:44.96 in 6x6x6 Cube. Kiyan Blohm recorded a best finish of 22nd in 7x7x7 Cube with a first attempt of 7:06.96, while Elias Mehablia improved his 5x5x5 Cube best by 23.7 percent to 1:21.68. Neil Ashford posted a 1:51.26 in his first 5x5x5 Cube attempt, and Michael Fairbairn notched a seventh-place finish in 7x7x7 Cube with an initial effort of 3:55.16.

Overall podium totals reflected a balanced international presence, with Canada collecting five top-three placements, India claiming four, and the USA securing three. Across every event, Ottawa Big Cubes 2025 offered a robust demonstration of stamina, technical skill, and precision execution on campus at Carleton University.