PA-retzel Mania Winter 2025

A blistering 1.68 second winning average in the final round of the 2x2x2 Cube set the benchmark at the Lancaster County Convention Center, where Ayden Dincher put on a masterclass in high-pressure execution. The two-day tournament tested endurance and composure as competitors navigated multiround eliminations and direct finals across eight disciplines. Dincher emerged as the central figure of the weekend, capturing four individual titles while adapting seamlessly to every progression bracket.

Held on February 22 and February 23, PA-retzel Mania Winter 2025 brought together a field of 175 competitors in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. The schedule demanded versatility, featuring 17 distinct rounds ranging from four-stage gauntlets to straight single-round deciders. Speedcubing enthusiasts tackled puzzles from the rapid-fire 2x2x2 to the marathon 7x7x7 Cube, making the gathering a true festival of speed cubing in the region for the 2025 season.

The 3x3x3 Cube served as the centerpiece of the program, requiring solvers to advance through four grueling stages of competition. Dincher rose above 173 other entrants to secure victory with an elite 7.68 average, bolstered by a 6.52 single that stood as the fastest mark of the event. Jeffrey Chen earned the runner-up position with a 7.85 average, while Livia Kleiner took third place with an 8.30 mark to lock up the final spot on the podium after an intense contest.

Beyond the traditional Rubik's Cube, the schedule grouped big cubes into single-round showdowns where every turn carried finality. Roxy Behrle delivered a commanding performance in the heavy events, capturing both the 5x5x5 Cube with a 51.36 average and the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:28.80. Kleiner secured second place in the 6x6x6 Cube before conquering the 7x7x7 Cube outright, posting a gold-medal average of 2:35.70 to edge out Dincher and Ishaan Lal in a battle of stamina.

Side events further highlighted how round design shaped competitor approach. Dincher claimed the single-round 3x3x3 One-Handed event in 13.19 seconds ahead of Brayden Adams and captured the three-round Skewb bracket with a decisive 3.35 average over Ryan Hughes. In the Pyraminx, which also spanned three distinct rounds, Xavier Ye topped the 136-person field by registering a winning 2.39 average, holding off Mariana K. Lee and Dincher in the deciding bracket.

Away from the top of the podium, PA-retzel Mania Winter 2025 served as a proving ground for competitors setting notable milestones across diverse disciplines. Gibson Mecone took on six events and earned an 89th place finish in the 5x5x5 Cube, achieving a personal best of 5.61 in the 2x2x2 Cube that was 78.3 percent faster than before, alongside debut attempts of 3:10.01 in the 5x5x5 Cube and 1:06.51 in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Camilo Agueros tackled eight events, placing 18th in Skewb while logging first attempts in the 6x6x6 Cube at 6:21.58, the 5x5x5 Cube at 2:30.45, and the 7x7x7 Cube at 6:53.73. Jeremiah Sanders contested five events, securing 55th in the 6x6x6 Cube with first attempts of 2:17.21 in the 5x5x5 Cube, 4:32.74 in the 6x6x6 Cube, and 2.97 in the 2x2x2 Cube. Eliseo Javier Alarcon also entered eight events, posting a best finish of 42nd in Skewb and debuting in the 6x6x6 Cube with 4:48.08, the 7x7x7 Cube with 7:40.17, and the 5x5x5 Cube with 1:47.19.

The progress continued throughout the roster as competitors pushed into new territory on the official timers. Keith Glynn took on three events, posting a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 15.30 that improved by 63.9 percent, while logging first career marks of 13.90 in Pyraminx and 1:37.47 in the 3x3x3 Cube. Alan Whitman registered four events, dropping his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 55.8 percent down to 7.13 alongside debuts of 19.35 in Skewb and 14.94 in Pyraminx. Theodore Starkman earned 68th in the 6x6x6 Cube across six events, cutting his Skewb personal best by 53.1 percent to 4.71 while trying the 6x6x6 Cube in 6:27.10 and the 5x5x5 Cube in 3:04.19 for the first time. Jonah Schlossberg entered four events, placing 97th in the 5x5x5 Cube with a 41.2 percent personal best reduction to 7.10 in the 2x2x2 Cube, alongside initial marks of 1:33.62 in 3x3x3 One-Handed and 5:19.95 in the 5x5x5 Cube.

The depth of performance across every discipline made this cubing competition a defining stop on the regional calendar. Official 3x3 results demonstrated strong parity behind the leaders, while the varied round formats rewarded both sprinting specialists and big-cube strategists. With 24 total podium positions claimed by United States competitors across eight official events, PA-retzel Mania Winter 2025 concluded as a memorable WCA competition that tested the full spectrum of speedcubing talent in Lancaster.