Rock-Cube-Lin Qualifier 2025

Sixty-eight competitors converged on the gymnasium at Whitney High School in Rocklin, California, USA, bringing an international field together for a single day of intense speedcubing on April 27, 2025. Solvers travelled from across the United States as well as abroad, with contenders representing the Netherlands, Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong making the long journey to test their skills across seven disciplines and eleven total rounds. The assembly showed the widespread draw of the sport, gathering seasoned veterans and ambitious newcomers alike under one roof for Rock-Cube-Lin Qualifier 2025.

The traditional 3x3x3 Cube served as the centerpiece of the meet, featuring 68 entrants through three stages of competition. Sebastian Stone secured the title in the main event, delivering a consistent final round that culminated in a winning average of 7.45 seconds and a best single time of 7.19 seconds. Paul Mahvi followed closely behind to claim the second-place spot on the podium with a 7.61 mark, while Michael Larsen completed the top three with an average of 8.12. The classic Rubik's Cube final capped a day filled with sharp turn execution and tight finishes on the main stage.

The 3x3 results in the preliminary phases also highlighted substantial progress across the roster. Dean Jacob Adamo Susskind posted a sharp 8.49 single and an 8.73 average in the event, while Hong Kong traveler Dewei Tan registered a 9.79 single alongside a 10.78 average. Caleb Yao delivered the fastest individual single of the 3x3 contest with a 6.73 effort on his way to a 7.59 average. Additional standout rounds included Jayden Tien logging a 9.71 single and Tsukasa Sano recording a 9.58 single, contributing to the fast pace across the early heats.

Big cube specialists found plenty of runway in the longer events, where Paul Mahvi delivered a dominant double victory. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Mahvi took first place with an average of 51.81 seconds, finishing well ahead of runner-up Brandon Lugtu at 1:00.13 and third-place Tsukasa Sano at 1:02.72. Mahvi repeated his mastery in the 6x6x6 Cube, securing another gold with an average of 1:36.90 and a single of 1:28.86, while Sano took second in 1:54.57 and Lugtu earned third in 2:15.69.

Behind the top podium spots, dozens of competitors used this WCA competition to break personal boundaries and tackle brand-new disciplines. Rashad Kadado unlocked major breakthroughs across the board, setting a Clock personal best of 14.65 seconds to cut his previous mark by 62 percent, alongside a Skewb personal best of 16.83 that was 49.7 percent faster and an 11.01 in the 3x3. Joshua Bulido dropped his 3x3 personal record to 13.84, an improvement of 55.5 percent from 31.12. Logan Kubota slashed his Megaminx standard by 53.6 percent down to 58.76 seconds while also achieving a Skewb best of 2.52. Isaac Collins cut his 3x3 time by 51.3 percent to 16.77.

Fresh challenges defined the day for several other athletes expanding their repertoires. Zack Johnson took on six different events, including his first ever official attempts at Clock with an 11.80, Megaminx with a 1:34.24, and 6x6x6 with a 4:21.87. Jacob Maez improved his 5x5 mark by 28 percent to 2:21.86 and his 3x3 time by 18.4 percent to 13.90, while also posting a 5:04.48 in his first 6x6 attempt. Benjamin Knutsen tackled seven events, logging first attempts in the 6x6 at 5:21.18 and Megaminx at 2:17.64, alongside a 22.9 percent 3x3 improvement to 13.63. Dominic Leathers recorded first official attempts in Skewb at 20.59 and Clock at 25.44 while shaving 13.9 percent off his 3x3 mark down to 27.11.

In the specialty puzzle categories, international travelers made their presence felt at the top of the standings. Taiwan competitor Jaidon Poraminthara Lin captured the Clock crown with a 3.51 average and a 3.17 single, outlasting Sebastian Stone at 3.99 and Naomi Solnick at 4.85. The Skewb tournament went to the Netherlands as Taj Bressert posted a 2.68 average to edge Dean Jacob Adamo Susskind at 2.73 and Sid Shivnath at 4.22. In Megaminx, China representative Matt Mao finished first with a 42.15 average, followed by Ruby Lu at 46.50 and Rahul Bollini at 57.90.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded division tested memory and spatial control, requiring participants to memorize puzzle pieces without visual feedback during execution. David Karalli claimed the blindfolded title with a winning single time of 29.57 seconds. Matt Mao earned the second spot on the podium with a 35.35 single, and Jason Ostdiek took third place with a 42.27 finish. The precision of the blindfolded solves added to an energetic afternoon of speed cubing in the NorCal region.

As the day concluded, the awards ceremony celebrated an afternoon where competitors from multiple continents shared tables with local Northern California solvers. With seventeen podium positions claimed by United States entrants, two by China, and one each by the Netherlands and Taiwan, the tournament underscored the worldwide reach of the sport. The successful execution of the Rock-Cube-Lin Qualifier 2025 offered every entrant a memorable stop in their ongoing cubing competition journey.

With eleven rounds completed across seven separate disciplines, the Rock-Cube-Lin Qualifier 2025 provided a complete showcase of solving ability. From international champions setting high standards on the main stage to emerging solvers securing breakthrough personal records on the floor, the gathering at Whitney High School captured the true competitive spirit of modern Rubik's Cube racing.