Sleepless in Selangor 2025

Inside The Box Event Space in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, the rhythmic plastic click of twisting layers and the sharp slap of hands on timing mats filled the room. Groups of solvers huddled around warm-up tables sharing lubrication techniques, inspecting hardware setups, and comparing scramble solutions between rounds. Sleepless in Selangor 2025 brought together 38 competitors over January 4 and 5, turning the venue into a vibrant hub of camaraderie and intense focus across 9 events and 13 scheduled rounds.

The spirit of the gathering extended far beyond standard puzzles as side events drew enthusiastic participants across the weekend. From the mechanical intrigue of Clock to the intricate geometric turning of Megaminx and the deep concentration demanded by blindfolded solving, the schedule kept everyone engaged. Solvers cheered each other on through multi-phase cutoffs and tense finals, making the cubing competition feel just as much like a festival of shared passion as a formal tournament.

When the flagship 3x3x3 Cube tournament reached its conclusion, Ernest Eh Zhong Yu captured first place with an impressive winning average of 7.76 seconds. Ephraim Lim Shao Liang secured the runner-up spot on the podium with an 8.45 mark, while Muhammad Fitri Hakim Bin Dzulkarnain took third with an 8.69 average. The classic Rubik's Cube main event generated massive interest, establishing some of the sharpest 3x3 results seen in the region during the opening days of 2025.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, the heart of the tournament emerged in the personal breakthroughs achieved by determined participants. Ahmad Ilham entered 5 events and recorded his first ever attempt in Megaminx at 2:35.60, Pyraminx at 6.78, and Clock at 18.89, alongside a personal best 23th finish in Megaminx. Law Kai Yuan tackled 6 events, logged a personal best 7th place in the 3x3x3 Cube, and completed his first official attempts at Megaminx in 1:04.32 and Skewb in 21.95. Cheong Yee Hin took on 6 events, posted his first attempt at 6x6x6 Cube in 3:20.61 on the way to 14th place, cut his 5x5x5 Cube best to 1:10.55 for an 11.4 percent improvement, and dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best by 10.7 percent down to 10.78 seconds.

The surge of personal achievements continued with Foo Yik Hin, who entered 5 events and earned 5th place in the 3x3x3 Cube while cutting his Pyraminx single to 3.89 for a 29.7 percent improvement, his 5x5x5 Cube mark to 1:32.51 by 27.5 percent, and his Skewb best to 4.74 by 10.1 percent. Charles Chong Wen Jian took on a massive 9-event workload, finishing 4th in 7x7x7 Cube with a personal best of 3:31.41 that was 10.2 percent faster, while also improving his Megaminx time by 18.4 percent to 58.21 and his 6x6x6 Cube single by 11.4 percent to 2:14.91. Hishwararao Krishnamorthy entered 5 events, secured 6th place in 7x7x7 Cube with a 4:06.77 personal best, and logged a first ever Megaminx attempt of 1:44.57. Harith Lim also tackled 9 events, claiming 8th place in 3x3x3 Blindfolded while dropping his Clock single by 21.8 percent to 8.20, his 5x5x5 Cube mark by 12.5 percent to 1:25.53, and his 7x7x7 Cube best by 10.6 percent to 6:15.15.

Big cube mastery was on full display courtesy of Lim Hung, who dominated the larger mechanisms across the schedule. Lim swept the top honors in the 5x5x5 Cube with a 46.02 winning average, the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:21.31 result, and the 7x7x7 Cube with an unmatched 1:57.86 average. In 6x6x6, Muhammad Fitri Hakim Bin Dzulkarnain and Ephraim Lim Shao Liang completed the podium in second and third with times of 2:02.04 and 2:03.85 respectively, while in 7x7x7 Ephraim Lim Shao Liang took second in 3:20.44 and Muhammad Fitri Hakim Bin Dzulkarnain took third in 3:21.95.

Specialty disciplines provided dynamic action across both days of speed cubing. In Pyraminx, Ephraim Lim Shao Liang claimed victory with a 3.24 average, edging out Gregory Soo Jo-Huang at 3.41 and Frederick Gan Cheng Aik at 4.64. Skewb saw Eng Dickson take the gold with a 3.62 winning average over Sri Ganesh Krishna at 4.23 and Lim Hung at 4.86. Clock action resulted in a triumph for Muhammad Shaheem Bin Muhammad Rubaie with a 5.37 mark, closely pursued by Chin Jun Hua at 5.50 and Arif Imran Bin Arifin at 6.31. Megaminx ended with Chong Hau Han taking the title on a 42.52 average, while the memory-intensive 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest was won by David Chong Kai Xiang with a single of 1:15.53 ahead of Lim Hung and Eng Dickson.

As competitors packed their bags and shared final farewells, the success of Sleepless in Selangor 2025 highlighted the depth and warmth of the local community. Every division showcased remarkable focus, reinforcing the growing enthusiasm that defines each official WCA competition in the region. With numerous personal milestones logged and friendships renewed over the tables, participants left Petaling Jaya ready for the next chapter of the cubing season.

Sembilan acara rasmi menghiasi jadual pertandingan apabila seramai 38 peserta berhimpun di The Box Event Space untuk kejohanan Sleepless in Selangor 2025. Berlangsung pada 4 hingga 5 Januari 2025 di Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, kejohanan kiub ini menyaksikan persaingan sengit merangkumi 13 pusingan keseluruhan. Tumpuan utama tertumpu kepada kategori bukan konvensional yang memerlukan kemahiran teknikal serta daya ingatan tinggi, memberikan peluang kepada pakar acara khas untuk mempamerkan kebolehan luar biasa mereka.

Bagi kategori kiub besar, Lim Hung (林弘) mempamerkan penguasaan menyeluruh dengan memenangi tiga acara utama. Beliau meraih tempat pertama dalam acara 5x5x5 Cube menerusi purata masa 46.02 saat dan catatan terpantas 41.14 saat. Beliau turut menjuarai 6x6x6 Cube dengan purata 1:21.31 serta mengungguli saingan 7x7x7 Cube dengan purata 1:57.86. Dalam acara 6x6x6 Cube, Muhammad Fitri Hakim Bin Dzulkarnain menduduki tempat kedua dengan 2:02.04 dan Ephraim Lim Shao Liang (林绍良) di tempat ketiga dengan 2:03.85.

Kategori 3x3x3 Blindfolded yang menguji keupayaan menyelesaikan kiub Rubik secara menutup mata menyaksikan 13 peserta bertanding dalam satu pusingan penuh debaran. David Chong Kai Xiang (张凯祥) muncul sebagai juara selepas mencatatkan masa terpantas 1:15.53 walaupun puratanya DNF. Lim Hung (林弘) menamatkan cabaran di tempat kedua dengan catatan 1:20.75, manakala Eng Dickson (黄迪胜) melengkapkan kedudukan podium di tempat ketiga dengan masa 2:00.66 dalam ujian fokus dan memori yang ketat ini.

Dalam acara Megaminx, Chong Hau Han (張浩瀚) membuktikan kepakarannya mengatasi 25 pencabar lain untuk meraih gelaran juara. Beliau mencatatkan purata kemenangan 42.52 saat dengan catatan terbaik 39.24 saat. Sementara itu, saingan Clock menyaksikan pertembungan sengit antara 31 peserta merentasi dua pusingan. Muhammad Shaheem Bin Muhammad Rubaie merangkul tempat pertama dengan purata 5.37 saat, mengatasi Chin Jun Hua di tempat kedua dengan 5.50 saat dan Arif Imran Bin Arifin di tangga ketiga dengan 6.31 saat.

Di sebalik perebutan podium utama, kejohanan WCA ini turut menyaksikan peningkatan prestasi yang sangat memberangsangkan daripada para peserta lain. Marcus Yeow (姚嘉乐) menyertai lapan acara dan berjaya memperbaiki rekod peribadi Skewb kepada 3.44 saat, iaitu 51.4 peratus lebih pantas daripada rekod 7.08 saat sebelumnya, selain mencatat 1:26.35 dalam Megaminx dan 15.04 saat dalam Clock. Ubaidil Iman Haqeem Bin Mohamad Jonaidee mencuba acara Clock buat kali pertama dan mencatat 10.40 saat, manakala Isabelle Oan Yoong Ru memotong 19 peratus masa lamanya dalam 6x6x6 Cube kepada 2:50.56 dan merekodkan 9.69 saat dalam Clock.

Perkembangan positif turut dicatat oleh Cayden Teo yang mempertajamkan rekod Skewb miliknya kepada 6.23 saat berbanding 7.26 saat terdahulu. Dari Jepun, Lio Robb mencatatkan masa peribadi terbaik 13.51 saat dalam acara 3x3x3 Cube, meningkat sembilan peratus daripada catatan 14.85 saat. Dua peserta yang menyertai pertandingan pertama mereka turut mempamerkan bakat tersendiri, di mana Leong Joon Ee menamatkan lima acara termasuk mencatat 1:28.71 dalam Megaminx, 17.43 saat dalam 3x3x3 Cube serta 8.58 saat dalam Skewb, manakala Ahmad Umar Bin Yusdi mencatatkan 19.57 saat dalam percubaan sulung 3x3x3 Cube.

Acara bentuk pantas lain turut menyajikan aksi menarik sepanjang hujung minggu berkenaan. Ephraim Lim Shao Liang (林绍良) menjuarai kategori Pyraminx dengan purata 3.24 saat di hadapan Gregory Soo Jo-Huang (苏祖煌) yang mencatat 3.41 saat dan Frederick Gan Cheng Aik dengan 4.64 saat. Dalam acara Skewb, Eng Dickson (黄迪胜) meraih kemenangan dengan purata 3.62 saat, mendahului Sri Ganesh Krishna di tangga kedua dengan 4.23 saat serta Lim Hung (林弘) di tempat ketiga dengan 4.86 saat.

Kejohanan Sleepless in Selangor 2025 melabuhkan tirainya dengan acara kemuncak 3x3x3 Cube yang melibatkan 38 peserta dalam dua pusingan. Ernest Eh Zhong Yu (余宗祐) muncul sebagai juara dengan purata kemenangan 7.76 saat dan catatan single 7.31 saat. Ephraim Lim Shao Liang (林绍良) menduduki tempat kedua dengan purata 8.45 saat manakala Muhammad Fitri Hakim Bin Dzulkarnain meraih tempat ketiga dengan 8.69 saat, sekaligus menyempurnakan penguasaan 27 kedudukan podium oleh peserta Malaysia dalam komuniti speedcubing tempatan.