Slow N Steady UMD Spring 2025

One hundred and seventy competitors gathered at the Adele H. Stamp Student Union for Slow N Steady UMD Spring 2025 on March 23, 2025, creating a full day of high-pressure puzzle solving across seven rounds. The single-day speedcubing stop in College Park, Maryland, USA tested discipline across four distinct disciplines. In an arena where solitary quick solves often grab attention, the podiums rewarded measured control. The final standings showed that delivering five dependable solves across an entire average was the deciding factor when trophies were on the line.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest stood as the premier event of the cubing competition, drawing 169 competitors through three rounds of Rubik's Cube solving. In the final round, Raihan Sadr secured first place with a winning average of 7.93 seconds, backed by a best single of 7.17. Brayden Adams followed closely in second place with an average of 8.12, while Sanzhar Beisembayev took third at 8.13 despite logging a brilliant 6.38 single in the round. The tight margin at the top demonstrated how critical steady execution remains when sorting the final 3x3 results.

Brayden Adams turned his steady turning into an outright victory in 3x3x3 One-Handed, an event featuring 105 competitors over two rounds. Adams posted an average of 13.50 seconds to take the title, highlighted by a best single solve of 10.21 seconds. Raihan Sadr claimed the second spot on the podium with an average of 14.18, and Liam Chen rounded out the top three with a mark of 14.59. Managing the single-handed turning requirements demanded stamina, and the top finishers minimized lockups through both rounds of play.

Big cube events highlighted the afternoon schedule, with Fiona Bao putting together a dominant double victory on the 4x4x4 Cube and 5x5x5 Cube. In the 4x4x4 Cube, which drew 91 entrants for a direct final round, Bao captured first place with an average of 29.73 seconds and a best single of 27.18. Sanzhar Beisembayev earned second place with an average of 31.30, and Brayden Adams took third with a 32.87 average. Bao maintained complete command of hardware and parity management from start to finish.

Fiona Bao repeated that success on the larger 5x5x5 Cube, topping a field of 69 competitors with a winning average of 58.36 seconds and a best single solve of 53.21. Sanzhar Beisembayev pushed the pace to take second place with a steady 58.80 average, while Stone Payne locked down the third spot on the podium at 59.95. All three podium finishers broke the one-minute threshold on their averages, showing remarkable patience through lengthy reduction phases under the tournament lights.

Beyond the top podiums, the event highlighted major milestones across the participant roster. Frezer Dessew took on four events, making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 39.96 seconds, alongside a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 12.42 that was 33.3 percent faster than before and a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 1:03.37. William Hooker logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:32.92 while improving his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 33.8 percent down to 18.66. Asher Sand tackled four events, setting marks in his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with 3:48.68 and first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with 1:09.16, while lowering his 3x3x3 One-Handed best to 22.10, an improvement of 31.8 percent.

Christopher Whitehead also showed dramatic gains across four events, posting his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 1:39.88 for a 22nd-place finish, while cutting his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 30.5 percent down to 50.80 and his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 20.8 percent down to 8.72. Jonathan Kwok earned a 31st-place finish in 5x5x5 Cube with a first attempt of 1:56.11, registered his first 4x4x4 Cube time of 58.20, and improved his 3x3x3 Cube best by 21.8 percent to 14.17. Kenny Wiseman finished 69th in 4x4x4 Cube with a first attempt of 1:23.92, tried 3x3x3 One-Handed for the first time in 34.35, and improved his 3x3x3 Cube best to 12.90. Milo Buchman recorded a 45th-place finish in 5x5x5 Cube with a debut time of 2:34.75, added a first 4x4x4 Cube solve of 1:06.54, and dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best by 13.3 percent to 13.94. Benjamin Lee completed four events, posting a first attempt of 2:54.69 in 5x5x5 Cube, a 27.78 personal best in 3x3x3 One-Handed that was 25.4 percent faster, and a 3x3x3 Cube best of 11.52.

The 2025 gathering in Maryland concluded with all twelve podium spots across the four disciplines going to United States competitors, underscoring deep local talent. Every round tested mental endurance across varying puzzle sizes and turning styles. Slow N Steady UMD Spring 2025 delivered an intense showcase of speed cubing excellence where sustained pace and clean averages proved to be the ultimate path to victory, giving every competitor measurable progress to build on for the next WCA competition.

As the tables cleared in College Park, the tournament wrapped up having delivered seven full rounds of rigorous competition. The balance between explosive single solves and dependable five-solve series defined the day across every bracket. Slow N Steady UMD Spring 2025 stands as a prime example of how disciplined preparation translates into podium finishes and personal milestones alike.