Stevenage April 2025

Inside The Forum, the gentle clatter of turning layers filled the air as stopwatches clicked over two full days of action on April 19 and April 20. Staged in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, the event drew 189 competitors to test their skills across 16 rounds of play. With seven events on the roster, the gathering formed a vital anchor in the early spring schedule of the 2025 speedcubing calendar, giving solvers an ideal platform to measure their mid-season progression.

As the spring campaign hits its stride, Stevenage April 2025 served as a crucial proving ground for regional and international talent. A total of 172 entrants lined up for the flagship Rubik's Cube event, where three stages of competition whittled the bracket down to a fierce final. Ryan Chan representing Hong Kong rose above the field to capture first place in the 3x3x3 Cube, recording a winning average of 7.26 alongside a single of 6.43. Felix Hincks followed in second place with an average of 7.63, while Monty Fox rounded out the podium spots in third at 7.81.

The 3x3 results formed only one chapter of Ryan Chan's successful weekend. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Chan topped a field of 98 competitors across two rounds, locking in first place with a 28.64 average and a best single of 25.79. Noah Calderon-Kamata took second place with a 30.64 average, while Monty Fox earned third on a mark of 32.19. Chan also secured a second-place finish in Pyraminx with a 2.77 average and took third place in the 3x3x3 One-Handed final, collecting four total podium appearances for Hong Kong across the weekend.

Daniel Partridge delivered an equally dominant run across both small and large puzzles. In the Pyraminx, Partridge outpaced 118 solvers over three rounds to secure the title with an average of 2.38 and an event-best single of 1.41. The United Kingdom competitor later conquered the endurance challenge of the 7x7x7 Cube, winning the single-round contest of 28 entrants with a 2:10.29 average and a quick 2:04.96 single. Jason Harley claimed the runner-up spot in the big cube event with 2:43.72, and Noah Calderon-Kamata finished third with 3:20.91.

The remaining puzzle events offered rapid turnarounds and sharp finishes. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Max Tully secured first place with an average of 1.59 over three rounds of speed cubing, edging Harry Allen at 1.88 and Noah Calderon-Kamata at 1.98. Ariel Benchetrit earned the Skewb title with a 2.09 winning average across two rounds, beating Rufus Prabhu-Desai at 3.63 and Harvey John Walton at 4.29. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Monty Fox led the 88-person field with a 11.97 average, ahead of Calderon-Kamata at 13.43 and Chan at 14.25.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several solvers unlocked massive breakthroughs on the tournament floor. Hayden Ayling took on five events, logging a 2x2x2 personal best of 1.73 that was 71.7 percent faster than their previous mark of 6.12, while also posting first-time marks of 25.87 in 3x3x3 One-Handed and 1:06.88 in the 4x4x4 Cube. Anderson Glass set a 2x2x2 best of 2.02, dropping 62.9 percent from 5.44, alongside first attempts of 1:31.83 in 4x4x4 and 16.89 in Pyraminx. Finlay Thackaberry improved their Skewb best by 54.6 percent down to 10.89 and their 3x3x3 mark by 27.7 percent to 15.27, while Finn De Cornet cut their 2x2x2 mark by 53.9 percent to 1.72.

The progress continued across all disciplines throughout the weekend. Vanessa Moran-Komissarova entered six events, lowering their 2x2x2 personal best by 51.2 percent to 1.84 and their Pyraminx best by 34.1 percent to 6.54. Vivaan Kohli sliced 49.3 percent off their previous 3x3x3 mark to reach 16.99, while Zachary Pruden cut their Skewb best by 47.1 percent to 8.71 alongside a first 3x3x3 One-Handed time of 23.61. Samuel Wells embraced a heavy six-event slate, establishing inaugural competition marks in Skewb at 7.21, 3x3x3 One-Handed at 36.95, and 4x4x4 at 1:45.35.

Across two full days, this WCA competition delivered memorable races and vital milestones for seasoned contenders and developing solvers alike. Host nation competitors from the United Kingdom accumulated 17 podium places, while Hong Kong took four. As the tournament schedule rolls onward deeper into 2025, the performances logged at this cubing competition provide every participant with clear benchmarks to chase in the months ahead.