UCSD Weeknights V 2025

29 competitors stepped up to the tables on March 13, 2025, taking on a compact schedule of 4 rounds across 3 events in San Diego, California, USA. With championship-stakes precision on the line at UC San Diego, every turn carried heavy weight across a fast-paced single-day slate. The UCSD Weeknights V 2025 gave solvers from across the region and international circuits an arena where podium spots demanded razor-thin margins. While fans often look for traditional 3x3 results, this mid-week tournament placed a special spotlight on bigger hardware and specialised machinery.

The 4x4x4 Cube competition brought intense drama with a 26-competitor field battling for the top step. Paul Mahvi emerged victorious for the USA, delivering a winning average of 26.23 seconds to secure first place. Mulun Yin (阴目仑) of China claimed second place with a 29.08 average, having also produced the round's standout single time of 22.73 seconds. Kate Grahame of the USA rounded out the top tier in third position with a 29.23 average. Across the round, solvers delivered impressive individual marks, with Mahvi logging a 24.21 single and Grahame recording a 25.88 single.

Paul Mahvi continued his winning ways when the puzzle size scaled up to the 5x5x5 Cube. Facing 26 competitors in the single-round showdown, Mahvi captured gold with a 50.85 average, backed by the round's best single of 48.66 seconds. Kate Grahame took the second podium step with a steady 51.75 average, while Mulun Yin (阴目仑) earned third place with a 56.32 mark. The clean sweep across the 4x4x4 and 5x5x5 categories cemented Mahvi as the dominant big-cube solver of the competition.

The Clock event provided a tactical contrast, featuring 21 competitors navigating two competitive rounds. Yunhao Lou (娄云皓) of China produced a commanding display of speedcubing mastery to take first place with a 3.80 winning average and a top single of 3.29 seconds. Dominic Shoji of the USA secured the runner-up position on the podium with an average of 5.15 seconds, followed by Mexico's Abraham Ramírez in third with a 5.56 average. The contest showed the growing depth of the event in competitive speed cubing.

Away from the championship podium battles, personal milestones and breakthroughs defined the day across all three events. Hugo Lai delivered one of the weekend's sharpest drops, carving out a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 36.90 seconds, which was 18.9 percent faster than his prior standard, while also shaving 4.4 percent off his 5x5x5 Cube mark at 1:27.72. Edwin Villa took on three events, posting a 48.46 personal best in 4x4x4 Cube that was 14.5 percent faster, alongside his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 1:52.12 and his first ever attempt at Clock with a 9.93 single.

The surge of new event milestones continued through the rest of the pack at UCSD Weeknights V 2025. Dylan Trueblood registered a Clock personal best of 12.32 seconds, an improvement of 10.4 percent, in addition to a 4.4 percent drop on 4x4x4 Cube at 55.90 and a 1:56.53 in 5x5x5 Cube. Alex Carney tackled three events, making a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:44.39 and cutting 8.8 percent off his Clock best to hit 18.84. Franklin Pham lowered his 5x5x5 Cube mark by 8.6 percent to 1:22.26, while Dhruv Sehgal achieved an 8 percent cut in 4x4x4 Cube to 1:12.86 alongside a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 2:50.67. Manning Karahashi (唐橋康成) reduced his 5x5x5 Cube time by 7.6 percent to 1:14.78 and his 4x4x4 Cube time to 40.68, while Emiliano Ramirez completed his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with a mark of 4:48.86.

The final medal table reflected a competitive international spread among the 29 entrants. Competitors representing the USA captured five total podium positions across the evening, while athletes from China earned three podium finishes and Mexico claimed one. Throughout the event, competitors showed mastery over the classic Rubik's Cube variants, handling the heavier turning styles and unique puzzle mechanics that make these events distinct challenges on the calendar.

As the final timers reset in San Diego, this WCA competition concluded with elite championship-grade marks and dozens of personal barriers broken. The high level of execution demonstrated at UCSD Weeknights V 2025 proved once again how tightly contested big-puzzle and side-event disciplines have become. The performances set a formidable benchmark for the competitors as they prepare for the next series of challenges on the circuit in 2025.