UIUC Side Events Spring 2025

Ten events and 53 competitors filled the Illini Union on April 19, 2025, setting the stage for a packed day of puzzle action in Urbana, Illinois, USA. Ben Zhao emerged as the commanding presence of the gathering, claiming victory in the marquee traditional disciplines while setting the benchmark across multiple disciplines. Zhao took the premier 3x3x3 Cube crown with an exceptional 6.77 winning average, posting a best single of 6.60 across three rounds. His mastery extended directly to one-handed solving, where he secured top honors with a 12.18 average and a 9.55 single.

The UIUC Side Events Spring 2025 schedule tested versatility across 14 rounds of high-intensity play. Alongside Zhao, Alex Bohac delivered an equally commanding multi-discipline performance, capturing two distinct titles. Bohac claimed top honours in Clock with a crisp 4.03 average, holding off Elijah Ackerman who finished second at 4.26, while Edward Vakula secured third with 5.61. Bohac followed that performance with a masterclass in Pyraminx, winning the category behind a 2.52 average and a 1.92 single, ahead of Elliott Perkins in second and Sebastian Carrillo in third.

The 3x3x3 One-Handed division showcased Zhao at his absolute best, pacing the 33-person field through two rounds of technical solving. Behind Zhao, Elliott Perkins earned a runner-up podium spot with a 16.23 average, edging out Edward Vakula who placed third with a mark of 16.26. The classic Rubik's Cube main event featured the full field of 53 entrants, generating impressive 3x3 results across the board as Zhao controlled the final round to solidify his position at the head of the weekend leaderboard.

Rotational twist puzzles tested spatial accuracy throughout the afternoon. In Square-1, Ryland O'Hanlon led the 21-competitor field with a winning average of 9.54 and a round-best single of 8.77. Bohac collected his third podium of the meet by taking second place in 11.65, while Carrillo completed the top three with 11.80. Carrillo was not to be denied a title of his own, powering through the Skewb event to secure victory with a 3.68 average and a 2.65 single against 33 competitors.

Beyond the podium battles at UIUC Side Events Spring 2025, several competitors delivered massive improvements across an expansive schedule. Tyler Newey took on eight different events and logged a monumental breakthrough in Megaminx, dropping his personal best to 1:55.52, an improvement of 71.8 percent, while also cutting his Skewb mark to 5.08. Joey McBride slashed his Clock time down to 8.81 for a 46.6 percent drop and recorded a first attempt in one-handed solving with 33.36. August Lancaster made a first official Square-1 attempt at 24.83, while improving his Pyraminx single by 41.9 percent to 4.72. Josiah Zeifang took on four disciplines, establishing a fresh 3x3 personal best of 11.34.

First-time event entries brought tremendous depth to this speedcubing meeting. Kaustubh Prakash embraced a demanding slate of eight events, posting a first attempt in 3x3x3 Blindfolded at 4:23.73 alongside inaugural attempts in Megaminx at 2:02.68 and one-handed solving at 30.45. Philip Runyan tackled six events, recording first marks in Skewb at 6.70 and Megaminx at 1:54.07. Jeremy Birkey recorded a 24.6 percent improvement in one-handed solving with a 44.93 while debuting in Square-1 at 45.66. Ryker Thrash attended their first WCA competition, setting marks across three events including a 34.82 in the standard cube.

The specialized blindfolded disciplines proved particularly demanding inside the venue. Memorisation and execution without sight created high stakes across the three blind formats. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Akshaansh Chilakapati captured the title with a single time of 53.59, defeating Alexander Wheeler who clocked 1:04.20 and Elliott Perkins who recorded 1:05.11. Perkins returned to the top of the standings in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, winning the event in 9:16.57 ahead of Kit Clement and Chilakapati. The five entrants in 5x5x5 Blindfolded all registered DNFs.

Twelve-sided puzzles provided another major highlight of the meet. Lucy Grace Bryson put on a dominant display in Megaminx, taking the championship with a winning average of 42.14 and a single of 38.83. Zhao added to his extensive medal haul with a second-place finish in 45.26, while Chilakapati secured third at 53.09. Across all podium outcomes, United States competitors claimed 27 spots and Indian competitors collected 5 positions during an action-packed Saturday of speed cubing.

As the final timers stopped, the UIUC Side Events Spring 2025 concluded a full slate of regional competition. From Ben Zhao sweeping major events to Alex Bohac taking double titles, the single-day gathering provided an exceptional test of precision and speed. The competitors across all 10 events demonstrated the vibrant talent driving modern cubing competition forward into the 2025 season.