Zephyr Cube Bash 2025

A blistering 7.07 single and a sub-8 winning average of 7.98 seconds in the 3x3x3 Cube set the tone for an electrifying day of speedcubing at Zephyr Cube Bash 2025. Held at the Zephyrhills Lions Club in Zephyrhills, Florida, USA on September 13, 2025, the gathering brought together 105 competitors across 6 events and 13 intense rounds. The one-day cubing competition served as a showcase for high-level mastery and rapid mechanical development, as up-and-coming talents proved how quickly practice translates into results on the official stage.

Noah Swor established himself as the central force of the competition, securing two titles and five total podium spots across the six contested disciplines. In the marquee 3x3x3 Cube, Swor topped the final standings ahead of Owen Brooks, who claimed silver with an 8.31 average, and Pranav Kulkarni, who earned bronze at 8.45. The event attracted 104 entrants across three hard-fought rounds, illustrating the remarkable depth in standard 3x3 results from both established contenders and rapidly developing younger solvers.

The 4x4x4 Cube delivered another showcase of high-caliber technique, featuring 74 competitors spanning two rounds. Swor once again paced the final round, locking down the victory with a 26.43 winning average and a single of 24.88 seconds. Carter Bitz took the runner-up spot with an average of 27.40, narrowly edging out Brooks, who completed the podium in 27.54 seconds. The tight grouping at the top highlighted the sharp handling demanded by the larger puzzle under tournament timing.

In the 5x5x5 Cube, Owen Brooks broke through for an impressive first-place finish among 54 competitors across two rounds. Brooks secured the gold with a 51.38 average and the tournament-best single of 47.07 seconds. Swor pushed the contest to the wire, finishing mere fractions behind in second place with a 51.49 average, while Sean Hartman captured third with a mark of 54.91 seconds. The long solves demanded stamina and consistency, rewarding steady execution through every layer rotation.

Short-format events produced razor-thin margins throughout the afternoon. Rowan Stough captured the 2x2x2 Cube title, leading a field of 92 solvers with a winning average of 1.97 and a single of 1.17 seconds to fend off Lucas Y. Chen at 2.12 and Swor at 2.23. The Skewb contest proved equally thrilling for 62 entrants, as Linus Vork took the win with a 2.85 average, edging Daniel Guerra at 2.88 and Stough at 2.89. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Matthew Duffin prevailed with a 12.14 average, beating Swor at 12.35 and Brooks at 12.79.

Away from the top of the podium, the event provided clear proof of how quickly emerging speed cubing solvers are accelerating. Micah Franco entered six events and cut his 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 3.20 seconds, an improvement of 51.1 percent from his previous 6.55, while also lowering his 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube best by 21.6 percent to 9.83 and logging a first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 28.37. Lemuel Yi similarly achieved massive strides, cutting his 2x2x2 best by 40.6 percent to 3.12, reducing his 3x3x3 best by 15.9 percent to 9.72, and putting up a first-ever one-handed solve of 24.88.

The momentum continued as Max Lirio logged a 39.4 percent drop to 2.40 seconds in the 2x2x2 Cube and shaved 31.4 percent off his 4x4x4 mark with a 54.86, alongside a first 5x5x5 effort of 3:04.39. Elliot Yueshan Ma secured 13th in the 3x3x3 Cube, improved his 4x4x4 best by 19.8 percent to 43.43, and tackled one-handed and 2x2x2 solves for the first time. Jared Saltzberg dropped his 4x4x4 mark by 34.4 percent to 1:17.90, Rhett Simon Logue cut 32.4 percent off his Skewb time down to 6.30, Trey Gephardt placed 16th in Skewb with a 4.46 debut, and Asher Icaza trimmed 39.6 percent off his Skewb best to 9.85.

The tournament wrapped up as all 18 podium positions went to competitors representing the USA, marking an emphatic display across the full spectrum of puzzles. As Zephyr Cube Bash 2025 drew to a close, the weekend demonstrated how rapid individual progression fuels the wider community. With personal records shattered and new events tackled across the board, the tournament offered a vivid picture of speedcubing talent rising to new heights as the current season advances into its next chapter.