Feliks Zemdegs
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Feliks Aleksanders Zemdegs is an Australian speedcuber from Melbourne, Australia. Feliks was the first to ever hold single and average records in every event from 3x3 to 7x7. He is widely considered to be the most successful competitive speedcuber in history.
He is currently sponsored by GAN.
Contents
History
Feliks started cubing in April 2008 after watching Dan Brown's "How to solve a Rubik’s Cube" on YouTube. He started out colour neutral because Dan Brown advised to solve the easiest cross.[1] He got to sub-20 in 4 months, sub-15 in 9 months, and reached a sub-10 average around June 2009. He got his first world records at his second competition—the Melbourne Summer Open 2010 on 30 January 2010: a 9.21 second 3×3 average, and 42.01 second 4×4 average. His preferred 3×3 cube at that time was a Type Alpha V.[2] He held the 3×3 average world record continuously from then until 23 April 2017, improving it eight times.
Feliks won 2x2, 4x4, 5x5, and 6x6 at the World Rubik's Cube Championship 2011, his first world championship. He didn't win the 3x3 final there, though, despite being the heavy favorite in the finals. He came third, finishing behind Rowe Hessler (2nd) and Michal Pleskowicz (World Champion).
At WC2013, Feliks raced back to win his first world championship, with an average of 8.18 in the final, which was enough to keep Mats Valk at bay. He also came out as the 4x4 and One-Handed world champion.
Feliks went into WC2015 as the defending champion. He became the first and so far only cuber to defend a 3x3 world champion title, once again beating Mats Valk in the final with an average of 7.56. He also defended both of his 4x4 and One-Handed titles, even winning two more titles in 2x2 and 5x5, making this his most successful world championship.
Going into WC2017, Feliks was defending 5 world titles. Of these, he was able to defend only 1, 5x5. He did, however, come out on top in 7x7, leaving him with two world titles for this event. He came 4th in 3x3, behind Lucas Etter, Seung Hyuk Nahm, and world champion Max Park.
Feliks' next world championship was in a familiar place for him. WC2019 ended up being in his home country of Australia. Despite this, the 2019 championships ended up being Feliks' least successful world championship at the time. He only achieved one podium, a 3rd place finish in 5x5. In 3x3 finals, he came 5th, even though his average of 6.84 was only 0.1 off the winning average.
Feliks has a website, CubeSkills, which includes tutorials on solving the Rubik's cube and other puzzles. There are free algorithm sheets, and some free speed solving tutorial videos. The site also offers a premium membership, which enables access to advanced speed solving videos.
Trivia
- Feliks is often joked about for being outstandingly good at 3x3x3 With Feet, although he has never officially done a feet solve nor publicly posted any videos of him unofficially solving with feet.
- Feliks is the first of two cubers to have ever won the 3x3x3 event at a World Championship more than once (2013 and 2015). The other being Max Park (2017 and 2023)
- Feliks has played the alto saxophone for various bands. He can juggle 4 balls, and do some 3 ball tricks.
Style
Feliks Zemdegs is a color-neutral CFOP user. His meteoric rise in 2009, together with Rowe Hessler's earlier success, were the catalysts for the current popularity of color neutrality in 3x3 speedsolving.
Methods
- 2x2x2: EG
- 3x3x3: CFOP + subsets
- 4x4x4: Yau method
- 5x5x5-7x7x7: Yau method
Milestones
Feliks was the first cuber to achieve the following milestones:
Official
- 3x3 speedsolve average: sub-10, sub-9, sub-8, sub-7, sub-6
- 3x3 speedsolve single: sub-7, sub-6
- 4x4 speedsolve average: sub-40, sub-35, sub-26
- 4x4 speedsolve single: sub-35
- 5x5 speedsolve average: sub-70, sub-65, sub-60, sub-55, sub-50, sub-45
- 5x5 speedsolve single: sub-60, sub-50, sub-45, sub-40
- 3x3 one-handed average: sub-15
- 3x3 one-handed single: sub-8, sub-7
- 6x6 speedsolve average: sub-200, sub-170, sub-90
- 6x6 speedsolve single: sub-190, sub-180, sub-90
- 7x7 speedsolve average: sub-230, sub-220, sub-140, sub-135
- 7x7 speedsolve single: sub-220, sub-130
- Holding all 3x3-7x7 records at the same time for both single and average
- Breaking more than 100 official WCA world records
World Records
Feliks currently does not hold any world records (as of August 5, 2024), but he is the cuber with historic world records in the most events, with world records in 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, 2x2, 3x3 One-handed, 6x6, 7x7, and 4x4 Blindfolded.
Current world records are displayed with a red background.
| Event | Type | First World Record | Latest World Record | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3×3×3 | Single | 7.03s Melbourne Cube Day 2010 13 November |
4.22s Cube for Cambodia 2018 6 May |
10 |
| Average | 9.21s Melbourne Summer Open 2010 30 January |
5.53s Odd Day in Sydney 2019 10 November |
12 | |
| 2×2×2 | Average | 2.35s Asian Championship 2010 9–10 October |
2.12s Melbourne Cube Day 2010 13 November |
2 |
| 4×4×4 | Single | 35.55s New Zealand Champs 2010 10 July |
19.36s LatAm Tour - Arequipa 2017 22 June |
12 |
| Average | 42.01s Melbourne Summer Open 2010 30 January |
25.97s Adelaide Summer 2017 21 January |
7 | |
| 5×5×5 | Single | 1:02.93 Australian Nationals 2010 4–5 September |
37.93s Canberra Autumn 2018 21–22 April |
16 |
| Average | 1:07.59 Australian Nationals 2010 4–5 September |
43.21s Melbourne Cube Days 2017 18–19 November |
21 | |
| 6×6×6 | Single | 2:05.88 Melbourne Summer 2011 29–30 January |
1:20.03 World Championship 2017 13–16 July |
6 |
| Average | 2:15.64 Melbourne Summer 2011 29–30 January |
1:27.79 World Championship 2017 13–16 July |
8 | |
| 7×7×7 | Single | 2:23.55 World Championship 2015 17–19 July |
2:06.73 World Championship 2017 13–16 July |
5 |
| Average | 2:52.09 Australian Nationals 2013 7-8 September |
2:14.04 China's 10th Anniversary 2017 1–2 October |
11 | |
| 3×3×3 One-handed | Single | 11.16s Kubaroo Open 2011 7 May |
6.88s Canberra Autumn 2015 9–10 May |
4 |
| Average | 14.76s Australian Nationals 2010 4–5 September |
10.21s Malaysia Cube Open 2017 14–15 October |
5 | |
| 4×4×4 Blindfolded | Single | 3:37.80 Melbourne Summer 2011 29–30 January |
— | 1 |
Titles
| World Titles | ||
| Preceded by Michał Pleskowicz 2011 |
3x3x3 World Champion 2013, 2015 |
Succeeded by Max Park 2017 |
| Preceded by Rowe Hessler 2009 |
2x2x2 World Champion 2011 |
Succeeded by Cameron Stollery 2013 |
| Preceded by Cameron Stollery 2013 |
2x2x2 World Champion 2015 |
Succeeded by Antonie Paterakis 2017 |
| Preceded by Syuhei Omura 2009 |
4x4x4 World Champion 2011, 2013, 2015 |
Succeeded by Sebastian Weyer 2017 |
| Preceded by Dan Cohen 2009 |
5x5x5 World Champion 2011 |
Succeeded by Kevin Hays 2013 |
| Preceded by Kevin Hays 2013 |
5x5x5 World Champion 2015, 2017 |
Succeeded by Max Park 2019 |
| Preceded by Dan Cohen 2009 |
6x6x6 World Champion 2011 |
Succeeded by Kevin Hays 2013 |
| Preceded by Kevin Hays 2015 |
7x7x7 World Champion 2017 |
Succeeded by Max Park 2019 |
| Preceded by Arifumi Fushimi 2011 |
3x3x3 OH World Champion 2013, 2015 |
Succeeded by Max Park 2017 |
External links
- Feliks's at-home personal best sheet (updated within minutes of each personal best). Includes mains, upcoming competitions, and FAQ
- Feliks Zemdegs's YouTube channel
- CubeCast Podcast: Episode 02 - Feliks Zemdegs
Interviews
- Speedsolving.com: Interview with Feliks Zemdegs
- Interview with Jessica Fridrich and Zbigniew Zborowski about Feliks Zemdegs
- Feliks Zemdegs Exclusive Interview - Rubik's Cube record holder
Tribute Videos
- Speedsolving.com: (video) My name is Feliks Zemdegs
- Youtube.com: My name is Feliks Zemdegs
