People · Germany
James Whelan
3×3 · top 8.9% of 288,433 all-time · competing since April 2026 · 2026WHEL01
James Whelan has been competing for 6 months. His best event is the 3×3: a personal-best single of 10.48, set at Dublin Autumn Solving 2026, puts him in the top 8.9% of the 288,433 people who have ever been ranked in the event, and 461st in Germany. Until August 2006, no official 3×3 solve in the world had been that fast. Across 4 competitions since April 2026, he has put 77 official solves on the record across four events. Solve to solve, his 3×3 times vary about 14% around a typical one, an early reading from 8 counted rounds. That figure sets aside his 2 DNFs. His 3×3 best has come down from 19.36 in April 2026 to 10.48, a 46% improvement. James has entered four competitions, more competitions than 78% of everyone who has ever competed.
Standing, event by event
vs everyone ever ranked| Event | PB single | PB average | All-time standing | Germany | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3×3 | 10.48 | 14.37 | top 8.9% | 461 / 4,182 | |
| Pyraminx | 6.65 | 10.87 | top 25.0% | 635 / 2,020 | |
| 2×2 | 4.52 | 5.47 | top 33.2% | 1,108 / 2,931 | |
| 3×3 one-handed | 36.80 | 42.21 | top 60.5% | 806 / 1,328 |
Percentile against all competitors ever ranked in each event, a fairer measure than raw rank, because the pools differ by a factor of ten.
The line so far
Best single per competition, 3×3. Faster is higher — the axis is the right way up.
The story so far
- 26 Sep 2026Four personal bests in one day at Dublin Autumn Solving 2026.
- 24 Jul 2026First sub-15 3×3: 14.77 at Rubik's Irish Championship 2026.
- 24 Jul 2026Three personal bests in one day at Rubik's Irish Championship 2026.
- 11 Apr 2026First competition: Don't Go Slow in Wicklow 2026. A 19.36 3×3 single to start from.
Competitions
- Meath For Mega Speed 2026 · 10 Oct 2026 — 2 personal bests set
- Dublin Autumn Solving 2026 · 26 Sep 2026 — 4 personal bests set
- Rubik's Irish Championship 2026 · 24 Jul 2026 — 3 personal bests set
- Don't Go Slow in Wicklow 2026 · 11 Apr 2026
Reading this page: a single is one solve's time · an average is the middle three of five solves, best and worst discarded · a PB is a personal best · a DNF (did not finish) is an attempt with no valid result: a popped piece, an unsolved face, an over-limit memorisation · top X% compares against everyone ever ranked in that event, which is fairer than raw rank because event pools differ tenfold.
The circuit
The people whose scorecards keep turning up next to his.
- Sam O'Reilly — met in 17 rounds, finished ahead 3 times
- Tom Doherty — met in 17 rounds, finished ahead once
- Khusel-Erdene Unur-Erdene — met in 17 rounds, finished ahead once
Next targets
- A sub-10 3×3 single — 21,606 people have one; it is 0.48 away.
- A sub-6 Pyraminx single — 26,233 people have one; it is 0.65 away.
Targets move as he improves.