Big and Blind Queenstown 2025

Inside the community arts hub of Te Atamira, the focused quiet of competition matched the crisp mountain air of Otago. Nine dedicated solvers gathered across two full days of precision turning, surrounded by timers, inspection mats, and a vast array of geometric puzzles. The small gathering created an intimate environment where every single solve echoed through the hall, setting an intense stage for an ambitious schedule of fifteen official events across seventeen rounds of play.

The weekend schedule at Big and Blind Queenstown 2025 delivered a showcase of mastery from Adrien Auvray Matyn, who captured six gold medals across an extraordinary range of events. In the premier 3x3x3 Cube contest, which attracted all nine competitors over two rounds, Auvray Matyn secured victory with a decisive winning average of 6.86 seconds alongside a best single of 5.38 seconds. The display underlined the quality of the top-flight 3x3 results, with runner-up Henry Eyles putting up a 7.10 second average and Daniel Fraser taking third place at 10.32 seconds.

Beyond the classic Rubik's Cube, Auvray Matyn took complete control of the specialized side events across the weekend. He triumphed in Megaminx with a 42.36 second winning average and a 36.52 best single, leaving Eyles in second at 46.16 seconds and Fraser in third at 1:05.81. In Pyraminx, Auvray Matyn produced an average of 2.60 seconds featuring a blistering 1.23 single. He added further titles in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 12.82 seconds, Skewb with a 2.93 average, and Square-1 with a winning mark of 7.33 seconds.

While Auvray Matyn dominated the shorter formats, Henry Eyles staged a commanding run through the big cubes and fast sprints at this WCA competition. Eyles secured victory in the 2x2x2 Cube with a winning average of 1.91 seconds and a 1.69 single. In 4x4x4 Cube, Eyles topped a field of eight competitors across two rounds by logging a 32.69 winning average and an event-best single of 23.95 seconds. The performances set a high benchmark across both small and mid-sized puzzles.

The larger puzzles belonged entirely to Eyles as the weekend moved into the heaviest layers of plastic. In the 5x5x5 Cube final, Eyles claimed the top spot with a 52.46 second average and a 48.87 single, staying clear of James Dyer who took second place in 1:02.58 and Auvray Matyn in third at 1:06.58. Eyles then conquered the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:38.43 average ahead of Dyer and Fraser, before wrapping up the big-cube sweep in 7x7x7 Cube with a winning average of 2:41.99, where Dyer finished second at 3:12.93 and Fraser placed third at 3:35.70.

The memory events and mechanical challenges brought unique drama to Big and Blind Queenstown 2025. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded division, Oscar Childs secured the gold medal with a best single solve of 1:23.18, leading Eyles who posted a 4:28.28 single. Childs also stood atop the rankings in both 4x4x4 Blindfolded and 5x5x5 Blindfolded. Meanwhile, the Clock event saw Daniel Fraser claim the title with a winning average of 7.11 seconds, finishing ahead of Childs at 12.12 and Eyles at 4.89 on single.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable breakthroughs that captured the spirit of speedcubing. Eddy Forster took on five events across the weekend, earning a career-best 5th place in Square-1 with a first ever attempt of 38.16 seconds, completing a first Pyraminx solve in 7.64 seconds, and dropping his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 30.1 percent to 21.55 seconds. Sienna Childs contested three events, improving her 3x3x3 Cube best to 36.54 seconds by 21.1 percent, slicing 14.6 percent off her 4x4x4 Cube best down to 2:21.70, and recording a 2x2x2 Cube mark of 14.32 seconds. Xin Tu took on the 3x3x3 Cube and advanced his personal best by 3.6 percent to 16.95 seconds.

The two days of competition in Queenstown, New Zealand on March 8 and March 9 proved how much action an intimate speed cubing field can deliver. With forty-one podium positions claimed across the weekend, the gathering served as a masterclass in versatility, consistency, and determination. Big and Blind Queenstown 2025 wrapped up its 2025 campaign having tested solvers across fifteen demanding events, leaving a high standard of excellence across the South Island cubing competition circuit.