Gouverneur NxNoPeeking 2025

Eighteen rounds of elite speedcubing condensed into a late-September weekend marked a crucial checkpoint on the 2025 calendar. Across September 27 to September 28, a tight field of 12 dedicated solvers converged on Saint James Parochial School in Gouverneur, New York, USA for Gouverneur NxNoPeeking 2025. With eleven official events on the schedule ranging from standard rotation puzzles to grueling multi-blind assemblies, the compact gathering offered an intimate arena where every single turn carried immediate weight in the season standings.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest delivered a thrilling conclusion at the speed cubing table, settled by the narrowest of margins. Evan Liu captured the title with a 8.78 winning average, barely edging out Omar Ellabban of Canada, who finished in second place with a 8.79 average. Chris Chi took third place on the podium with an 8.85 average in an exceptionally tight final round. Liu also secured the round's best single solve of 7.16 seconds on his way to topping the official 3x3 results.

Evan Liu proved to be a dominant force throughout the weekend schedule, adding multiple titles to his 3x3x3 Cube victory. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Liu secured first place with an average of 15.22 seconds, holding off Marcus S. Bilik who finished second in 15.52, while Chris Chi claimed third at 18.37. Liu also prevailed in the ultra-complex 5x5x5 Blindfolded competition, registering a winning single solve of 9:59.49. Joey Mait followed in second place with a time of 14:42.00, while the remaining finalists did not record a completed time.

Omar Ellabban mounted a sweeping campaign across the big cube disciplines, taking four titles for Canada. Ellabban won the 4x4x4 Cube with a 28.66 average and a fast single of 25.92, ahead of Evan Liu in second at 32.55 and Louis Truong in third at 34.62. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Ellabban clinched victory with a 43.72 average and a round-best 38.91 single. He then conquered the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:20.97 average over Liu's 1:38.25 and Marcus S. Bilik's 1:47.89, before topping the 7x7x7 Cube in 2:00.98, again ahead of Liu at 2:42.37 and Bilik at 2:43.31.

The blindfolded events at Gouverneur NxNoPeeking 2025 produced striking feats of memory and precision. Joey Mait achieved an exceptional win in the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind discipline, successfully resolving 24 out of 32 puzzles within a time limit of 59:12. Chris Chi finished in second position with 18 of 25 cubes in 1:00:02, and Jake Oppedisano placed third with 5 of 9 cubes in 52:04. Mait also earned top honours in the standard 3x3x3 Blindfolded round with a best single of 24.56 seconds. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, Chris Chi captured first place with a single solve of 3:51.73.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors made substantial strides in their personal development at this WCA competition. Ethan Qiu took on seven events across the schedule and secured a fifth-place finish in 2x2x2 Cube, but his standout work came in the rotational single-handed and speed events. Qiu dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best down to 21.15 seconds, an improvement of 7.3 percent from 22.81, while also trimming his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 5 percent down to 8.23 seconds and logging a 3:48.07 mark in the 7x7x7 Cube. Patrick Strawder also entered seven events, securing fifth place in 6x6x6 Cube with a personal best of 2:03.22, cutting 5.9 percent from his previous best of 2:10.98, alongside a 3:07.22 result in 7x7x7 Cube.

For two other competitors, the gathering served as an unforgettable introduction to the sport. Lucero Isabel Tapia made their debut in an official Rubik's Cube setting, taking on two disciplines and recording a first-ever 5x5x5 Cube solve of 3:35.27 along with an initial 3x3x3 Cube attempt of 20.57 seconds. Moth Deluca also stepped up to their very first official cubing competition, putting up a personal milestone of 18.09 seconds on their debut attempt in the 3x3x3 Cube. These breakthrough efforts formed an essential part of the weekend narrative away from the championship silverware.

Sprint solving concluded with an electric 2x2x2 Cube final, where Chris Chi earned the victory with an impressive winning average of 1.71 seconds and a top single of 1.07. Evan Liu secured second place on the podium with a 1.98 average, and Marcus S. Bilik took third with 3.54. In the overall medal standings, United States competitors accumulated 32 podium finishes, while Canadian entrants secured 5. As the late season transitions toward future championship dates, the high standard of solving in Gouverneur established strong benchmarks across every puzzle category.