Great Peconic Bay 2025

Inside the Residence Inn Long Island East End on March 22, 2025, the rhythmic clack of plastic pieces echoed across the tournament floor. A field of 87 competitors converged for a full day of speedcubing action in Riverhead, New York, USA. Long Island provided the perfect backdrop for a high-intensity cubing competition, where timers beeped in rapid succession and solve mats filled the venue through ten dense rounds of play.

American standout Jerry Yao delivered a dominant hometown performance from start to finish. Competing before a local crowd, Yao secured three separate event victories, establishing himself as the definitive force of the weekend. His run began on the larger puzzles and extended through traditional and specialized formats alike, providing the eastern tip of Long Island with world-class execution across every solve.

In the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, Yao set the standard with commanding 3x3 results. Over three rounds featuring 85 entrants, he produced the weekend best single of 5.27 seconds and sealed the title with a winning average of 5.93 seconds. Ayden Dincher of the United States took second place with an average of 7.25 seconds, while Curtis Chai finished third with a 7.58 average to complete an all-American podium on the classic Rubik's Cube.

Yao extended his winning streak to the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, navigating two rounds against 50 competitors to post a winning average of 11.78 seconds alongside a single of 9.99. Parker Trager finished second with a 12.36 average, while Anthony Jiang took third with 12.74. Yao then claimed the 6x6x6 Cube title with a 1:31.86 average and a top single of 1:27.25, leading Evan Liu at 1:44.46 and Trager at 1:47.80.

Beyond the multi-puzzle sweep by Yao, short-format speed cubing produced breathtaking times in the 2x2x2 Cube. Ayden Dincher captured first place among 83 entrants with an impressive 1.13-second winning average and a single of 0.72. Curtis Chai earned his second silver of the day with an average of 1.42 seconds, edging Chris Chi who claimed bronze in 1.43 seconds in a tightly contested final round.

The Pyraminx competition provided Parker Trager a well-earned victory atop the podium. Trager bested a 75-competitor bracket across two rounds with a winning average of 1.82 seconds and a single of 1.01. Steven Wintringham finished as the runner-up with a 2.00 average, followed closely by Curtis Chai in third with 2.06 seconds, capping a three-podium weekend for Chai.

Away from the top of the podium, Great Peconic Bay 2025 offered deep personal milestones across the roster. Yusuf Hashemi dropped significant time across three events, lowering his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 5.62 seconds, a 75.9 percent improvement over his prior 23.33 best, while also slicing his Pyraminx time to 9.61 and his 3x3x3 mark to 29.50. Shuaib Hashemi took on five events, earning a 24th place finish in 6x6x6 Cube, logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:11.61, and posting a 6.19 Pyraminx personal best that was 40.6 percent faster than before. Jorge Bermudez completed his first official 2x2x2 Cube solve in 5.35 seconds and improved his Pyraminx best by 44 percent to 5.64. Nathan Han debuted in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 33.75, completed a first 2x2x2 Cube solve in 5.82, and cut his 3x3x3 Cube best to 13.56.

That same energy carried through several other competitors stepping up to new challenges. Roger Lin tried the Pyraminx for the first time, logging an 8.50, while dropping his 2x2x2 Cube best by 32.4 percent to 3.02 and his one-handed mark by 27.6 percent to 29.48. Daniel Sebastian Cortes lowered his Pyraminx best by 51.2 percent to 6.95, his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 3.77, and his 3x3x3 Cube time to 14.34 across four events. Ellie Burtraw improved across three puzzles, highlighted by a 4.75 Pyraminx personal best that was 43.8 percent faster. First-time WCA competition participant Charles Miao entered four events, setting debut marks of 24.46 in the 3x3x3 Cube, 6.37 in 2x2x2 Cube, and 8.45 in Pyraminx.

With 15 total podium places swept by United States competitors, the single-day gathering in Riverhead showcased the depth and camaraderie of the regional puzzle community. From new personal bests in early heats to Yao triple-event performance, the tournament provided a memorable benchmark for every competitor preparing for the upcoming season.