Hasty Hastings 2025

A single blistering solve can turn heads, but steady composure across a full five-solve average wins championships. That reality defined the 3x3x3 Cube final at Hasty Hastings 2025, where Lachlan Gibson claimed victory with a remarkably disciplined 8.67-second average. While several solvers pushed hard for explosive single times, Gibson maintained rock-solid control to hold off Jack Maddigan, who delivered an 8.84 average, and Jack McDougall, who secured third place at 8.85. The tight battle for the top spot underlined the tone for the entire speedcubing gathering in Hastings, New Zealand, where executing mistake-free solves under pressure proved to be the ultimate separator.

Held on September 27, 2025, at the Frimley Park Community Hall, the tournament brought together 23 competitors contesting 19 rounds across eight official events. The compact field made for an intense single-day schedule, giving participants little room for error between rounds. While the classic Rubik's Cube drew the largest lineup, the roster of events stretched across multiple formats, demanding adaptability and steady nerves from morning to evening. Speed cubing in the Hawke's Bay region has continued to showcase how well-rounded talent and technical discipline can deliver compelling results across varied puzzles.

Jack McDougall put on a remarkable display of multi-event endurance throughout the cubing competition, capturing four individual titles. In 4x4x4 Cube, McDougall topped the 16-person field with a winning average of 35.59 seconds, outpacing Lachlan Gibson's 39.01 and Jack Maddigan's 42.26. McDougall carried that same steady rhythm into 3x3x3 One-Handed, claiming first place with a 16.91 average against Gibson's 17.13 and Caleb Hall's 17.31. Whether managing larger hardware or navigating single-handed turn speed, McDougall repeatedly demonstrated the value of steady turning over erratic pace.

McDougall's versatility shone equally bright in the specialty disciplines at Hasty Hastings 2025. In Skewb, he claimed the title with a 2.94 average, finishing ahead of William Jackson at 3.89 and Luke Steele at 4.93. Later in the day, McDougall added the Megaminx crown to his collection, securing an average of 45.77 seconds to lead Gibson, who posted 50.56, and Riley Wicks, who took third with a 54.35 average. His ability to maintain consistent execution across four distinct events provided a clinic in tactical pacing.

The remaining events produced equally competitive margins where disciplined averages made all the difference. In Clock, Lachlan Gibson captured his second title of the weekend, delivering a 2.98 winning average to outpace McDougall's 3.70 and Wicks's 7.14. Pyraminx saw a thrilling tie on the average sheet, where Levi Hetherington secured first place with a 3.01 average, matching Riley Wicks's 3.01 average, while Gibson finished third at 4.11. In 2x2x2 Cube, Ram Thakkar of India secured the title with a 1.73 average, edging out Hetherington's 1.75 and McDougall's 1.84 in one of the tightest podium races of the day.

Away from the top of the podium, the deeper rounds offered stories of major technical progress and breakthrough performances. Andrea Cochrane delivered one of the weekend's most significant improvements, chopping her Clock personal best down to 21.40 seconds, an impressive 52.3 percent faster than her prior mark, while also lowering her 3x3x3 Cube best to 52.10. Tyler Dipper took on eight separate disciplines, cutting his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 40.9 percent to 28.46 seconds, trimming his 3x3x3 Cube best to 12.49 seconds, and recording his first ever attempt at Megaminx with a 1:43.77 single. Eyal Frensdorff tackled six events, achieving a Clock first attempt of 18.69 seconds and a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.02.

Several other competitors marked significant milestones during their rounds. Adam Edward John Tasker took on three events, completing his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 49.23 seconds and taking 9.9 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube best with a 1:39.88. Paula Maddigan contested six events, setting a 43.89 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube and trimming her 4x4x4 Cube best to 3:01.29. Henry Rutland achieved a fourth-place finish in 4x4x4 Cube behind a 39.55 personal best, while Elizabeth Young improved her 3x3x3 Cube mark to 43.37 seconds. Meanwhile, Joshua Renew completed his first WCA competition by posting initial official results across four events, including a 32.98 single in 3x3x3 Cube and a 1:08.14 in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

First-time entrants added valuable depth to the tournament atmosphere at Frimley Park Community Hall. Alexander Rae completed four events in his debut, reaching 12th place in 4x4x4 Cube and logging a 20.18 in 3x3x3 Cube alongside a 3.46 single in 2x2x2 Cube. Zavier Rae opened his official journey across three events with a 23.51 in 3x3x3 Cube, Lukas Benton tackled two events with an 18.94 single in 3x3x3 Cube, and Rewi Kopua-Smith and Josh Small each launched their official records in the main event with marks of 23.89 and 27.54 respectively.

By the conclusion of the tournament, the overall podium tally saw 23 podium positions earned by solvers representing New Zealand alongside one for India. From the dramatic 3x3 results down to the fast-paced rounds of 2x2x2 Cube and Pyraminx, Hasty Hastings 2025 demonstrated that calm execution across every solve remains the true benchmark of competitive speedcubing. As the 2025 calendar moves forward into upcoming fixtures, the standards established in Hastings set a high bar for consistency and resolve on the national stage.