CubingUSA Heartland Championship 2025

Inside the spacious Saint Paul RiverCentre, the ambient hum of turning layers and clicking stopwatches filled the hall as competitors gathered across three full days of action. From August 22 to August 24, tables were constantly occupied by solvers sharing algorithms, inspecting scrambled puzzles, and reconnecting between official rounds. The gathering brought together 187 participants in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, turning the venue into a vibrant hub where seasoned champions and newer solvers intermingled across side-event stages and practice stations alike.

The CubingUSA Heartland Championship 2025 offered a comprehensive slate of 17 events spanning 37 rounds, making it a standout WCA competition for the Midwest circuit in 2025. While the schedule moved through dense brackets, the atmosphere remained centered on camaraderie, with competitors gathering around warm-up areas to analyze solves or watch side disciplines like Clock, Square-1, and blindfolded events. The shared focus on learning and friendly rivalry defined every corner of the tournament floor.

Leading the classic Rubik's Cube division, Zeke Mackay captured the top spot with a winning average of 6.37 across four rounds involving 183 competitors. Mackay posted a best single of 6.13 during the bracket, anchoring the main speedcubing showcase. Beyond the 3x3 results, Mackay put together an exceptional weekend across disparate disciplines, claiming first place in Megaminx with a 32.45 average and taking victory in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind by successfully resolving 20 out of 24 cubes in a time of 59:44.

Multi-event specialist Brian Johnson produced a dominant run across several technical categories during the weekend. Johnson won the 2x2x2 Cube with an average of 1.73, finishing ahead of Mackay at 2.09 and Christopher Olson at 2.20. Johnson also earned top honors in Square-1 with a 5.83 average, 3x3x3 One-Handed with a mark of 10.72, and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a decisive 21.00 mean. In Skewb, Johnson added a third-place finish behind winner Carter Kucala, who took the title with a 2.21 average, and runner-up Tyler Robinson at 3.11.

Beyond the podium battles, the heart of the weekend lay in individual milestones achieved throughout the ranks. Graham Marker entered seven events and delivered a standout Pyraminx personal best of 9.53 seconds, improving by 81.8 percent from an earlier mark of 52.38, while also attempting Megaminx for the first time with a result of 3:29.35. Leon Ortiz set a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 2.45 seconds, shaving 59.9 percent off an earlier best, alongside a first Skewb attempt of 5.73. Ben Fraher tackled 14 events, posting a 6x6x6 Cube personal best of 2:29.09, which improved his former mark by 60.2 percent, and recorded his first 7x7x7 Cube result at 4:26.67. Max Bildeaux took on six disciplines, logging first official attempts in Square-1 at 1:04.09, Pyraminx at 4.67, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:08.63.

The breadth of participation continued as competitors embraced unfamiliar formats. Asher M. Noordmans entered 11 events, registering initial official marks in Square-1 at 29.10, Clock at 8.50, and 5x5x5 Cube at 1:14.62. Gabe Erickson tackled 10 disciplines, posting debut attempts in Clock at 12.33, Square-1 at 16.81, and Megaminx at 1:44.08. Arie Lommen stepped up for 10 events, recording first-time results in Megaminx at 1:40.84, Skewb at 11.00, and Square-1 at 42.62. John Bunnell completed nine events, including maiden attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:10.26, Square-1 at 45.69, and Skewb at 5.74, highlighting the personal growth happening away from the top tables.

Big cubes saw Jacob Nokes deliver a clean sweep across the upper tier puzzles. Nokes secured first place in the 5x5x5 Cube with a 48.68 average, captured the 6x6x6 Cube title in 1:27.01 over Nathan Phillips at 1:31.96 and Kaius Young at 1:39.16, and capped the trio by winning the 7x7x7 Cube with a mark of 2:04.21. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Nathan Phillips secured the championship with a winning average of 27.24 from a field of 124 entrants. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Kapustianskyi topped Clock with a 2.96 average, Simon Kellum claimed Pyraminx in 2.23, and Andy Wong earned blindfolded victories in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with an 18.76 single and 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a 3:29.81 average.

When the final timers were packed away, the CubingUSA Heartland Championship 2025 concluded having showcased the deep connections that sustain the speed cubing community. Every round brought peers together to judge, scramble, and applaud shared progress across the floor. Solvers left Saint Paul carrying fresh personal records, newly attempted disciplines, and lasting memories from a standout midwestern cubing competition.