KCKC 8 Cubing for Cake 2025

Aaron Huynh delivered a masterclass at the Arrington Place Event Center, securing three separate event victories highlighted by an unstoppable 6.45-second final average on the classic Rubik's Cube. His decisive march through the premier event set the tone for a packed single-day schedule on November 1, 2025. Across eleven hard-fought rounds, 65 competitors gathered in Grandview, Missouri, USA to test their resolve in high-stakes speedcubing competition. Huynh paced the field with authority, leaving the rest of the contenders battling for the remaining podium steps.

The morning opened with intense energy across the larger puzzles, where Huynh immediately asserted control. In the single round of the 4x4x4 Cube, Huynh logged a blistering winning average of 34.81 seconds, supported by an event-best single of 25.20. Zachary Johnson mounted a determined chase to take second place with a 35.99 average, while Hana Nakano took third place at 37.78 seconds. The 44-competitor bracket moved quickly, setting up a demanding pace for the rest of the day.

Without pause, the big cube action shifted straight into the 5x5x5 Cube. Huynh proved just as dominant on the five-layer puzzle, claiming his second gold medal of KCKC 8 Cubing for Cake 2025 with a winning average of 59.83 seconds and a sharp 56.65 single. Zachary Johnson once again earned the silver step on the podium with a 1:04.17 mark, while Chaeli Baker rounded out the top three by averaging 1:04.76 among 39 total entrants.

Side events brought a fresh dynamic to the afternoon schedule, starting with the three rounds of Pyraminx. Josiah Bell produced a sparkling series of solves to win the event outright, posting a 2.94 winning average and an event-best 2.72 single across 57 entrants. Huynh took the runner-up position with a 3.37 average, and Samuel Pollom completed the podium in third place with a 4.45 mark. In Clock, Max McGill dominated the two rounds, taking the title with an average of 2.88 seconds and a single of 2.42 ahead of Trenton Cuzick and Chaeli Baker.

Beyond the championship finals, the heart of this WCA competition lived in the massive personal leaps made throughout the preliminary rounds. Owen Daniel Miller took on five events, improving his Pyraminx personal best to 7.05 seconds to cut 48 percent off his prior mark, while also slashing his 4x4x4 Cube best by 45 percent down to 1:13.74 and making his first ever official attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube. Adrien Zoellner entered all six events, setting a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.60 seconds, which was 47.6 percent faster than before, and completing an initial 5x5x5 Cube attempt in 2:21.18. Joe Mike Rockford trimmed his 2x2x2 Cube best by 48.3 percent down to 4.05 seconds, while Jaydon Stolberg improved his Clock best by 43.1 percent to 18.52.

Several competitors also took their first official steps into the sport or expanded into unfamiliar disciplines. Talia Smith tackled six events, establishing a Clock personal best of 17.26 seconds, which was 42.8 percent faster than her prior record, and making her first ever attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube in 2:17.54. Arwen Tuttle made a first ever attempt at Clock in 37.29 seconds while improving their Pyraminx mark by 37.3 percent to 8.16. First-time competitors made their mark as well, with Chad Isaac Sheldon tackling six events and recording an initial 5x5x5 Cube attempt of 3:54.70, while Clayton Berry took on five events and posted an initial 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 1:49.06.

As the schedule progressed toward the late afternoon, the 2x2x2 Cube featured a fiercely contested two-round shootout among 63 competitors. Zachary Johnson took top honors with a 2.55-second winning average, holding off Drake I. Scott at 2.63 seconds and Davis Gorman at 2.66 seconds in an exceptionally close podium race. The event also saw prolific progression throughout the standings, including standout single and average marks registered by Coleton Pleiss, Connor Willingham, and Ender Reberry.

The day concluded with the decisive second round of the main 3x3x3 Cube, where 65 entrants were distilled down to the final contenders. Huynh locked down the 3x3 results with his 6.45 average, complemented by a round-low 5.70 single. Zachary Johnson secured second place with an average of 9.87, and Samuel Pollom earned third place with 10.60 seconds. The sweep of all podium spots by USA competitors marked a thrilling conclusion to KCKC 8 Cubing for Cake 2025, celebrating an intense day of speed cubing excellence in Missouri.