Naperville Gray Skies 2026

Seventy-three competitors gathered under winter conditions for Naperville Gray Skies 2026, where newcomers and established speedcubing standouts shared the floor across five events and twelve intense rounds. Staged at Northern Illinois University - Naperville on January 17, 2026, the single-day gathering provided the perfect stage for those stepping up to the timer for their very first official attempts. The atmosphere in Naperville, Illinois, USA was defined by the steady clicking of hardware and the satisfaction of personal milestones earned under the lights.

For those making a tournament debut, a first WCA competition brings an unmistakable rush. Facing the judging station, adjusting to official inspection protocols, and seeing names appear on live scoreboards can transform home practice into real competitive experience. First-timers stepped straight into three separate puzzles, getting a comprehensive taste of the cubing competition circuit in one packed afternoon. Alongside them, returning participants tackled unfamiliar categories, testing their preparation on larger layers and non-standard mechanisms.

Among those achieving breakthrough marks, Jax Howe enjoyed a spectacular day, cutting their Pyraminx personal best by 49.6 percent down to 3.38 seconds and trimming their 3x3x3 Cube best to 10.70. Sean Mackey also made massive strides, dropping their 3x3x3 Cube benchmark by 45.6 percent to 40.01 and slicing their Pyraminx record by 40.3 percent to 9.78. Ryan Huang took on three events, posting a first ever attempt at Clock with 19.34 while lowering their Pyraminx best by 36.6 percent to 6.52. Ethan Wood shaved 43.6 percent from their Pyraminx mark to record 5.85.

First attempts at challenging events highlighted the depth of progress across the roster. Max Nguyen made a first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube with 5:36.95 alongside a 27.4 percent drop in Pyraminx to 8.60. Tayla Justis logged a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 3:58.00 while improving in Clock to 10.74. Louis M. Campfield entered three events, registering a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube at 3:44.04 and cutting their Clock mark by 27.3 percent to 21.69. Steven Johnston tackled five events, finishing 10th in 5x5x5 Cube with a 1:03.61 best and trying 6x6x6 Cube for the first time in 3:00.08.

When attention turned to the main stage for the classic Rubik's Cube, Luke Garrett delivered exceptional consistency across three rounds to claim the title. Garrett secured the victory with a winning average of 6.30 seconds in the final round, backed by a best single of 5.02 during the contest. Henry Lichner pushed the pace throughout the bracket to take second place with an average of 6.63, while Ben Zhao earned third place with a 6.66 average. The 3x3 results capped a high-speed showcase that featured all 73 competitors.

Big cubes proved to be Henry Lichner's domain throughout Naperville Gray Skies 2026. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Lichner captured the top spot with a winning average of 41.16 seconds, powered by a 38.84 single. Luke Garrett secured the runner-up position with an average of 48.89, and Ben Zhao completed the podium in 49.63. Lichner doubled his gold tally in the 6x6x6 Cube, logging a dominant 1:15.33 average and a 1:13.79 single across two rounds, finishing ahead of Ethan Cho in second at 1:26.99 and Garrett in third at 1:28.82.

The side events provided rapid-fire action and razor-thin margins. Marcus Kamen took top honors in Pyraminx, producing a winning average of 1.82 seconds and a best single of 1.56 across three rounds. Luke Garrett collected another podium spot with a 2.01 second average for second place, closely followed by Tripp Peters in third at 2.33. The mechanical Clock event saw Zachary Cribb claim victory with a crisp 3.48 average and a single of 3.30, holding off Garrett in second at 3.66 and Adam Schwenn in third at 4.36.

Across all five disciplines, competitors representing the USA swept all 15 podium positions on the day. From the tension of the final rounds to the quiet triumphs of debutants recording their first official times, Naperville Gray Skies 2026 showcased the full breadth of the speed cubing community. As the gear was packed away, participants left with fresh personal milestones and valuable experience to carry into the rest of the 2026 season.