North Idaho Newcomers 2025

A blistering 7.36 single solve by Ethan George Hayes in the 3x3x3 Cube set the benchmark for high-speed precision in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, USA on March 29, 2025. Across seven intense rounds of competition, 31 competitors gathered at Christ the King Lutheran Church to test their skills at North Idaho Newcomers 2025. The focused single-day cubing competition brought together both seasoned solvers and energetic fresh faces tackling a tight schedule of events.

While high-end speedcubing often looks toward big cubes such as the 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7 puzzles where prolonged endurance and deep analytical patience are paramount, compact sprint puzzles require an entirely different level of sustained mental discipline. The concentration necessary to hold together seven distinct tournament rounds in a single afternoon tests the stamina of every participant, mirroring the heavy demands of longer formats across fewer turns.

In the classic 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, Hayes produced unmatched consistency across three full rounds to capture the title. Delivering a decisive 7.98 winning average to go along with the day's best single of 7.36, Hayes held off a strong challenge from Samuel Williams, who secured second place with an average of 9.33. Coleman Vaughn claimed the third step on the podium with a 10.90 average, concluding an exciting set of 3x3 results in front of an appreciative field.

Hayes continued his winning form in the 2x2x2 Cube, topping a 31-competitor bracket over two rounds. He registered a tournament-best 1.53 single on his way to a 2.35 winning average. Williams earned another silver finish with a 3.26 mark, while Jeremiah Rummerfield collected third place with a 3.81 average. The rapid pace of the smaller puzzle demanded flawless execution on every single turn.

The Skewb event brought a shift in the hierarchy as Nicholas Lopez delivered a remarkable performance across two rounds. Lopez secured the gold medal with a winning average of 5.42 and posted the fastest individual solve of the discipline at 3.56. Hayes earned second place with a 6.14 average, followed closely by Williams in third with a 6.55 average, completing a clean sweep of podium positions by United States competitors across the day.

Beyond the podium battles, several participants notched remarkable career breakthroughs throughout the day. Brenton Ryba recorded the biggest single leap of the meet, setting a new Skewb personal best of 34.84, which was 51.1 percent faster than his prior mark of 1:11.20 across his 3 events entered here. Rostyslav Sviashchenko improved his Skewb mark by 42.7 percent to 5.55 and achieved his best finish of 4th in the 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 9.61. Julia Bassols dropped her Skewb best by 38.2 percent down to 7.06 and improved her 3x3x3 Cube time by 37.9 percent to 14.68. Parker Bright set a new Skewb mark of 4.67, representing a 38.1 percent improvement, on the way to an 8th-place finish.

The meet also offered a welcome stage for fresh personal milestones and first-time official attempts. Andrew Baker lowered his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 29.9 percent to 4.30 across his 3 events. Homan Rasuli took 26.4 percent off his previous 2x2x2 Cube best to clock 10.20, achieving a 23rd-place result. Kasen Corbin tackled 3 events, recording his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 7.90 and his first ever attempt at Skewb with an 8.10. Katherine May Coffey completed her first WCA competition by entering 3 events, logging her first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube at 19.38, 3x3x3 Cube at 55.25, and Skewb at 32.76.

The atmosphere of dedicated speed cubing at North Idaho Newcomers 2025 demonstrated the depth of talent throughout the regional community. With sharp times, impressive personal gains, and high standards set across all three disciplines, the event provided an exceptional benchmark for every competitor preparing for the upcoming season.