NZ Cubing in the Capital 2025

A mere 0.06 seconds decided the premier duel on the table as 34 competitors assembled at the Johnsonville Club. The intense action at NZ Cubing in the Capital 2025 delivered drama right down to the final turns, setting an electrifying tone across the one-day WCA competition in Wellington, New Zealand. With 16 rounds staged across seven events, every fraction of a second mattered, but none proved tighter than the thrilling battle for the 2x2x2 Cube title on September 13, 2025.

The 2x2x2 Cube final came down to the absolute wire between two of the nation's sharpest solvers. Jack Maddigan secured victory with a scorching winning average of 1.66 seconds, edging past Dylan Himmelfarb who delivered a remarkable 1.72 average to take second place. Jack McDougall rounded out the tight podium in third place with an average of 2.05 seconds, while Maddigan also locked in the round's best single of 1.19 seconds to claim the gold.

Beyond the nail-biting sprint on the 2x2, the classic Rubik's Cube main event featured fierce competition across three complete stages. Jack McDougall proved unstoppable in the 3x3x3 Cube, topping a field of 31 competitors by locking in a winning average of 8.19 seconds and the quickest single solve of the event at 7.45 seconds. Vincent Da Col took second place with an 8.72 average, while Dylan Himmelfarb claimed third place with an average of 9.43 seconds, producing standout 3x3 results for the Wellington audience.

McDougall maintained his commanding presence throughout the day, capturing four separate championship titles across varied puzzles. In the 4x4x4 Cube, McDougall secured the win with a 33.92 average and a 29.84 single, finishing ahead of Alex Asbery at 40.61 and Riley Wicks at 40.77. Switching to the diagonal mechanics of Skewb, McDougall took first place with a 3.59 average, overcoming William Jackson who registered 3.84 and Dylan Himmelfarb who posted 6.09.

The blindfolded discipline offered another showcase of mental discipline and precision. Solving without sight requires complete memorisation of the puzzle state before executing solutions blind, and McDougall mastered the format by taking top honours in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event with an average of 30.62 seconds and a best single of 27.07 seconds. Jack Maddigan secured the runner-up position with a 41.71 average, while Dylan Himmelfarb placed third with a time of 1:00.70.

Dylan Himmelfarb carved out two impressive victories of his own during the speedcubing gathering. In Pyraminx, Himmelfarb led the 25-player field with a winning average of 2.40 seconds and a rapid 1.58 single, finishing ahead of McDougall at 3.49 and Zack Aden at 3.65. Himmelfarb also showed total command in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, capturing gold with a 15.81 average and 13.80 single, leading McDougall with 16.80 and Da Col with 17.16.

Away from the top steps of the podium, the heart of this cubing competition beat through massive personal milestones across the venue. Terence Brown knocked a massive 41 percent off his personal best in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 4:07.61 single and earned a fifth-place finish, while also lowering his Pyraminx best by 16.7 percent to 5.38 seconds. Elizabeth Young took on five events, registering her first ever official attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube in 2:51.75 and slashing her Pyraminx personal best by 35 percent to 9.14 seconds. Eli Ndwiga made great strides, improving his Pyraminx best by 35.3 percent to 23.15 seconds and his 3x3x3 Cube best by 20.5 percent to 50.39 seconds. Joshua Bedford tackled four events, making his first attempt at Skewb with a 15.73 solve and dropping his 3x3x3 Cube best by 29.4 percent to 22.76 seconds.

The breakthroughs continued across the roster as competitors expanded their repertoires and set new benchmarks. Caleb Glynn competed in five events, improving his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 31.9 percent to 43.50 seconds and lowering his Pyraminx time by 13 percent to 8.62 seconds. Miguel Yap completed his first official attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 44.59 seconds, while also recording a personal best of 14.02 seconds in the 3x3x3 Cube. Joe South entered the blindfolded arena for the first time, notching a successful initial 3x3x3 Blindfolded solve of 4:23.45. Viraaj Ambiti made his first ever attempt at Skewb with an 8.51 single on the way to a ninth-place finish, while also lowering his 3x3x3 Cube record to 17.87 seconds.

The day concluded with all 21 podium places earned by competitors representing New Zealand, capping a memorable chapter of speed cubing in the nation's capital. As NZ Cubing in the Capital 2025 drew to a close at the Johnsonville Club, the mixture of clutch final-round finishes and widespread personal milestones established an inspiring benchmark as competitors look forward to their next season on the circuit.