Try Cubing in St Helens 2026

The timber floorboards of Portland Memorial Hall in St Helens, Tasmania, Australia provided an inviting setting on January 15, 2026. Inside the historic community venue, the distinctive click and clatter of rotating plastic echoed as fourteen competitors took their seats across six rounds of play. Long tables lined the hall, surrounded by timers, displays, and focused participants ready to test their agility. The compact gathering captured the classic grassroots spirit of a regional cubing competition.

The single-day fixture, officially staged as Try Cubing in St Helens 2026, brought together puzzle enthusiasts from across the area to compete across four distinct disciplines. With World Cube Association officials managing the timing stations, the atmosphere remained brisk and disciplined throughout the morning and afternoon. Every solve drew close observation from competitors waiting their turn, making the intimate hall feel like a dedicated arena for the craft of speedcubing.

In the marquee 3x3x3 Cube event, Jode Brewster delivered an exceptional performance across two rounds of competition. Facing a field of fourteen solvers, Brewster captured the title with a winning average of 7.66 seconds, backed by the best single of the entire event at 7.11 seconds. The final 3x3 results saw Zak Kenny secure the second spot on the podium with a 9.05 average, while Veer Liu Dogra rounded out the top three by averaging 9.62 seconds.

Brewster doubled his gold tally in the 2x2x2 Cube, topping a twelve-person bracket with a blisteringly fast winning average of 2.03 seconds and a best single solve of 1.85 seconds. The podium mirrored the intensity of the classic Rubik's Cube final, as Veer Liu Dogra claimed the silver position with an average of 3.71 seconds. Zak Kenny followed closely behind to capture bronze with a 3.94 average, ensuring all podium places went to Australian competitors.

The 4x4x4 Cube challenged ten competitors to manage additional layers, where Zak Kenny surged to the top step of the podium. Kenny registered a winning average of 31.98 seconds and logged the event's top single time at 31.15 seconds. Jode Brewster pushed Kenny hard, finishing in second place with a 32.25 average, while Veer Liu Dogra collected his third podium finish of the day by taking third place with an average of 44.55 seconds.

The Pyraminx round brought quick reflexes to the forefront, with Emmet Hobbs taking the victory thanks to a sharp 2.60 average and a best single of 2.26 seconds. Brewster earned another podium honor by claiming second place with a 4.21 average, followed by Dogra in third at 4.96 seconds. Across the entire weekend, Australia swept all twelve podium positions on offer.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones on the competition floor. Isaac Nichols registered significant breakthroughs across all four events he entered, cutting his Pyraminx personal best by 54.5 percent down to 8.69 seconds, improving his 2x2x2 mark by 44.3 percent to 3.26 seconds, and dropping his 3x3x3 best to 15.08 seconds on his way to an eighth-place finish. Reuben Hetherington tackled three events, recording a time of 16.97 seconds in his first ever attempt at Pyraminx alongside a 17 percent personal best cut in 2x2x2. Kobi Dash Brown improved his 2x2x2 personal best by 36.1 percent to 8.29 seconds and dropped his Pyraminx best by 33.3 percent to 6.86 seconds, finishing seventh overall. Brad Deegan dropped his 4x4x4 personal best by 21 percent to 1:04.32, securing eighth place in the event.

The progress continued through the remaining roster, reflecting the sheer dedication present in every round of speed cubing. Michelle Brewster entered four disciplines and improved her 2x2x2 personal best by 4.9 percent to 4.88 seconds, also finishing ninth in Pyraminx. Joey Cavanagh contested four events, posting an 8.78 second personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube to take 10.1 percent off his prior mark and earning a fifth-place finish in 2x2x2. First-time WCA competition participants also made their mark, with Lily Hetherington logging a time of 1:00.88 in her first ever attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube, while Katriona Jaeger completed her first ever attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube in 1:31.15.

As the final timers stopped and gear was packed away inside Portland Memorial Hall, Try Cubing in St Helens 2026 concluded as a standout celebration of regional puzzle solving. The single-day schedule proved that high-level precision and personal growth thrive together in local venues. With new personal milestones established and trophies distributed, competitors left St Helens looking forward to the tests that await in the next season.