Utah Newcomers 2025

Three finals, three titles, and an unquestioned clean sweep defined the day as Canyon Pettitt controlled every single event on the schedule. Staged at the University of Utah Union Ballroom on March 22, 2025, Utah Newcomers 2025 brought together 185 competitors to Salt Lake City, Utah, USA for an action-packed, single-day cubing competition. Pettitt set the standard from the opening rounds to the final solves, capturing first place across the entire three-event slate and leaving no doubt about who dictated the pace.

The 3x3x3 Cube served as the centerpiece of the gathering, attracting 183 competitors across three rigorous rounds of speedcubing. Canyon Pettitt maintained complete composure in the final, locking in a winning average of 8.61 seconds alongside a best single of 7.71 seconds. The battle at the top of the 3x3 results was exceptionally tight, with Eric Pesci claiming the runner-up spot on an 8.68 average, just seven hundredths of a second behind Pettitt. Isaac Myers rounded out the podium in third place with a sharp 8.87 average.

Pettitt was equally dominant on the smaller puzzle, securing the 2x2x2 Cube title in emphatic fashion. Facing a field of 156 entrants, he registered a winning average of 2.12 seconds and laid down the event's top single at 1.53 seconds. Skye Bateman finished in second place with an average of 2.81 seconds, while Miles LeBlanc earned third on a 2.95 average. The event proved to be a showcase of rapid execution and fast scrambles throughout its three stages of play.

The sweep was made complete on the 4x4x4 Cube, where Pettitt navigated the additional layers to outpace 117 contenders across three rounds. A winning average of 33.14 seconds, bolstered by a 30.00 single solve, gave Pettitt his third gold of the competition. Eric Pesci took second place with a solid 33.79 average, while Wilson Hettinger earned third with a 35.10 mark, cementing Pettitt's total mastery across all puzzle sizes.

Beyond the championship battles, the tournament generated huge milestones across the floor, especially for competitors reaching new heights in their official careers. Chase Burnell entered all three events and sliced massive time off his previous marks, recording a 2x2x2 personal best of 2.68 seconds that was 65.5 percent faster than his prior best, dropping his 3x3x3 mark by 46.8 percent to 14.37, and completing his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 in 55.49. Matthew Velasco tackled three events, posting a 46.7 percent drop to reach a 3.30 personal best on 2x2x2, an improvement of 39.4 percent on 3x3x3 down to 12.20, and registering his first ever 4x4x4 solve in 1:15.73.

The depth of progress continued across the venue as several others embraced new challenges. Thomas Brinkerhoff took on three events, finishing 13th in 2x2x2 with a personal best of 1.67 seconds that was 50.6 percent faster, improving his 3x3x3 best to 9.73, and completing a first ever 4x4x4 solve in 49.61 seconds. Garrett Henrie trimmed 56.8 percent off his 2x2x2 best to hit 4.13, dropped his 3x3x3 best to 17.95, and logged his first 4x4x4 effort in 1:39.25. Dylan Haeri cut 50 percent off his 2x2x2 personal best to 4.40 while recording a first 4x4x4 attempt of 1:46.60, and Logan Jack Madsen chopped 48.7 percent to post 5.01 on 2x2x2, 17.61 on 3x3x3, and a debut 4x4x4 solve of 1:44.99. Henrik Karlberg cut 44.7 percent on 3x3x3 down to 23.51 alongside a first 4x4x4 solve of 2:27.20, while Wynn Jennings dropped his 2x2x2 best by 43.4 percent to 2.86 and added a first 4x4x4 attempt of 1:16.43.

Across nine total rounds, the standard Rubik's Cube format and its varied variations kept the tables full from morning until the final podium presentations. Organizers managed 185 participants smoothly through every heat, providing a comprehensive arena for both seasoned solvers and emerging talent. The atmosphere of speed cubing excellence in Salt Lake City reflected the vibrant state of the community in the region.

As the day drew to a close, all nine podium placements across the three events went to solvers representing the USA. With triple titles in hand, Canyon Pettitt left Utah Newcomers 2025 as the undisputed headline performer of the entire WCA competition, setting a commanding tone as the community looks ahead to the next stops of the 2025 calendar.