Vermont Newcomers 2025

Forty-three competitors gathered under one roof on March 29, 2025, bringing an intense display of dexterity across five distinct events. Hosted at the Barre Elks Lodge #1535 in Barre, Vermont, USA, Vermont Newcomers 2025 delivered eight total rounds of action. The single-day WCA competition celebrated the multifaceted nature of speedcubing, challenging solvers to transition between rotating layers, corner twists, and triangular puzzles without missing a step.

The sheer variety of hardware defined the tournament schedule. Solvers handled everything from the rapid turns of the 2x2x2 Cube and traditional Rubik's Cube to the deeper mechanics of the 4x4x4 Cube, alongside the unconventional geometry of Pyraminx and Skewb. Navigating such different mechanisms demands completely separate algorithmic approaches and fingertip controls. That broad test of versatility made each podium race distinct and tightly contested throughout the weekend.

In the classic 3x3x3 Cube event, Levi Gibson set the pace with an outstanding 7.93 winning average across two rounds of play, also posting the round best single of 7.11. The 3x3 results saw Charles Amarello secure second place with an 8.43 mark, while Derek White rounded out the podium in third with an 8.46 average. Gibson added a second major victory in the 2x2x2 Cube, topping the 37-person field with a 2.16 winning average and a lightning-fast 1.47 single.

The remaining speed cubing disciplines brought thrilling margins. In 4x4x4 Cube, Derek White captured the title with a 35.03 average and a 29.80 single, edging Brendan Lee by just three hundredths of a second as Lee logged a 35.06 average. Will Russo took third on the 4x4x4 podium at 37.57. Lee bounced back in Skewb to claim victory with a 2.90 winning average, while Matthew Jalkut earned the Pyraminx title with a crisp 2.96 average.

Beyond the top podium steps at Vermont Newcomers 2025, several competitors made massive personal strides across the varied puzzle lineup. Orin Gehring entered five events and recorded a massive 3x3x3 personal best of 16.09 seconds, which was 62.5 percent faster than their previous mark of 42.96, while also submitting first-time attempts in 4x4x4 at 2:32.04 and Pyraminx at 6.62. Owen Young achieved a 38.6 percent drop in Skewb with a 6.16 personal best, reduced their Pyraminx mark by 24.2 percent to 6.34, and logged a maiden 4x4x4 solve of 51.81. Lucas Zielfelder took seventh in 2x2x2 and cut their 4x4x4 personal best by 31.5 percent down to 47.45.

Other solvers showed incredible ambition across full schedules. Achyuth Badami tackled five events, lowering their Pyraminx best by 33.6 percent to 6.16, setting a 2x2x2 personal best of 3.97, and recording a first-ever Skewb mark of 8.33. Brian Maxwell completed all five events on the slate, charting initial official marks of 13.90 in Pyraminx, 19.21 in 2x2x2, and 2:46.33 in 4x4x4. Bradley Hoang Luong improved their 2x2x2 time by 17.6 percent to 6.32 while logging an official Skewb debut of 13.31. William Warren shaved 9.3 percent off their 4x4x4 time to reach 2:08.86 and recorded a 15.29 Skewb attempt. Hobie Tibbits attended their first official competition, entering four events and earning a 16th-place finish in 4x4x4 with a 1:35.11 single.

All fifteen podium placements across the day went to competitors representing the USA, underscoring strong local talent in every format. Multi-event specialists proved that mastery in one mechanical puzzle often transfers cleanly to another, provided the solver can adapt their grip and lookahead rapidly between rounds.

As the final timers stopped and scores were verified, Vermont Newcomers 2025 closed out an eventful chapter in Barre. The blend of seasoned podium finishers and developing competitors exploring fresh puzzle categories highlighted the depth of the regional scene. With five disciplines successfully contested, solvers walked away with valuable experience and fresh benchmarks to chase as the competition season unfolds.