Wikipedia

Kevin Hays (speedcuber)

Kevin Hays (born 12 May 1994) is a former professional American Rubik's Cube speedcuber. Recognized as an expert at solving big cubes (5x5x5, 6x6x6 and 7x7x7), he has won 6 world championship titles and set 21 world records across the three events. He has also set 47 North American records and won 21 US National titles.[1]

Kevin Hays
Kevin Hays at the Rubik's Cube World Championship in July 2015
Born (1994-05-12) 12 May 1994 (age 30)
NationalityAmerican
Known forRubik's Cube speedsolver
Medal record
Representing  United States
Speedcubing
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Championship 6 4 0
North American Championship 1 0 1
US National Championship 21 13 4
Total 28 17 5
World Championship
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
5x5x5 1 1 0
6x6x6 3 1 0
7x7x7 2 2 0
Total 6 4 0
Gold medal – first place 2013 Las Vegas 5x5x5
Gold medal – first place 2013 Las Vegas 6x6x6
Gold medal – first place 2013 Las Vegas 7x7x7
Gold medal – first place 2015 São Paulo 6x6x6
Gold medal – first place 2015 São Paulo 7x7x7
Gold medal – first place 2017 Paris 6x6x6
Silver medal – second place 2011 Bangkok 7x7x7
Silver medal – second place 2015 São Paulo 5x5x5
Silver medal – second place 2017 Paris 7x7x7
Silver medal – second place 2019 Melbourne 6x6x6
North American Championship
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
6x6x6 0 0 1
7x7x7 1 0 0
Total 1 0 1
Gold medal – first place 2022 Toronto 7x7
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Toronto 6x6
US National Championship
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
3x3x3 0 1 1
4x4x4 1 3 1
5x5x5 5 4 1
6x6x6 7 4 0
7x7x7 7 2 2
Magic 1 0 0
Total 21 13 4
Gold medal – first place 2009 Stanford, CA Magic
Gold medal – first place 2010 Cambridge, MA 6x6x6
Gold medal – first place 2011 Columbus, OH 7x7x7
Gold medal – first place 2012 Las Vegas, NV 4x4x4
Gold medal – first place 2012 Las Vegas, NV 5x5x5
Gold medal – first place 2012 Las Vegas, NV 6x6x6
Gold medal – first place 2012 Las Vegas, NV 7x7x7
Gold medal – first place 2013 Las Vegas, NV 5x5x5
Gold medal – first place 2013 Las Vegas, NV 6x6x6
Gold medal – first place 2013 Las Vegas, NV 7x7x7
Gold medal – first place 2014 Jersey City, NJ 5x5x5
Gold medal – first place 2014 Jersey City, NJ 6x6x6
Gold medal – first place 2014 Jersey City, NJ 7x7x7
Gold medal – first place 2015 Hilton Head, SC 5x5x5
Gold medal – first place 2015 Hilton Head, SC 6x6x6
Gold medal – first place 2015 Hilton Head, SC 7x7x7
Gold medal – first place 2016 Portland, OR 5x5x5
Gold medal – first place 2016 Portland, OR 6x6x6
Gold medal – first place 2016 Portland, OR 7x7x7
Gold medal – first place 2017 Fort Wayne, IN 6x6x6
Gold medal – first place 2017 Fort Wayne, IN 7x7x7
Silver medal – second place 2010 Cambridge, MA 5x5x5
Silver medal – second place 2011 Columbus, OH 3x3x3
Silver medal – second place 2011 Columbus, OH 4x4x4
Silver medal – second place 2011 Columbus, OH 5x5x5
Silver medal – second place 2011 Columbus, OH 6x6x6
Silver medal – second place 2014 Jersey City, NJ 4x4x4
Silver medal – second place 2015 Hilton Head, SC 4x4x4
Silver medal – second place 2017 Fort Wayne, IN 5x5x5
Silver medal – second place 2018 Salt Lake City, UT 5x5x5
Silver medal – second place 2018 Salt Lake City, UT 6x6x6
Silver medal – second place 2018 Salt Lake City, UT 7x7x7
Silver medal – second place 2019 Baltimore, MD 6x6x6
Silver medal – second place 2019 Baltimore, MD 7x7x7
Silver medal – second place 2023 Pittsburgh, PA 6x6x6
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Cambridge, MA 7x7x7
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Las Vegas, NV 3x3x3
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Las Vegas, NV 4x4x4
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Baltimore, MD 5x5x5
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Pittsburgh, PA 7x7x7

Personal life

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Hays grew up in Renton, Washington, where he started speedcubing during his freshman year of high school in January 2009.[2] Hays then attended college and continued speedcubing at Washington University in St. Louis.[3] He also swam on the Washington University Bears varsity swim team.[4] He now lives in Boston, MA.[5]

In 2019, Hays competed on the American television game show series Mental Samurai, finishing 5th overall. [6]

Speedsolving career

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At Hays' first competition, US Nationals 2009, Hays placed 4th in the 6x6 event and made finals in the 5x5 event. The following Summer, at US Nationals 2010, Hays won the national title in the 6x6 event, finishing with a winning average of 2:36.44.[7] Hays broke his first world records the next year at US Nationals 2011, solving the 6x6 cube in world record single and average times of 2:02.31 and 2:09.03 respectively.[1]

Hays attended his first World Championships in October 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand. Despite holding the 6x6 world record average that he set at 2011 US Nationals, Hays placed last in the finals, with a result of DNF (Did Not Finish). He placed 2nd in the 7x7 event with an average time of 3:46.99.[8] At the US Nationals 2012, Hays won the 4x4, 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7 events, and placed 3rd in the 3×3 event. Hays claimed the US National champion title in the 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7 events at five consecutive US Nationals from 2012 to 2016, and placed top 3 in the same events at ten consecutive US Nationals from 2010 to 2019.[1]

In 2013, at the World Rubik's Cube Championship in Las Vegas, NV, Hays placed first in the 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7 events, becoming the first person to win all three events at one world championship.[9] At the 2015 World Championship in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he defended his 6x6 and 7x7 titles, and placed second in the 5x5 event behind Feliks Zemdegs.[10] At the 2017 World Championship in Paris, France, he defended his 6x6 title once again, and placed second in the 7x7 event behind Feliks Zemdegs.[11] In 2019, Hays failed to defend his 6x6 title during the World Championship in Melbourne, Australia, placing second behind Max Park.[12]

Hays has broken the 6x6 single world record 6 times, and the average record 9 times.[1] From December 10, 2011 to December 17, 2016, Hays was the only person to hold the 6x6 world record single, taking the record from 1:54.81 to 1:32.77.[13] On March 10, 2018, Hays became the first person to solve a 7x7 in under 2 minutes in competition, breaking the world record with a time of 1:59.95.[14]

On August 10, 2019 Hays posted a statement indicating his retirement from elite speedcubing, shifting his focus to enjoying speedcubing as a hobby rather than a sport.[15]

On January 1, 2022, Hays announced his retirement from professional speedcubing.[16]

Notable results

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World Records

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(Current records in bold)

Event[1] Single Average Competition Date Result Details
6x6x6 Cube 1:34.21 Lexington Summer 2017 July 1, 2017 1:40.66, 1:32.77, 1:29.19
6x6x6 Cube 1:32.77 1:42.36 Asian Championship 2016 October 1, 2016 1:45.93, 1:48.39, 1:32.77
6x6x6 Cube 1:45.98 World Championship 2015 June 14, 2015 1:43.03, 1:51.66, 1:43.23
6x6x6 Cube 1:46.41 World Championship 2015 July 17, 2015 1:48.99, 1:48.66, 1:41.58
6x6x6 Cube 1:33.55 Indiana 2015 June 12, 2015
6x6x6 Cube 1:40.86 1:51.30 Vancouver Summer 2013 August 3, 2013 1:40.86, 2:01.94, 1:51.11
6x6x6 Cube 1:49.46 1:55.13 Couve Cubing 2012 May 5, 2012 1:53.88, 2:02.06, 1:49.46
6x6x6 Cube 2:00.43 Lynden Open 2012 February 4, 2012 1:57.96, 2:02.38, 2:00.94
6x6x6 Cube 1:54.81 2:02.13 Vancouver Winter 2011 December 10, 2011 2:00.93, 1:54.81, 2:10.66
6x6x6 Cube 2:02.31 2:09.03 US Nationals 2009 August 12, 2011 2:13.68, 2:11.09, 2:02.31
7x7x7 Cube 1:57.76 Rose City 2018 June 9, 2018
7x7x7 Cube 1:59.95 2:08.71 CubingUSA Heartland Championship 2018 March 10, 2018 2:13.91, 2:12.27, 1:59.95
7x7x7 Cube 2:15.07 Puget Sound Fall 2017 September 23, 2017 2:23.33, 2:07.77, 2:14.12
7x7x7 Cube 2:42.85 Clock N' Stuff 2015 May 23, 2015 2:45.87, 2:37.56, 2:45.11
7x7x7 Cube 2:54.77 World Championship 2013 July 28, 2013 2:42.80, 2:56.39, 3:05.31

World Championship Podiums

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Year[1] Event Place Single Average Result Details
2019 6x6x6 Cube 2 1:18.42 1:27.02 1:18.42, 1:30.94, 1:31.69
2017 6x6x6 Cube 1 1:32.00 1:35.34 1:32.00, 1:36.27, 1:37.75
2017 7x7x7 Cube 2 2:21.55 2:25.83 2:28.18, 2:21.55, 2:27.76
2015 5x5x5 Cube 2 51.26 55.66 51.26, 57.76, 54.77, 54.45, 1:02.12
2015 6x6x6 Cube 1 1:43.04 1:45.98 1:43.04, 1:51.66, 1:43.23
2015 7x7x7 Cube 1 2:41.89 2:45.36 2:45.36, 2:41.89, 2:50.43
2013 5x5x5 Cube 1 1:00.53 1:01.81 1:01.43, 1:01.64, 1:10.17, 1:00.53, 1:02.35
2013 6x6x6 Cube 1 1:52.42 1:56.14 1:52.92, 2:03.09, 1:52.42
2013 7x7x7 Cube 1 2:42.80 2:54.77 2:42.80, 2:56.39, 3:05.13
2011 7x7x7 Cube 2 3:37.52 3:46.99 3:37.52, 3:51.19, 3:52.27

Official Personal Bests

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Event[17] Category Time Competition name
3x3x3 Cube Single 5.89 PDX Cubing for Dougy 2016
Average 7.68 WCA World Championship 2019
4x4x4 Cube Single 21.73 CubingUSA Nationals 2018
Average 27.19 Rubik's WCA World Championship 2023
5x5x5 Cube Single 42.36 Vancouver Big Cubes Open 2019
Average 47.91 Vancouver Big Cubes Open 2019
6x6x6 Cube Single 1:14.06 Vancouver Big Cubes Open 2019
Average 1:21.24 CubingUSA New England Championship 2023
7x7x7 Cube Single 1:51.71 CubingUSA Mid-Atlantic Championship 2023
Average 1:56.03 Empire State Winter 2024

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Team, WCA Website. "World Cube Association - Official Results". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  2. ^ "Renton 'speedcuber' breaks world Rubik's Cube record". August 6, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  3. ^ "WashU junior Kevin Hays to attempt Rubik's Cube world record at Thurtene Carnival - The Source - Washington University in St. Louis". April 9, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  4. ^ "Kevin Hays". WUSTL Athletics. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  5. ^ "Kevin Hays - About - Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  6. ^ "Kevin Hays". www.facebook.com. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  7. ^ "United States Rubik's Cube Championships 2010 - World Cube Association". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  8. ^ "World Rubik's Cube Championship 2011 - World Cube Association". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  9. ^ "World Rubik's Cube Championship 2013 - World Cube Association". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  10. ^ "World Rubik's Cube Championship 2015 - World Cube Association". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  11. ^ "World Rubik's Cube Championship 2017 - World Cube Association". Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  12. ^ "World Rubik's Cube Championship 2019 - World Cube Association". Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  13. ^ Team, WCA Website. "World Cube Association - Official Results". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  14. ^ "Records | World Cube Association".
  15. ^ "Instagram - Kevin Hays". Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  16. ^ Hays, Kevin [@hayscubing] (January 1, 2022). "As of today, my tenure as a professional Rubik's Cube solver has officially ended. Thank you to @yuxin_cube and @thecubicleofficial for all the support over the years". Retrieved January 1, 2022 – via Instagram.
  17. ^ "Kevin Hays | World Cube Association". www.worldcubeassociation.org. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
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