Kevin Hays (speedsolver)

Kevin Hays
Kevin Hays at the Rubik's Cube World Championship in July 2015
Born (1994-05-12) 12 May 1994
Nationality United States
Known for Rubik's Cube speedsolver

Kevin Hays (born 12 May 1994) is an American Rubik's Cube speedsolver. Recognized as an expert at solving big cubes (5x5, 6x6 and 7x7), he has won 6 world championship titles and set 20 world records across the three events. He has also set 47 North American records and won 21 US National titles.[1]

Personal

Hays grew up in Renton, Washington, where he started speedsolving 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] Hays now lives in Seattle, WA.[4]

Speedsolving career

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.[5] 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.[6] At the US Nationals 2012, Hays won the 4x4, 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7 events, and placed 3rd in the 3×3 event. Hays has been US National champion in the 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7 events at every US Nationals from 2012 to 2016.[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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9]

Hays has broken the 6x6 single world record 6 times, and the average record 8 times.[1] From December 10 2011 to December 17 2016, Hays was the only person to hold the 6x6 single world record, taking the record from 1:54.81 to 1:32.77.[10] On March 10 2018, Hays solved a 7x7 in under 2 minutes in competition, breaking the world record with a time of 1:59.95.[11] He has also broken the 7x7 average world record twice.[1]

Notable Results

World Records[1]

(Current records in bold)

Event Single Average Competition Date Result Details
6x6 Cube 1:32.77 1:42.36 Asian Championship 2016 October 1, 2016 1:45.93, 1:48.39, 1:32.77
6x6 Cube 1:45.98 World Championship 2015 June 14, 2015 1:43.03, 1:51.66, 1:43.23
6x6 Cube 1:46.41 World Championship 2015 July 17, 2015 1:48.99, 1:48.66, 1:41.58
6x6 Cube 1:33.55 Indiana 2015 June 12, 2015
6x6 Cube 1:40.86 1:51.30 Vancouver Summer 2013 August 3, 2013 1:40.86, 2:01.94, 1:51.11
6x6 Cube 1:49.46 1:55.13 Couve Cubing 2012 May 5, 2012 1:53.88, 2:02.06, 1:49.46
6x6 Cube 2:00.43 Lynden Open 2012 February 4, 2012 1:57.96, 2:02.38, 2:00.94
6x6 Cube 1:54.81 2:02.13 Vancouver Winter 2011 December 10, 2011 2:00.93, 1:54.81, 2:10.66
6x6 Cube 2:02.31 2:09.03 US Nationals 2009 August 12, 2011 2:13.68, 2:11.09, 2:02.31
7x7 Cube 2:42.85 Clock N' Stuff 2015 May 23, 2015 2:45.87, 2:37.56, 2:45.11
7x7 Cube 2:54.77 World Championship 2013 July 28, 2013 2:42.80, 2:56.39, 3:05.31

World Championship Podiums[1]

Year Event Place Single Average Result Details
2017 6x6 Cube 1 1:32.00 1:35.34 1:32.00, 1:36.27, 1:37.75
2017 7x7 Cube 2 2:21.55 2:25.83 2:28.18, 2:21.55, 2:27.76
2015 5x5 Cube 2 51.26 55.66 51.26, 57.76, 54.77, 54.45, 1:02.12
2015 6x6 Cube 1 1:43.04 1:45.98 1:43.04, 1:51.66, 1:43.23
2015 7x7 Cube 1 2:41.89 2:45.36 2:45.36, 2:41.89, 2:50.43
2013 5x5 Cube 1 1:00.53 1:01.81 1:01.43, 1:01.64, 1:10.17, 1:00.53, 1:02.35
2013 6x6 Cube 1 1:52.42 1:56.14 1:52.92, 2:03.09, 1:52.42
2013 7x7 Cube 1 2:42.80 2:54.77 2:42.80, 2:56.39, 3:05.13
2011 7x7 Cube 2 3:37.52 3:46.99 3:37.52, 3:51.19, 3:52.27

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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 - About - Facebook". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  5. ↑ "United States Rubik's Cube Championships 2010 - World Cube Association". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  6. ↑ "World Rubik's Cube Championship 2011 - World Cube Association". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  7. ↑ "World Rubik's Cube Championship 2013 - World Cube Association". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  8. ↑ "World Rubik's Cube Championship 2015 - World Cube Association". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  9. ↑ "World Rubik's Cube Championship 2017 - World Cube Association". Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  10. ↑ Team, WCA Website. "World Cube Association - Official Results". Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  11. ↑ https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/regions.php?regionId=&eventId=777&years=&history=History
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.