3x3 in Madison 2026

Joel Brown Brisola delivered the most striking result of the weekend by solving 37 of 48 cubes in exactly one hour to claim first place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind. Making the long international journey from Brazil, Brisola topped the podium alongside American competitors Thomas Reinke, who secured 24 of 34, and Carter Kucala, who logged 23 of 35. Across three full days of action from May 8 to May 10, 2026, the Monona Terrace venue in Madison, Wisconsin, USA welcomed 140 competitors who traveled from near and far to battle across 12 events and 23 rounds.

The gathering served as a major regional speedcubing showcase, pulling puzzle enthusiasts across state and national borders. In total, competitors representing the United States claimed 35 podium spots, while international travelers from Brazil and Colombia earned one apiece. Colombia representative Ramses Amaya journeyed north to secure third place in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a single of 28.05 seconds, finishing just behind Carter Kucala at 21.77 and champion Ryan Pilat, who took top honors with a blazing 19.67 single.

In the flagship Rubik's Cube category, 134 competitors entered four intense rounds of competition. Zeke Mackay emerged as the champion of 3x3 in Madison 2026, locking in a decisive best single of 5.05 seconds. The classic puzzle remains the centerpiece of any major cubing competition, and the 3x3 results in Madison set an exceptional standard across a packed field of participants chasing personal milestones on the main stage.

Mackay was not finished with just one victory, also capturing the title in Megaminx with an average of 30.02 seconds and a single of 27.11. Luke Garrett followed in second place with a 37.93 average, while Eli Parker rounded out the top three at 39.94. The multi-faceted weekend saw several other versatile contenders rise through the ranks across different formats, balancing speed, technique, and cognitive endurance on diverse hardware.

Carter Kucala enjoyed a particularly busy schedule at 3x3 in Madison 2026, winning both Skewb and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. In Skewb, Kucala posted a winning average of 1.97 seconds ahead of Simon Kellum and Brian Johnson. In Fewest Moves, Kucala led the pack with a 22.33 average, edging Johnson at 23.00, while Pilat and Mackay tied for third place with matching 23.67 marks. Meanwhile, Luke Garrett won 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 9.78 seconds, finishing ahead of Johnson and Kucala.

Away from the top of the podium, numerous competitors delivered breakthrough performances across a packed slate. Kevin Tatooles took on six events and improved his Megaminx personal best to 1:16.06, which was 53.6 percent faster than his previous mark of 2:44.01, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.81 seconds. Tej Yadav trimmed his 3x3x3 One-Handed time by 53.3 percent down to 36.97 seconds and registered a first ever attempt at Clock with 18.19. Lydia Stokes chopped 45.4 percent off her 2x2x2 Cube best to hit 7.65 seconds, while logging first career attempts in Skewb at 11.01 and Square-1 at 1:13.32.

The progress continued with Riley Houser, who dropped their 3x3x3 Cube best by 43.5 percent to 17.70 seconds and recorded initial attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed and Megaminx. Ethan Wood cut his 3x3x3 Cube best down to 8.72 seconds, an improvement of 22.4 percent, while trying Megaminx and One-Handed for the first time. Ryan Jesse Mitchell entered 10 events, taking sixth in Multi-Blind, cutting 21.8 percent off his One-Handed mark, and posting first attempts in Megaminx and Square-1. Niam Griffin improved his Clock single by 24.7 percent to 10.77, and Phillip Bachman tackled 11 disciplines, finishing seventh in Multi-Blind and trying blindfolded solving and Fewest Moves for the first time.

The larger cubes and alternate disciplines rounded out the weekend schedule in style. Jack Pfeifer swept the heavy hardware, winning the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:21.47 average and capturing the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:01.34 average. Zachary Cribb mastered the Clock event, recording a winning average of 3.74 seconds, while Sujan Feist dominated the 2x2x2 Cube with a rapid 1.36 average. Ryan Pilat added another title to his ledger by taking first in Square-1 with an average of 6.19 seconds.

As the three-day WCA competition concluded at Monona Terrace, 3x3 in Madison 2026 stood out for both its international reach and technical breadth. The enthusiasm surrounding speed cubing in Wisconsin continues to attract elite solvers from across the hemisphere alongside local contenders advancing their personal marks. Competitors now pack their puzzles and depart Madison, carrying fresh personal records into the next chapter of the season.