4x4x4 & Sides at UBC 2026

Thirty-four point one five seconds was all Heewon Hwang required across the final round to secure victory on home soil. Facing stiff international competition in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the Canadian competitor took command of the headline event at the University of British Columbia. The one-day gathering on June 6, 2026, brought together 22 competitors across four specialized puzzles. While standard Rubik's Cube categories often command the main stage, 4x4x4 & Sides at UBC 2026 focused entirely on alternate challenges, testing regional and international speedcubing talent across five intense rounds.

Hwang set the benchmark early in the 4x4x4 Cube, delivering a tournament-best single solve of 29.07 seconds on the way to a winning average of 34.15. That consistency kept the top prize in Canada despite heavy pressure from American challenger Saharsh Sai Vontela, who took second place with a 39.83 average. Fellow Canadian Isaac Davies secured third on the podium with a mark of 40.90 seconds, completing a standout showing for the domestic contingent in the weekend's primary event.

Vontela proved to be the most ubiquitous presence across the entire WCA competition, collecting podium finishes in all four featured disciplines. The American took the championship in Megaminx, navigating the dodecahedral challenge to record a winning average of 49.55 seconds alongside a fast single of 47.24. Nicolas Gonzalez Piedrahita of Colombia followed in second place with an average of 58.32, while DaYeong Kim of the Republic of Korea rounded out the podium at 1:02.02. Vontela's busy campaign yielded five podium positions for the United States across the schedule.

In the Skewb event, Tonnam Tantikamnerdkul of Thailand delivered the fastest turn times of the competition. Tantikamnerdkul swept through the 18-player bracket with a winning average of 2.88 seconds and a blistering single solve of 1.50 seconds. Naitik Kaushal earned second place for Canada with an average of 4.63, while Vontela took third at 6.03. The sharp, corner-turning mechanics of the puzzle produced rapid turnarounds, delighting fans of modern speed cubing.

The mechanical precision of Clock offered another tight finish among 14 entrants. Shresth Shah of India claimed the title with an average of 7.11 seconds, supported by a best single effort of 6.34. Vontela was hot on Shah's heels to take second place with a 7.77 average, while Marlo Petrola captured third place for the United States with an average of 9.30 seconds. The contest rounded out an exceptional day of high-level puzzle solving without relying on standard 3x3 results to provide the drama.

Behind the medal placements, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones that highlighted the depth of the field. Felix Zhou delivered a massive 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 44.01 seconds, which was 21.8 percent faster than his previous mark of 56.29, and registered his first ever attempt at Clock with a time of 40.92. Eeshir Pannun cut 24.9 percent off his previous Skewb best to record a 2.71, in addition to lowering his 4x4x4 Cube mark by 5.1 percent to 41.04. Bobby Moon knocked 20.1 percent off his Skewb best with a 6.39 and improved his Megaminx mark by 12.6 percent to 1:01.49, finishing fourth in the event. Spencer Fraser also made giant strides, slicing 18.2 percent off his Megaminx personal best to reach 2:19.80 while trimming his Skewb record to 5.94.

First-time achievements and major leaps defined the rest of the roster at 4x4x4 & Sides at UBC 2026. Abir Joshi logged personal bests in both Clock at 25.15 seconds, a 16.8 percent improvement, and Megaminx at 2:12.90, which was 16.5 percent faster than before. Nolan Ta reduced his 4x4x4 Cube best by 10.6 percent to 38.28 to take seventh place. Eric Zhao marked his first ever attempt at Skewb with a 9.06 and established a 4x4x4 Cube best of 1:05.62, while Jerronimo Khonga completed first career attempts across three events, logging 13.76 in Skewb, 4:34.17 in Megaminx, and 1:34.93 in the 4x4x4 Cube.

The final medal count reflected a truly global gathering at the University of British Columbia, with the United States collecting five podium spots, Canada earning three, and India, Thailand, Colombia, and the Republic of Korea each securing one. As the 2026 cubing competition season moves forward, the memorable performances and personal milestones logged at 4x4x4 & Sides at UBC 2026 set a high bar for side-event specialists across the Pacific Northwest.