Australian Nationals 2026

Inside the Stonnington Sports Centre, the steady clatter of turning plastic resonated across multiple solving stations as 507 competitors gathered in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia from July 9 to July 12, 2026. Across four full days and 41 rounds of intense speedcubing, success came down to composed execution rather than erratic single-solve bursts. Australian Nationals 2026 put the spotlight firmly on structured discipline, requiring contenders across 16 official events to deliver repeatable speed through every phase of the bracket.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest delivered the weekend's sharpest demonstration of calculated consistency, drawing a massive field of 499 competitors through four grueling stages. Feliks Zemdegs took the title by the slimmest possible margin, posting a winning average of 6.48 seconds to edge out David Epstein, who secured second place with an average of 6.49 seconds. Riley Dexter earned third place with a 6.90 average. Zemdegs also secured the fastest single of the round at 5.93 seconds, but it was his ability to string together flawless solves that finalized the definitive 3x3 results.

Beyond the standard Rubik's Cube, Zemdegs applied the same measured approach across the big cube categories, collecting an extensive haul of gold medals. In the 4x4x4 Cube, his winning average of 23.01 stood clear of Alexander Vujcich from New Zealand, who registered a 23.32 average, while Aaron Keith claimed third in 26.86. The 5x5x5 Cube podium saw Zemdegs win with a 42.70 average over Vujcich at 44.22 and Keith at 49.81. Zemdegs carried that momentum further, winning the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:20.18 mean ahead of Jamie Otsu and Harrison Jonathan Newbery-Chunn, and capturing the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:03.25 average above Newbery-Chunn and Joseph Burnett.

Short-format events demanded equally strict composure at this WCA competition. Roman Rudakov claimed the 2x2x2 Cube title from a field of 432 entrants, recording a 1.14 winning average alongside a best single of 0.91 seconds, finishing ahead of Sebastian Lee and Nathan Fares. Junqi Feng topped 367 contenders in Pyraminx with an average of 1.87 seconds, while Max Parris claimed the Skewb crown with a 2.05 average. In Clock, Kyle Jones navigated three rounds to win with a 3.04 average, during which Roman Wilson set an Icelandic national record single of 7.47 seconds.

Specialized disciplines rewarded distinct technical strengths throughout Australian Nationals 2026. David Epstein produced a standout performance in 3x3x3 One-Handed, setting an Australian national record average of 9.26 seconds to win the event, alongside his victory in Square-1 where he averaged 7.25 seconds. Alexander Vujcich took the Megaminx title with a 27.85 average, while Jamie Otsu set an Australian national record average of 31.53 in the event. In blindfolded disciplines, Amy Smith won the 4x4x4 Blindfolded event with a 1:49.43 average and captured 5x5x5 Blindfolded with a single of 3:33.15. Felix Williams won 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, successfully resolving 44 of 49 cubes in 55:45.

Away from the main podiums, personal breakthroughs defined the lower rounds as newer participants demonstrated dramatic progression. Oliver Tweedie took on three events in just his second career tournament, posting his first ever official attempts in Pyraminx with a 13.97 and 2x2x2 Cube with a 7.43, while slashing his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 61.4 percent to 31.38 seconds. Tommy Fernandez cut 68.8 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube mark down to 8.03 seconds and dropped his 3x3x3 Cube time by 49.3 percent to 25.90. Doyu Park contested eight disciplines, recording a first official Skewb attempt of 13.13 and cutting 61.4 percent off his 5x5x5 Cube mark to 1:22.42 alongside a 52 percent improvement in 4x4x4 Cube with a 43.24.

The progress continued across the venue as competitors expanded into fresh puzzle categories. Sylvestre Le Fessant made his first official 2x2x2 Cube attempt in 6.45 seconds and improved his 3x3x3 Cube best by 56 percent to 14.47. Sahejvir Singh took on five disciplines, trying Pyraminx and Skewb for the first time while improving his 3x3x3 One-Handed best by 42.3 percent down to 45.79 seconds. John Nunan delivered a 58.6 percent cut to his 2x2x2 Cube best with a 9.60 and registered a first Skewb time of 13.92. Luke Peacock achieved a 53.2 percent improvement on 2x2x2 Cube to 6.78 and cut his 3x3x3 Cube best by 51.7 percent to 21.28. Ryan Hu logged his first Skewb attempt of 7.53 and reduced his 2x2x2 Cube standard by 41.5 percent to 6.40.

The blindfolded events tested memory endurance and mental stamina, as Charlie Eggins topped 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 13.77 single. Amy Smith added her two blindfolded titles, while Felix Williams maintained composure across nearly an hour of unassisted recall in Multi-Blind. In every corner of the Stonnington Sports Centre, success over the four-day schedule rewarded those who kept their nerves steady across entire rounds.

With 44 podium places captured by host-nation solvers, three by New Zealand, and one by China, this cubing competition highlighted the remarkable depth present across the region. Across all 16 disciplines, Australian Nationals 2026 proved that enduring consistency remains the ultimate benchmark in speed cubing.