Brighton Brawl NY 2026

The competition hall at the Islamic Center of Rochester filled early as tables lined the room and timers were arranged across the solving stations. Solvers gathered to inspect equipment, prepare their puzzles, and settle in for a packed program of five distinct disciplines. The single-day tournament in Brighton, New York, USA brought together a competitive field on September 12, 2026, delivering high-stakes solving across classical cubes, large-format twists, and specialized challenges.

Morning action at Brighton Brawl NY 2026 got underway with the demanding 4x4x4 Cube, where Hong Kong solver Burno Li Chak Kwan set the standard for the day. Li Chak Kwan claimed victory with an average of 21.46 seconds, establishing a new national record average for Hong Kong, China. Alexei Sinyavin of the United States secured second place with an average of 27.75 seconds, while Pranav Prabhu of India earned third place on the podium with an average of 34.42 seconds in the event.

As the schedule progressed toward mid-day, attention turned to the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves contest, where competitors traded physical turning speed for deliberate calculation. Alvin Hiu Yeung Cheng of Hong Kong, China navigated the strategic challenge best, taking first place with an average of 25.33 moves. Alexei Sinyavin collected another podium spot in second place with 25.67 moves, and Evan Waters of the United States finished third with a 26.33 average. In the same event, Egypt solver Shaher Naser set two national records, logging a national record single of 36 moves and a national record average of 38.33.

The afternoon timetable brought intense one-handed solving to the floor, testing dexterity and control under strict time constraints. Burno Li Chak Kwan captured his second win of Brighton Brawl NY 2026, posting an average of 12.67 seconds in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Alexei Sinyavin completed his run of silver medals by placing second with 13.29 seconds, while Lê Thành Vinh of Vietnam rounded out the international podium in third place with an average of 15.26 seconds.

The 12-sided Megaminx event provided an endurance test later in the afternoon, demanding precision across many moving layers. Alexei Sinyavin broke through to the top step of the podium, capturing gold with a winning mark of 32.85 seconds. Li Chak Kwan stayed right behind to claim second place at 33.76 seconds, and Alvin Hiu Yeung Cheng earned his second podium finish of the meet by taking third place with a time of 48.44 seconds.

Beyond the championship races, individual milestones defined the rhythm of the room. Donovan Fusilli delivered one of the largest leaps of the tournament, taking 40.7 percent off his previous benchmark with a 25.01-second mark in 3x3x3 One-Handed on his way to a 13th-place finish. Heather Hess made significant breakthroughs across four events, logging her first ever attempt at Megaminx with a 1:42.92 to finish 13th, while cutting her 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 32.8 percent down to 34.62 seconds. Carter Johnson improved his 4x4x4 Cube personal record by 25.7 percent with a 49.50-second finish. Sebastian Tirré dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best by 22.4 percent to 17.62 seconds across his two entered events.

Fresh challenges across unfamiliar events highlighted the depth of the weekend program. Frederick Selig took on five events, registering a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with 46 moves for a 10th-place result while trimming 20 percent off his Megaminx mark at 1:46.85. Dominik Pasha Fesyuk also tackled five disciplines, recording a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves of 59 and improving his 4x4x4 Cube best by 11.5 percent to 47.23 seconds. Making their competitive debuts at their first WCA competition, Amory Zhou took on four events, logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Cube of 22.87 seconds, while Ryan Popowich contested four events, posting a 53-move first ever attempt in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves to claim 13th place.

The day concluded with the classic Rubik's Cube main event, drawing the focus of everyone in the venue. The final 3x3 results confirmed a sweep of the traditional cube events for Li Chak Kwan, who took first place with a 7.50-second average. Evan Waters placed second with an 8.08 average, and Eashan Reddy Goli of India finished third with 8.14 seconds. Across all events, competitors from Hong Kong, China and the United States claimed six podium finishes each, alongside two for India and one for Vietnam.

The successful conclusion of Brighton Brawl NY 2026 capped a full day of speedcubing excellence and diverse puzzles. Solvers departed the Islamic Center of Rochester having contested five separate events in a single productive speed cubing gathering. With national records established and personal milestones logged across the roster, the cubing competition set a strong benchmark for the 2026 tournament calendar.