Cabo Verde Nationals 2026

17 competitors gathered at UniCV in Praia, Cabo Verde on June 6, 2026, bringing intense focus across eight rounds of head-to-head play. In high-level speedcubing, mental endurance is everything, demanding complete visual recall, swift execution, and unwavering concentration under the timer. Across six distinct events, solvers pushed their limits in an electric cubing competition setting that tested spatial mapping and dexterity alike.

The Cabo Verde Nationals 2026 provided a stage where every single turn mattered, drawing seasoned international podium contenders alongside local talent taking on official solves for the very first time. While international standouts claimed podium positions across all six categories, the home delegation from Cabo Verde delivered a historic array of national records that rewrote the domestic record books across several puzzle disciplines.

Germany competitor Konstantin Jaehne emerged as the most prolific winner of the weekend, capturing four event titles. Jaehne secured victory in the 3x3x3 Cube with a winning average of 11.93, backed by a best single of 9.59. France standout Nox Clémenceau finished second in the main event with a 14.51 average, while Italy competitor Jordan Crippa took third with 15.66. The 3x3 results cemented Jaehne as the leading force across the standard Rubik's Cube formats.

Jaehne expanded his title haul with top finishes in three other events, claiming the 2x2x2 Cube with an average of 3.92 over Clémenceau at 5.62 and Crippa at 7.46. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Jaehne prevailed with a 47.03 winning average, ahead of Ron van Bruchem from the Netherlands with 49.43 and Clémenceau with 51.21. Jaehne also topped the Pyraminx standings with a winning mark of 6.86, narrowly edging out Clémenceau who posted 7.05, while Crippa earned third with 12.60.

Nox Clémenceau collected the remaining two titles of the tournament, demonstrating remarkable versatility. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Clémenceau posted a winning average of 23.82 and a single of 20.77, finishing ahead of Jaehne at 24.31 and van Bruchem at 32.98. In the Skewb event, Clémenceau locked down first place with a 7.71 average, while Crippa followed in second place with an 18.41 average.

Beyond the championship trophies, the true heart of the weekend lay in the breakthrough performances of debut competitors. Gabriel Pires Hopffer de Sousa entered his first WCA competition, taking on five events, earning a 4th-place finish in Pyraminx, and registering his first ever attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:04.99 alongside first-time attempts in 2x2x2 Cube at 9.43 and 3x3x3 Cube at 21.03. Diego Denilson Correia da Luz also contested his first official tournament, entering four events and capturing 4th in 2x2x2 Cube with first-time marks in 3x3x3 Cube at 21.28, 4x4x4 Cube at 2:48.63, and Pyraminx at 26.39. Anderson de Jesus Barros Teixeira made his speed cubing debut across three events, earning 7th place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with initial official attempts in 2x2x2 Cube at 17.10, 3x3x3 Cube at 33.46, and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:54.59. Guilherme Santiago Barreto de Oliveira debuted across two events, securing 6th place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a first attempt of 1:21.39 and an initial 3x3x3 Cube effort of 34.56.

The wave of inaugural performances continued with Ruben Renato Firmino Delgado, who took on his first competitive stage in two events and claimed 4th place in 3x3x3 Cube with first attempts of 21.54 in 3x3x3 and 8.07 in 2x2x2. Lílio Fernandes Almada entered two disciplines at his first meet, placing 9th in 2x2x2 Cube with opening marks of 38.09 in 2x2x2 and 1:32.93 in 3x3x3. Elton Djony Gomes Tavares stepped up in two events at his debut, finishing 8th in 2x2x2 Cube with opening marks of 1:40.66 in 3x3x3 and 24.38 in 2x2x2. Santiago Rafael Lopes Coutinho Almeida rounded out the double-event debuts, taking 10th in 2x2x2 Cube with initial efforts of 1:38.36 in 3x3x3 and 27.94 in 2x2x2.

The national record tally for Cabo Verde saw unprecedented growth across the schedule. In 2x2x2 Cube, Ruben Renato Firmino Delgado set the national single record of 8.07, while Diego Denilson Correia da Luz established the national average record of 9.83. In the 3x3x3 Cube, Gabriel Pires Hopffer de Sousa set the national single record of 21.03, and Delgado claimed the national average record with 25.97. Hopffer de Sousa also swept the national records in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 1:04.99 single and 1:30.50 average, as well as in Pyraminx with a 19.34 single and 27.53 average. Correia da Luz added the national single mark of 2:48.63 and average record of 3:11.87 in 4x4x4 Cube.

When the final timers were stopped at Cabo Verde Nationals 2026, the podium breakdown showed France with 6 podium places, Germany with 5, Italy with 4, and the Netherlands with 2. The single-day competition in Praia delivered thrilling head-to-head battles and established a brand new benchmark for speedcubing in the region heading into future seasons.