Cherry Hill Mini May 2026

Inside American Legion Post 372, the constant clatter of plastic layers turning in rhythm filled the hall throughout May 28, 2026. Solvers gathered over their timing mats in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA, preparing for an intense slate of solving. Although speedcubing often draws attention for the pure stamina required when navigating larger big cubes like the 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7 puzzles where turning accuracy and mental endurance are pushed to the limit, this specific WCA competition focused the spotlight entirely on pure mastery of the classic 3x3 layout across multiple variations.

A tight roster of 26 competitors entered the venue ready to tackle 6 rounds spread across two demanding events. Every cubing competition tests a solver across different styles, and this single-day meeting pushed competitors through multiple elimination stages. While marathon big cubes test raw physical focus over long minutes of turning, the shorter events require immediate, error-free execution from the moment the hands leave the timer, leaving zero margin for mistakes across three rounds of play.

The traditional Rubik's Cube brought out the entire field of 26 participants, producing some of the fastest 3x3 results of the day. Across three rounds of solving, Shaun Mack delivered a remarkably steady sequence of times to capture the title with a winning average of 7.47 seconds. Mack also secured the single fastest solve of the event with a 5.44. The battle for the top spot came down to the absolute narrowest of margins, with Francis Ezekiel Fernandez of the Philippines finishing second with an average of 7.48 seconds, just one hundredth of a second back. Ishan Donavalli took third place for the United States with an 8.82 average.

Mack continued his winning momentum in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, showing unmatched control with a single hand on the puzzle. Over three rounds featuring 18 competitors, Mack secured his second victory of the day with an impressive winning average of 11.43 seconds, bolstered by the best single time of the contest at 9.69 seconds. Knut Peterson finished in second place with an average of 13.99 seconds, while Ishan Donavalli earned his second podium finish of the day by taking third place with a 14.90 average for the United States.

Beyond the podium finishes, the tournament featured several major personal milestones across the roster. Alyssa Laganella had an exceptional showing by taking on 2 events and cutting her 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best down to 28.90 seconds, improving upon her previous mark of 39.19 by 26.3 percent. Hung Lam Tran entered 1 event and delivered a huge 21.2 percent improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube, setting a new personal best average of 14.24 seconds after previously holding an 18.07. Anthony Issa similarly made notable progress in his 1 event, lowering his 3x3x3 Cube best to 14.85 seconds, an 18 percent step forward from an 18.11. Cole Jeffrey Legath competed in 2 events, setting a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 36.17 seconds, which was 16.4 percent faster than their prior 43.26 mark, along with a 17.56 personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube.

The personal achievements continued throughout the field across both events. Nico Selfridge tackled 2 events, recording a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 31.01 seconds to improve by 11.6 percent from 35.06, while also earning a best finish of 9th in the 3x3x3 Cube. Carter Strouse took on 2 events and achieved a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 22.37 seconds, a 4.5 percent improvement over a previous 23.43, alongside a 7th place finish in the 3x3x3 Cube. The day also welcomed several new faces to the speed cubing scene. Kyle Tang took part in their first competition, attempting 2 events and logging a 28.32 in the 3x3x3 Cube and a 1:12.47 in the 3x3x3 One-Handed. Sai Sabareesh Balaji also made their debut, recording a 32.12 in their first attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube.

The final medal tallies demonstrated strong regional representation alongside international talent. The United States claimed five of the available podium positions across the two disciplines, while the Philippines captured one podium spot thanks to the runner-up finish in the main event. Both competitions required absolute consistency across multiple rounds, demanding sharp reflexes and mental clarity through each phase of the tournament.

As the timers were packed away and the venue cleared out, Cherry Hill Mini May 2026 concluded with memorable personal milestones and commanding performances. From newcomers recording their very first official solves to experienced solvers battling for tenths of a second at the top of the standings, the gathering in New Jersey delivered a focused, high-level display of speed solving to close out the competition.