CubingUSA Heartland Championship 2026

A total of 168 competitors stepped up to the tables in West Des Moines, Iowa, USA, turning a massive schedule of 17 events and 37 rounds into a showcase of rapid progress. Running from May 22 to May 24, the CubingUSA Heartland Championship 2026 brought together speedcubing talent from across the region to the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. Across every discipline, personal milestones were established as solvers tested their limits in an official WCA competition environment, delivering standout marks from the opening heats through to the late-stage championship finals.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest stood at the center of the weekend, drawing 166 competitors across four demanding rounds of classic Rubik's Cube action. Ryan Pilat captured the top spot on the podium by securing a winning average of 6.40 seconds, punctuated by a best single of 4.78 seconds. The final 3x3 results capped a remarkable weekend for Pilat, who also took first place in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a winning single of 18.58 seconds and secured another victory in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a 2:20.74 mark.

Big cube mastery belonged squarely to Nathan Phillips, who put together an exceptional run of victories across the larger puzzles. Phillips captured first place in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 27.60 average, holding off Pilat who finished second with 27.92, while Kaius Young placed third with 28.47. Phillips continued his dominance by winning the 5x5x5 Cube with a 48.91 average, the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:22.10 average, and the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:06.94 average, ensuring a clean sweep across all four standard big cube divisions.

Brian Johnson produced an equally versatile display across multiple disciplines, claiming top honors in three distinct categories. Johnson took first place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 10.51 seconds, finishing just ahead of Pilat at 10.57 and Carter Kucala at 10.82. He also secured the Skewb title with an average of 2.69 seconds, won Square-1 with a 6.06 average, and topped the standings in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 21.33 average, while also finishing second in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.07 average behind Kucala.

Away from the top steps of the podium, the weekend was defined by immense personal leaps and new challenges undertaken across the venue. Akhilesh Mayakrishnan entered eight events and recorded a Pyraminx personal best of 4.96 seconds, which was 68.5 percent faster than their previous mark of 15.73 seconds, alongside a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed at 35.51 seconds and a first 5x5x5 Cube solve of 2:50.37. Harrison Hakala took on 12 events, recording a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 1:04.68, a first 6x6x6 Cube time of 3:43.83, and a first 3x3x3 One-Handed result of 29.50. Adam Blakeman also contested 12 events, logging a first Skewb solve of 10.64 seconds, a first 5x5x5 Cube mark of 2:42.16, and a first 3x3x3 One-Handed single of 58.13. Bennett Kupzyk tackled 11 events, registering a first 3x3x3 Blindfolded solve of 4:23.38, a first Square-1 result of 57.73, and a first 3x3x3 One-Handed mark of 33.27.

The drive to expand repertoires continued through the ranks as other solvers logged their first official results in unfamiliar events. Theodore Lounsbery took on 10 events, notching a first Square-1 effort of 22.60 seconds, a first 3x3x3 One-Handed time of 19.96, and a first Megaminx solve of 1:08.80. Drew Sorgen also entered 10 events, recording a first Clock solve of 32.94 seconds, a first 3x3x3 One-Handed result of 59.88, and a first Pyraminx mark of 13.87. Boyd Curet tackled nine events, posting a first Clock single of 21.79 seconds, a first 5x5x5 Cube time of 2:42.57, and a first Megaminx time of 2:56.85. Kieran Farley similarly entered nine events, producing a first Megaminx result of 2:57.11, a first 3x3x3 One-Handed time of 39.21, and a first Square-1 mark of 57.41.

The side events and specialty formats provided plenty of dramatic finishes throughout the schedule. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Carter Kucala claimed victory with a 1.97 average, ahead of Johnson at 2.07 and Zachary Cribb at 2.10. Carl Overbye earned the Pyraminx title with a 2.46 average, edging out Elliott Perkins at 2.54 and Pilat at 2.82. Tyler Robinson topped the Megaminx standings with a 38.52 average, finishing clear of Pilat at 41.88 and James Ekins at 44.74. Max McGill secured the Clock title with a 3.20 average, while Cale Schoon won the 5x5x5 Blindfolded event with a single of 5:49.07.

International representation delivered history during the Fewest Moves event, where Abdel Issa set a Jordan national record average of 30.33 moves. Memory specialists also pushed their limits in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, where Kucala solved 28 out of 35 cubes within the 1:00:00 time limit to capture first place, leading Cale Schoon with 17 out of 21 in 58:09 and Luke Selle with 11 out of 12 in 54:07. Across all events, United States competitors collected 51 podium finishes during the three-day gathering.

The CubingUSA Heartland Championship 2026 proved to be an outstanding gathering for speed cubing in the Midwest in 2026. From first-time discipline entries to seasoned competitors achieving rapid marks on the competition floor, the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex served as a proving ground for solving prowess. As this cubing competition concluded, the collective progress and extensive personal bests achieved in West Des Moines set a motivating standard for all participants heading into their next season of official play.