Cuñape Open SCZ 2026

Three solves leave no room for error. Across 21 rounds in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, the mean-of-three events at Cuñape Open SCZ 2026 exposed the razor-thin line between victory and disaster. In formats where every single attempt counts toward the final average, a lockup or misread algorithm instantly ruins a podium run. Held on January 23 and 24 at Comedor Universitario UAGRM, the tournament challenged 48 competitors to deliver consistency under strict conditions, making every turn crucial from the opening round to the finals.

The relentless demands of 6x6x6 Cube, 7x7x7 Cube, and 3x3x3 Blindfolded set a severe standard. Evan Liu proved virtually untouchable in these punishing formats, sweeping the larger mechanisms alongside blindfolded solving. Liu secured the 6x6x6 Cube title with an average of 1:37.52, backed by a single of 1:31.85, before claiming 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:42.28 average and a 2:30.61 single. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where memorisation must be flawless across three attempts, Liu paced the field with an average of 1:06.53, punctuated by a best single solve of 55.77 seconds.

The battle on the big cubes featured intense competition right behind the top step. In 6x6x6 Cube, Jhoel Ariel Espindola Perez took second place with a 1:49.91 average, while Fabricio Andrés Yañez Terrazas claimed third with 2:07.35. The two Bolivian contenders repeated their podium positions in 7x7x7 Cube, as Espindola Perez logged a 2:47.00 average for silver and Yañez Terrazas finished with 3:07.07 for bronze. In the blindfolded event, Manuel Ernesto Torres Vega of Chile secured second with 1:32.72, followed by Christian Daniel Avila Mendez in third with 1:39.38.

Classic Rubik's Cube speedcubing brought high drama to the venue across three rounds of play. The 3x3 results culminated in a commanding performance by Rodrigo Paz Vaca, who captured first place with an average of 7.65 seconds and a tournament-best single of 6.73. Mateo Bernal Jimenez took second place with an average of 9.57 seconds, while Axel Elias Espinoza Ribera rounded out the podium in third at 10.01. The premier event drew a 45-competitor field, showcasing fierce speed cubing from the local contingent.

Beyond the traditional cube, Liu continued to amass victories across diverse disciplines at this cubing competition. He earned the 4x4x4 Cube crown with an average of 33.54, leading Yañez Terrazas at 36.56 and Sebastián Morón Mariscal at 37.93. Liu also secured wins in Clock with a 4.90 average and Skewb with a 5.28 mark, bringing his total title count to seven across the two-day schedule. His balanced mastery across speed, mechanics, and memory defined the overall competitive narrative.

The results sheets also highlighted notable milestones throughout the rest of the program. Fabricio Andrés Yañez Terrazas earned top honors in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 15.51, edging Alvaro Javier Viscarra Catacora at 15.75 and Liu at 16.48. Mateo Bernal Jimenez claimed the 2x2x2 Cube title with an average of 2.18, ahead of Yañez Terrazas at 3.68 and Santiago Cuellar Ortiz at 3.91. Adrian Ismael Sirpa Pinto topped the Megaminx event with a 46.03 average, while Antonio Adorno Suarez took Pyraminx in 3.00 seconds.

Away from the top of the standings, several competitors registered massive leaps in performance. Sergio Matías Fernández Véliz entered three events and delivered major milestones, cutting his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 9.22 seconds, an improvement of 53.1 percent, while also reducing his 3x3x3 Cube best to 34.51 seconds by 32.1 percent and posting a first Pyraminx mark of 24.73. Ezequiel Penman Sandoval took on six events and achieved a 5th place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a maiden time of 2:13.30, alongside first attempts in Clock at 15.75 and Pyraminx at 13.58. Ana Lucia Aponte Ibáñez tackled eight events, setting a Megaminx personal best of 3:27.63, while logging first tries in Clock at 31.56 and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:15.78. Nicolás Mendoza Peña improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed best to 46.32 seconds by 22.1 percent and lowered his Clock mark to 10.88 by 17.5 percent.

Fresh faces also embraced their first official tests on the competition floor. Jhon Jairo Condori Rueda took on three events, logging an initial Pyraminx attempt of 10.64 seconds and lowering his 3x3x3 Cube best to 13.65. Luca Flores Moron achieved 4th place in Pyraminx with a personal best of 3.63 seconds, a 21.1 percent reduction, alongside an improved 31.48 in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Fabian Pradel Egüez sharpened his 3x3x3 Cube mark to 21.62 seconds, a 20.6 percent cut. Pablo Ariel Cuellar Rosales completed nine events, recording a first Megaminx result of 2:20.64 while improving his Pyraminx best to 6.96 and his 3x3x3 One-Handed time to 26.38.

By the conclusion of Cuñape Open SCZ 2026, Bolivian solvers amassed 26 podium placements, alongside eight for the United States, and one each for Chile and Peru. Across 12 events and numerous personal milestones, the 2026 WCA competition celebrated both elite technical mastery and steady personal growth. The focus and precision demanded across every round set a high standard for future speedcubing gatherings across the region.