EBC Open 2026

The competition hall at Ecole Belge de Casablanca buzzed with rhythmic clicking and intense focus as competitors gathered for a full day of puzzle solving on May 9, 2026. Stacks of multicolored layers sat arranged beside timing mats across the venue floor, where officials and participants traded places under the bright overhead lights. Fans and families watched from the perimeter of the staging area as each round was called, setting an electric atmosphere for the single-day gathering in Casablanca, Morocco.

Among the varied events on the schedule, the heavier puzzles brought their own unique tests of stamina, deep pattern recognition, and mechanical control. Stepping up from the standard three layers demands unwavering endurance, as solving larger hardware requires managing dozens of center pieces, pairing complex edge wings, and navigating stubborn parity states without losing turning momentum. The 4x4x4 Cube competition served as the pinnacle of that endurance test, drawing 13 competitors across two grueling rounds where precision under pressure determined every podium step.

Belgium competitor Ayhan Sarier delivered a masterclass in the big puzzle event, capturing the 4x4x4 Cube title with a winning average of 40.32 seconds and a best single solve of 36.87 seconds. Sarier held off Morocco competitor Lilya Lagzouli, who claimed second place with a 40.94 average. Lagzouli still electrified the venue by setting a brand-new Moroccan national record single in the event with a blistering mark of 32.07 seconds. Nicolas Vansteen of Belgium secured the third podium step in the event with an average of 46.04 seconds.

The 3x3x3 Cube competition featured the largest field of the entire cubing competition, drawing 46 competitors across three rounds of intense action. Lagzouli reigned supreme on the traditional Rubik's Cube, capturing first place with a winning average of 9.88 seconds and a tournament-best single of 8.74 seconds. Vansteen followed in second place with an average of 10.50 seconds, while Morocco competitor Mohamed El Otmani completed the top three with an average of 10.96 seconds, locking in some of the most impressive 3x3 results seen on the day.

Lagzouli continued an extraordinary run across the tournament program by taking gold in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 21.37 seconds and a best single of 18.93 seconds, finishing ahead of El Otmani who logged a 22.68 average and Youssef Taleb Benjelloun who averaged 24.86 seconds. In 2x2x2 Cube, Fariss Safouan Essalmi of Morocco took top honors with an average of 3.96 seconds, besting Sarier with 4.27 seconds and Omar Lyoubi with 4.55 seconds. Sarier added another gold in Pyraminx with an average of 3.91 seconds, while Mohamed Ben Driss Chokri won the Skewb event with a 5.28 average.

Away from the top of the podium, the weekend was defined by remarkable individual strides from competitors rewriting their personal records. Ouguenane Ahmed Amine entered five separate events and delivered an astonishing leap on the 2x2x2 Cube, posting a personal best of 3.86 seconds that was 63.1 percent faster than their previous mark, alongside a Pyraminx personal best of 7.92 seconds that improved by 50.2 percent and a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 41.49 seconds. Saad Sankari also unlocked major gains, securing a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 6.29 seconds to cut their previous best by 53.9 percent, dropping 31.6 percent on 3x3x3 Cube with a 26.79 mark, and posting a first ever attempt at Pyraminx with 12.93 seconds. Imrane Bouzid improved by 52.8 percent on Pyraminx with a mark of 16.07 seconds, while Mohammed Jad Katir dropped 42.8 percent on the 3x3x3 Cube with a new personal record of 24.44 seconds.

The spirit of testing new disciplines continued across the scorecards. Adam Housni tackled four events and logged their first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with 2:32.54 and 2x2x2 Cube with 7.97 seconds, while improving their 3x3x3 Cube best to 20.37 seconds. Adam Tarrass took on five events and made a first ever attempt at Skewb with a time of 9.48 seconds to finish 6th, alongside a first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed of 58.45 seconds. Mohammed Reda Chaddad delivered an impressive 27.4 percent reduction on 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:57.76 personal best, and Ali Bashar took on a heavy slate of six events to set a Pyraminx personal best of 14.27 seconds.

Across six diverse events and 11 rounds of high-energy speedcubing, EBC Open 2026 proved to be an unforgettable showcase of regional and international talent. The 46 competitors represented multiple nations, with Moroccan competitors amassing 13 total podium finishes while Belgian solvers took home five. From seasoned podium finishers setting national benchmarks to newcomers taking their very first official solves, the gathering highlighted the depth, focus, and camaraderie that define modern speed cubing.

As the final timers were packed away and the tables cleared at Ecole Belge de Casablanca, EBC Open 2026 concluded as a resounding triumph for the local puzzle community. The memorable 4x4x4 Cube showdowns and record-breaking single solves gave everyone in attendance plenty of highlights to reflect upon. With personal bests shattered across all categories, competitors left Casablanca, Morocco ready to carry their hard-earned progress and sharpened turning into the remainder of the 2026 season and their next official WCA competition.