Edmonton Winter 2026

5.98 seconds was all Kyle Santucci needed to secure top honors in the final round of the 3x3x3 Cube at Strathcona Community Center. The tension in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada culminated in an intense finish where the deciding solves settled the final order on January 3, 2026. Across 10 total rounds, 126 competitors gathered to test their skills at the opening speedcubing event of the new year, pushing through the brackets across five distinct official disciplines.

The 3x3x3 Cube, the flagship event for enthusiasts of the classic Rubik's Cube, featured a massive field of 125 competitors over two rounds of action. Santucci set the benchmark with an impressive winning average of 5.98 seconds and logged the weekend's best single of 5.53 seconds. Caleb dela Fuente kept the contest fierce until the final turns, claiming the silver medal with a 6.56-second average, while Lucas Kuczaj completed the podium in third place with an average of 7.07 seconds.

The official 3x3 results also saw an impressive cascade of personal milestone performances across the board. Griffin Clem turned heads by delivering a single solve of 8.31 seconds alongside an average of 10.64 seconds. Benjamin Buchner recorded a mark of 11.84 seconds on single and 14.25 seconds on average, while Emmanuel Fraser secured results of 12.69 single and 15.07 average. Kylie Zwiers registered a 13.18 single and 17.71 average, and Micah Schaub posted a 16.95 single and 18.35 average.

Santucci was not finished with just one victory, returning to the tables for a dominant performance in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Navigating the 72-competitor bracket over two rounds, he captured his second gold of the competition with an average of 11.06 seconds and a best single solve of 9.30 seconds. Caleb dela Fuente took his second runner-up finish of the day with an average of 13.03 seconds, while Leif Anvik took the bronze position with a mark of 13.97 seconds.

In the 4x4x4 Cube, Lucas Kuczaj demonstrated remarkable precision across two rounds of play among 74 participants. Kuczaj sealed the victory with a 28.20-second winning average, bolstered by a best single of 27.36 seconds. Santucci added to his medal collection by securing the second-place spot with an average of 31.76 seconds, narrowly outpacing Griffin Clem, who took third place on the podium with a solid average of 33.13 seconds.

Away from the top of the podium, several participants made substantial personal progress throughout Edmonton Winter 2026. Ethan Lam entered four events and finished 11th in 3x3x3 One-Handed, recording a 14.89 first attempt while trimming his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 38.96 seconds, which was 47.5 percent faster than his prior mark. Declan I. McLeod took on five events and posted a Clock personal best of 17.76 seconds, an improvement of 56.2 percent, alongside a 29.51 personal best in 3x3x3. Nicholas Shumilov contested five disciplines, notching a 42.6 percent improvement on Pyraminx with a 4.64 personal best and a 15th-place finish in Clock.

The depth of progress continued across the venue as Brycen McArthur achieved a 31.47 personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube, improving by 45.3 percent, while also logging a first attempt of 15.41 in Pyraminx. Kaelum Ogden tackled five events and placed sixth in Clock with a personal best of 7.12 seconds, cutting 35 percent off his prior time. Willow Forest achieved a 36.1 percent drop in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 32.87 personal best, while Eliot Jefferson dropped 26.7 percent in 3x3x3 with a 23.13 personal best. David Sellmer competed in five events, improving his Clock mark by 25.3 percent to 17.19 seconds.

The side events provided their own share of excitement throughout the one-day gathering. Hugo Levancic Seiler captured the Pyraminx title out of 92 competitors across two rounds, averaging 3.97 seconds and logging a fast single of 2.64 seconds to lead Benjamin Buchner and Jax Norcutt. In Clock, Max Ulan took first place among 64 participants over two rounds with a 5.85 winning average and a 4.62 single, standing on the podium with Kuczaj and Fraser.

With 15 total podium positions claimed exclusively by Canadian competitors, the gathering proved to be a vibrant display of regional speed cubing skill. The single-day WCA competition highlighted both seasoned talent at the peak of the sport and advancing contenders setting new personal standards. As the cubing competition schedule for 2026 gets underway, the Strathcona Community Center provided a memorable platform for local solvers to start their competitive year.