Finger Lakes Side Events 2026

A single turn decided the sharpest duel of the weekend when Evan Liu posted an average of 10.47 seconds in Square-1 to edge Evan Waters by a mere two hundredths of a second. The razor-thin margin capped a tense concluding solve in the single-round showdown, where Waters finished as runner-up with a 10.49 average and Eli Rogers took third place at 12.62. It served as the defining sequence of a packed schedule devoted entirely to non-standard puzzles and complex formats.

The one-day WCA competition brought 11 competitors together at the Fingerlakes Mall on July 18, 2026. Across six challenging disciplines, Finger Lakes Side Events 2026 provided an intense proving ground for regional speedcubing talent in Auburn, New York, USA. Although standard 3x3 results were not part of the roster, the specialized lineup tested everything from fast dexterity to long-distance memory on the classic Rubik's Cube mechanism.

Liu dominated the upper half of the schedule, accumulating five individual victories throughout the day. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Liu delivered a decisive winning average of 12.85 seconds along with the single round's best solve of 10.06 seconds. Waters secured second place with an average of 16.21, followed by Rogers in third at 17.49, demonstrating steady execution during the demanding single-handed discipline.

The larger puzzles featured another masterclass from Liu, who doubled up on victories across both big cube disciplines. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Liu clinched the top spot with a 1:43.42 average and a round-best 1:30.08 single, finishing ahead of Ethan Qiu at 1:52.46 and Louis Truong at 1:55.20. Moving up to the 7x7x7 Cube, Liu posted an average of 2:37.73 to secure first, while Qiu claimed another second-place finish at 2:53.25 and Waters rounded out the podium in third at 2:54.22.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across full event schedules. Alton Ruff entered five events and delivered massive personal bests across the board, slashing his Square-1 mark to 23.95 seconds for a 43.2 percent improvement over his previous 42.19 best, while trimming his 6x6x6 Cube time to 4:04.18 and his 7x7x7 Cube mark to 6:58.57 alongside a 6th-place finish in Clock. Carter Halpin took on five disciplines and recorded personal bests in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 29.43 seconds, 6x6x6 Cube with 3:09.49, and Clock with 12.96, taking 10th place in the Clock event.

The steady progression across the floor continued with Addy Coolidge, who tackled five events and set a new Square-1 personal best of 17.15 seconds, improving by 18 percent over a prior 20.92 mark to secure 5th place in the final standings. Patrick Strawder took on five categories and posted a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 20.17 seconds, a 19.7 percent reduction from 25.13, alongside a 5th-place finish in 7x7x7 Cube. Adelynn Neal completed a versatile five-event campaign highlighted by a 4th-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

In the Clock event, Waters turned the tables to claim a clear victory. Delivering the competition's fastest single solve of 2.82 seconds, Waters assembled a 3.64 winning average to take first place over Rogers, who finished second in 4.20 seconds, and Liu, who took third at 5.27. The fast-paced turning stood in stark contrast to the endurance required later in the afternoon for memory-based speed cubing.

The day concluded with the ultimate test of concentration in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, where three competitors stepped up to memorize and solve multiple puzzles entirely without sight. Liu achieved top honors by successfully solving 14 out of 15 cubes within a time of 49:09. Rogers earned second place with 7 out of 11 cubes solved in 57:33, while Maxwell Beavers took third place after a DNF result.

With 18 total podium places claimed by United States competitors, Finger Lakes Side Events 2026 proved to be an unforgettable cubing competition in Auburn. From down-to-the-wire finishes on the mechanical puzzles to massive personal milestones, the gathering showcased the rich depth and technical skill of the regional community as competitors look ahead to the next season on the circuit.