Fundación de Cuenca Open 2026

Inside the Centro Cultural Eucaliptos, the steady clatter of rotating plastic and the sharp clicks of precision timers set the rhythm across two days of intense speedcubing. The Fundación de Cuenca Open 2026 brought together 27 competitors in Cuenca, Ecuador on April 25 and 26, 2026, delivering 17 rounds of action across 12 distinct events. From the opening scrambles to the decisive moments on the final day, the atmosphere inside the hall reflected the sharp focus required at an official WCA competition.

The 2x2x2 Cube final provided the sharpest drama of the tournament, hanging in the balance until the absolute last solve of the round. Joaquin Alejandro Bastidas Tobar held his composure at the table, securing victory with an average of 4.17 seconds, backed by a best single solve of 3.37 seconds. That clutch sequence allowed him to edge out Pablo Sebastián Arévalo Barros, who finished second with an average of 4.42 seconds, and Pablo Sebastián Flores Peralta, who took third with 4.59 seconds in a podium sweep for Ecuador.

The marquee Rubik's Cube event went through three complete rounds before crowning its champion. Justin Santiago Reinoso Arias stood atop the final standings among 26 competitors, logging a winning average of 8.68 seconds and the round's best single of 7.88 seconds. The 3x3 results highlighted the rapid pace of the event, showcasing consistent execution under the pressure of successive tournament rounds.

Beyond the traditional puzzles, Pablo Sebastián Flores Peralta orchestrated an exceptional run across multiple disciplines. Flores Peralta claimed three victories across the weekend, winning Clock with an average of 6.13 seconds, Megaminx with 1:18.32, and Square-1 with 16.72 seconds. In Square-1, he topped Yarik Sebastián Chalán Lozano and Bastidas Tobar, while in Clock he led Josué Ordóñez and Anthony Mishquero to complete the top three spots.

Ariel Vacacela displayed authority across the large cubes, collecting three gold medals of his own. Vacacela claimed the 4x4x4 Cube with an average of 40.08 seconds, the 5x5x5 Cube with 1:14.62, and the 6x6x6 Cube with 2:23.20. In the 5x5x5 Cube and 6x6x6 Cube finals, Vacacela finished ahead of Josué Ordóñez and Flores Peralta. Ordóñez answered back in the 7x7x7 Cube final, taking the top spot with a mark of 3:28.29 ahead of Vacacela's 3:53.62 and Flores Peralta's 5:07.10.

Behind the top of the podiums, the cubing competition served as a launchpad for major personal breakthroughs across the board. David Nicolas Quito Aguilar posted a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 21.03 seconds, shaving 36.9 percent off his previous benchmark. Nicolas Sarmiento Méndez similarly made a massive leap, logging a 3x3x3 Cube best of 16.35 seconds to improve by 35.0 percent. Carlos Wilfrido Rivera Moscoso chopped 31.2 percent from his previous mark with a 31.79 solve, while Joaquín Uyaguari reduced his 3x3x3 Cube best by 25.9 percent to 48.84 seconds and registered his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 23.16.

Several other competitors made strong strides across diverse events during the meet. Anthony Adrian Criollo Gordillo tackled five events, achieving a Pyraminx personal best of 9.40 seconds, a 24.6 percent improvement, alongside an eighth-place finish in the 3x3x3 Cube. Mateo Quichimbo entered six events, securing fourth place in Clock with a personal best of 14.15 seconds, improving by 24.0 percent, while also recording his first ever attempt at Skewb in 9.98 seconds. Danila Krasnov advanced his Pyraminx personal best to 3.92 seconds, a 17.1 percent drop, while Cristian Ismael Auqui registered his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with a time of 1:47.47 across his five events.

The short puzzle lineup concluded with fast battles across both the Pyraminx and Skewb tables. Samir Felipe Espinoza Landivar took the Pyraminx title with an average of 8.33 seconds, besting Bastidas Tobar and Ordóñez. In Skewb, Pablo Sebastián Arévalo Barros won with an average of 7.57 seconds, closely followed by Flores Peralta at 7.69 seconds and Espinoza Landivar at 7.72 seconds. Arévalo Barros also claimed the 3x3x3 One-Handed event with an average of 16.99 seconds.

With 36 total podium places earned by local participants, the Fundación de Cuenca Open 2026 delivered an expansive showcase of speed cubing excellence in the heart of Cuenca, leaving competitors with new personal milestones as the season moves forward.