III Samuel Asafe Vila Velha 2026

A total of six competitors stepped up to the tables for the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, where absolute silence and sharp recall dictate every move. Solving without sight demands complete memorisation of piece orientations and permutations before pulling on the blindfold and executing turning sequences purely from memory. At the III Samuel Asafe Vila Velha 2026, held at Shopping Boulevard Vila Velha in Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil, Rafael Hiroshi Eguchi Neves delivered the decisive blind solve of the weekend. Eguchi Neves locked in a single time of 2:05.78 to claim first place. Victor Farles Cavalcante Alves secured second place with a time of 4:33.58, while Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho took third place with a mark of 3:24.87.

The blindfolded discipline was just one part of a packed schedule staged across February 21 to February 22, 2026. A field of 45 competitors gathered to tackle 12 events across 18 rounds of head-to-head action. The meeting brought classic Rubik's Cube solvers and specialist puzzle turners together for an intense weekend of official speedcubing, with Brazilian competitors taking all 36 available podium spots.

Rafael Hiroshi Eguchi Neves mounted an exceptional campaign across multiple categories throughout the weekend. In the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, which drew 44 competitors through three rounds, Eguchi Neves secured first place with an average of 10.64 seconds and a best single solve of 9.22 seconds. Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho finished second in the 3x3 results with a 12.08 average, followed by Arthur Braum Coelho Freitas in third at 13.21. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Eguchi Neves topped the podium again with a 2.14 winning average and a single of 1.10, ahead of Luiz Henrique Gaspar Peters in second at 3.47 and Mariana Castro in third at 3.49.

Beyond the smaller puzzles, the schedule tested endurance across the larger hardware. Rafael Hiroshi Eguchi Neves captured the 4x4x4 Cube crown with a 38.00 average, edging Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho at 40.27 and Maysa Santos Cozer at 40.89. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Eguchi Neves secured another victory with a 2:27.00 average over Santos Cozer at 2:28.91 and Nogueira Garcia Pinho at 2:31.61. Eguchi Neves also added a gold medal in the Pyraminx event, posting a 5.62 winning average over two rounds.

The big-cube and twisty puzzle titles saw strong rivalries at III Samuel Asafe Vila Velha 2026. Maysa Santos Cozer won the 5x5x5 Cube with a 1:16.86 average and a best single of 1:04.18, finishing just ahead of Rafael Hiroshi Eguchi Neves at 1:17.07 and Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho at 1:18.52. In the 7x7x7 Cube, Nogueira Garcia Pinho earned the victory with a 3:43.31 average and a 3:35.80 single. Nogueira Garcia Pinho also captured the Square-1 title with a 16.05 average, besting Eguchi Neves at 18.57 and Mariana Castro at 22.77. Arthur Braum Coelho Freitas won the Megaminx with a 57.87 average, while Mariana Castro claimed the Clock title with a 6.91 average. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Aldomario Ramos Netto took first place with a 17.52 average, edging Eguchi Neves at 17.74 and Nogueira Garcia Pinho at 18.34.

Away from the top step of the podium, several competitors delivered massive personal milestones that enriched the competition. Emanuele Trancoso Gonçalves took on nine events, finishing sixth in Megaminx while recording a first official attempt at Clock in 19.48 and Square-1 in 31.10, alongside a Pyraminx personal best of 5.24 that was 25.7 percent faster than before. Ramon Peters Kinaake entered seven events, securing ninth in Square-1, logging a first Clock try of 36.71, dropping their Square-1 best by 47.9 percent to 40.78, and improving their 4x4x4 Cube mark by 7.7 percent to 1:52.38. Davi Fonseca Costa entered six events, finishing tenth in Clock, posting first career attempts in the 4x4x4 Cube at 1:44.49 and Clock at 19.74, and lowering their Pyraminx best by 14.7 percent to 7.77. Emanuel De Barbi Barcelos Caetano took on nine events, finishing fourth in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a personal best of 4:24.17 that improved by 25.5 percent, while also logging debut attempts in Clock at 45.28 and the 4x4x4 Cube at 1:26.30.

The wave of progress continued across the lineup of multi-event participants. Alessandro Peters Kinaake competed in five events, finishing 14th in Clock, making debut appearances in Clock at 27.65 and 4x4x4 Cube at 2:10.22, and trimming their 3x3x3 Cube best by 5.1 percent to 23.08. Marcos Hauptli Gessner tackled five events, finishing 11th in Clock, registering a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 2:02.81, and slicing 16.9 percent off their 3x3x3 Cube best down to 24.19 as well as 7.1 percent off their 2x2x2 Cube mark to 7.10. Marcos Albani Abreu contested seven events, placing fourth in the 3x3x3 Cube, recording debut tries in the 4x4x4 Cube at 1:02.23 and 6x6x6 Cube at 4:46.31, and lowering their Square-1 best by 11 percent to 19.30. Wesley Teodoro Pereira took on six events, logging a first Clock result of 1:14.63 to finish 21st, and cutting 18.2 percent off their 2x2x2 Cube personal record with a 5.67 solve.

The overall tournament underlined the depth of speed cubing talent across the region. With intense blindfolded focus, tactical one-handed solves, and fast-paced big-cube battles, the III Samuel Asafe Vila Velha 2026 closed as a thoroughly competitive WCA competition. Solvers departed the venue with new personal benchmarks established, looking ahead to the next opportunities on the speedcubing calendar.

Doze modalidades distintas e 18 rodadas desafiadoras definiram o ritmo intenso no Shopping Boulevard Vila Velha durante o encerramento do III Samuel Asafe Vila Velha 2026. A programação atraiu 45 competidores entre os dias 21 e 22 de fevereiro de 2026, oferecendo aos participantes uma jornada completa por diferentes formatos de resolução rápida. Realizada em Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil, esta cubing competition reuniu desde os formatos tradicionais até desafios com giros oblíquos e camadas ampliadas.

O grande destaque do final de semana foi Rafael Hiroshi Eguchi Neves, que garantiu uma impressionante série de vitórias em múltiplos quebra-cabeças. Na categoria principal do cubo mágico 3x3x3, Neves triunfou com média final de 10.64 e registrou a melhor tentativa individual em 9.22, superando Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho com 12.08 e Arthur Braum Coelho Freitas com 13.21. No cubo 2x2x2, Neves manteve o domínio ao vencer com média de 2.14 e melhor tempo de 1.10.

A versatilidade dos atletas continuou evidente nas categorias de grande porte e formatos alternativos ao longo das etapas. Rafael Hiroshi Eguchi Neves venceu o cubo 4x4x4 com média de 38.00, à frente de Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho com 40.27 e Maysa Santos Cozer com 40.89. No Pyraminx, Neves repetiu o topo do pódio anotando média de 5.62, enquanto no cubo 6x6x6 faturou o primeiro lugar com 2:27.00, seguido de perto por Maysa Santos Cozer com 2:28.91 e Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho com 2:31.61.

As provas técnicas também reservaram disputas de alto nível técnico para o público presente. Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho conquistou duas vitórias expressivas ao cravar média de 16.05 no Square-1 e 3:43.31 no desafiador cubo 7x7x7. Na resolução de olhos vendados, onde a capacidade de memorização prévia define o sucesso, Rafael Hiroshi Eguchi Neves foi o campeão com o tempo isolado de 2:05.78, acompanhado no pódio por Victor Farles Cavalcante Alves com 4:33.58 e Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho com 3:24.87.

Outras modalidades completaram o quadro diversificado de campeões no torneio. No 3x3x3 One-Handed, resolvido com apenas uma das mãos, Aldomario Ramos Netto garantiu a vitória com média de 17.52, superando Rafael Hiroshi Eguchi Neves com 17.74 e Edgar Nogueira Garcia Pinho com 18.34. No cubo 5x5x5, Maysa Santos Cozer levou a melhor ao cravar 1:16.86 na média, enquanto Arthur Braum Coelho Freitas venceu o Megaminx com 57.87 e Mariana Castro dominou o Clock marcando média de 6.91.

Para além das disputas pelas primeiras colocações, a evolução individual revelou histórias marcantes nas mesas de montagem. Vítor Marques França alcançou a nona colocação no cubo 3x3x3 e estabeleceu novo recorde pessoal de 10.77, sendo 38.1% mais rápido do que sua marca anterior de 17.40. Kauã Soares da Silva encarou 10 modalidades, fez sua estreia no cubo 6x6x6 com 6:45.78, registrou 2:20.09 no 5x5x5 sendo 26.5% mais veloz e anotou 4.76 no Pyraminx, melhoria de 26.1%. Pedro Tompson realizou sua primeira tentativa no 3x3x3 One-Handed com 1:46.74 e melhorou seu tempo no 3x3x3 para 35.91, 6.7% mais rápido.

O evento também serviu de palco para estreias e passos importantes na trajetória de outros competidores dedicados. Lidiane Silva Oaschi disputou 5 eventos, obteve o 18º lugar no Clock e reduziu sua marca no cubo 2x2x2 para 4.08, índice 25.4% mais rápido. Em sua primeira WCA competition da carreira, Gustavo da Silva Schuwans marcou 32.32 no 3x3x3 e 9.88 no 2x2x2. Também estreando oficialmente, Luísa Oliveira Fontenelle fez 13.82 no 2x2x2 e 43.18 no 3x3x3, enquanto Miguel Nunes Oliveira registrou 30.00 no 3x3x3 e Vinícius Leite Zambelli de Almeida completou seu primeiro 3x3x3 com 1:52.46.

A intensa rodada de competições no III Samuel Asafe Vila Velha 2026 destacou a força do speedcubing regional em solo capixaba. Todos os 36 lugares de pódio distribuídos no fim de semana foram ocupados por competidores locais, comprovando a consistência técnica dos participantes em múltiplos estilos de cubos. A diversidade de provas consagrou o equilíbrio e o preparo dos atletas ao longo de dois dias completos de disputas.

Com o encerramento do III Samuel Asafe Vila Velha 2026, a comunidade esportiva celebrou grandes índices individuais e a integração de novos talentos nas doze modalidades realizadas. A variedade de desafios reforçou o alto nível do encontro em Vila Velha e abriu caminho para novas marcas e desempenhos promissores nas próximas etapas da temporada.