LA Summer Throwdown 2026

The tables inside the East Baton Rouge Parish Library filled early as timers clicked, puzzle plastic snapped, and judges raised their scorecards across a bustling competition floor. Thirty-two solvers gathered under one roof for a packed day of speed cubing, setting up an intense atmosphere where quick hands and sharp focus dictated every turn. Across nine rounds and five varied events, the single-day gathering provided an exacting stage for both seasoned veterans and eager newcomers testing their capabilities in competition.

At the heart of the action was Dylan Miller, who delivered a commanding, multievent performance that dictated the tone of the entire weekend. The American competitor captured victories across three separate disciplines, showing extraordinary consistency and unmatched pace at every table. In the premier 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube category, Miller secured the top spot on the podium by posting a decisive 6.61 winning average across three competitive rounds, backed by an impressive best single solve of 5.73.

The 3x3 results confirmed Miller's authority over a field of 30 competitors in the classic discipline, where RJ Gohn took second place with a 9.21 average and Alexander Laiche followed in third with 10.33. That dominance quickly spilled over into the smaller puzzles and technical formats. In the 2x2x2 Cube event, Miller led the standings once again through three rounds, claiming first place with a 2.06 average and a rapid 1.79 single, finishing ahead of Cooper Landry's 2.62 and Alexander Laiche's 3.11 average.

Completing his sweep of the shorter formats, Miller stepped up to the table for 3x3x3 One-Handed and walked away with a third gold medal. His winning average of 12.99 and best single of 10.86 held off a chasing pack of 21 entrants in the single-round contest. Teri McAcy earned the silver medal with a 14.25 average, while RJ Gohn secured another podium finish with a 14.94 mark for third, highlighting an exceptional run of form across the short-solve disciplines.

Away from the top of the podium, significant milestones unfolded across the tables. Madison Aleman delivered some of the weekend's most dramatic progress, cutting her 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 63.6 percent down to 34.48 and dropping her 2x2x2 Cube mark by 62 percent to 12.19. Nico Barrueto took on three events, achieving a best finish of 19th in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a first ever attempt of 1:08.53, while improving his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 44.3 percent to 5.46 and his 3x3x3 Cube time by 6 percent to 24.91. Brandon Gautreau entered all five disciplines, placing sixth in 2x2x2 Cube, logging a first ever 6x6x6 Cube attempt of 2:52.79, improving his one-handed mark by 26.3 percent to 20.52, and taking 9.9 percent off his 7x7x7 Cube best with a 4:39.92.

The progress continued across a diverse group of solvers. Khaliq Cameron posted a first ever 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt of 54.90, shaved 21.1 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best with a 17.60, and reduced his 2x2x2 Cube time by 13.3 percent to 4.04. Michael Hammons dropped his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 33.5 percent to 4.85 and his 3x3x3 Cube time by 17.8 percent to 26.77. Ellen Dilligan recorded her first ever attempt in 2x2x2 Cube at 10.39. Jeremy Falanga improved his 6x6x6 Cube best by 8 percent to 5:11.80 and his one-handed time by 5.5 percent to 38.31, while John Young lowered his one-handed mark by 32.6 percent to 18.39 and improved his 7x7x7 Cube time by 3.1 percent to 3:13.91.

In the large puzzle division, Shuxiu Jiang took control of the marathon formats, delivering a masterful display on the higher-order cubes. Jiang claimed victory in the 6x6x6 Cube with a winning average of 1:43.94 and a best single of 1:35.04. He followed that up by winning the 7x7x7 Cube event, recording a 2:28.68 winning average and a 2:23.82 single, leading Ordway Persyn, who took second with 3:09.91, and Abdel Issa, who finished third with 3:13.22.

The 6x6x6 Cube event also produced remarkable international achievements. Jordan's Abdel Issa captured second place with a 1:46.07 average, earning a pair of Jordanian national records by setting both the national record single of 1:35.80 and the national record average of 1:46.07, while Ordway Persyn claimed third on the podium at 2:12.65. Overall, competitors representing the United States earned 11 podium spots, with China taking two and Jordan securing two.

The action at LA Summer Throwdown 2026 brought intense excitement to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA on June 27, 2026. From international record-setting solves on the big cubes to commanding multievent sweeps in the shorter disciplines, this speedcubing competition showcased remarkable depth and precision. As the WCA competition concluded, the diverse field of solvers left the venue with fresh benchmarks, personal milestones, and great momentum for the rest of the cubing season.

Held under the official sanction of the World Cube Association, the day proved that dedicated preparation yields spectacular results on the competitive stage. The LA Summer Throwdown 2026 highlighted how dynamic speedcubing continues to be, uniting solvers of varied skill levels around a shared pursuit of precision and speed.