Lakewood Spring 2026

A blistering 5.99 winning average on the 3x3x3 Cube by Đỗ Quang Hưng set the gold standard at Harrison Preparatory Academy, yet the true heartbeat of the gathering went far beyond top-tier numbers. Lakewood Spring 2026 brought together 111 competitors in Lakewood, Washington, USA on April 18, 2026, creating an energetic cubing competition where seasoned podium regulars and newcomers shared practice tables and traded solving tricks between heats. Over 11 rounds of action across five diverse events, the venue buzzed with mutual encouragement, proving that the camaraderie outside the solving stations is just as meaningful as the times on the display timers.

The main event, featuring the classic Rubik's Cube, brought 109 entrants into the qualification stages. Đỗ Quang Hưng of Vietnam captured first place with an impressive 5.99 average and a weekend-low single of 5.23, holding off Sameer Aggarwal of the USA, who posted a 7.59 average. Michael Lee completed the podium in third place with a 7.80 mark. Across three rounds of 3x3 results, participants cheered every breakthrough, from sub-six sweeps at the championship station to first-time milestone cuts lower down the standings.

Large puzzles and specialty categories expanded the competitive landscape throughout the afternoon. Đỗ Quang Hưng secured a second title by winning the 6x6x6 Cube, logging a dominant 1:09.20 average and a 1:07.31 best single across two rounds featuring 24 entrants. Kevin Hays placed second with a 1:19.38 average, while Ash Black took third at 1:41.09. Big cubes like the 6x6x6 demand intense focus and stamina, creating an admiring circle of fellow speedcubing enthusiasts whenever the top seeds took the stage.

Side events offered their own thrilling dynamics and showcased technical variety. In Square-1, Sameer Aggarwal claimed top honors with a swift 6.33 average, punctuated by a 5.87 single across two rounds of 36 participants. Ryan Hatlestad secured second with an 11.55 average, followed closely by Walter Lee Wilson in third at 12.01. The shape-shifting puzzle tested precision turning, serving as a reminder of how diverse and demanding modern WCA competition schedules have become.

One-handed mastery was on display in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, where 53 competitors demonstrated remarkable finger control. Michael Lee emerged victorious with a 13.74 average and a 13.25 single. Donovan Ho locked down the second spot on the podium at 14.05, while Vikram Haldar took third at 14.80. The tight margins between the top three reflected the deep talent pool present in Washington.

Away from the podiums, the spirit of speed cubing shone through remarkable individual breakthroughs. Zayd Belal produced one of the most stunning personal improvements of the day, lowering their 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 16.97, which was 75.3 percent faster than their previous best of 1:08.69, while also delivering a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 38.67 and a first Skewb solve of 15.22. Simon Hernandez dropped their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 59.6 percent to 11.05. Hampton Hamrick cut 40.6 percent off their 3x3x3 One-Handed best down to 41.84, improved their 3x3x3 mark by 11.7 percent to 21.79, and registered a first Skewb attempt of 9.94. Kellan Corley stepped up to five events, logging a first 6x6x6 Cube try of 3:49.69, while cutting Square-1 by 34.5 percent to 16.82 and Skewb by 19.7 percent to 4.88.

The personal milestones continued across all disciplines as Archie Braendlein took on five events, achieving a best finish of 8th in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an 18.04 best that was 33.4 percent faster than before, alongside a first 6x6x6 Cube mark of 2:47.22 and a 20.2 percent Skewb drop to 3.83. Ashley Anderson also tackled five categories, earning a best finish of 7th in Skewb with a 3.38 best, cutting 28.1 percent off Square-1 to 10.01, and recording a first 6x6x6 solve of 2:23.71. Axel Wesley posted a first Skewb attempt of 17.10, a first One-Handed try of 47.89, and improved their 3x3x3 time by 26.2 percent to 19.68. Nathaniel Dyson rounded out the standout efforts across three events, logging a first Square-1 of 28.16, a first One-Handed try of 30.38, and a 21.8 percent 3x3x3 drop to 9.84.

Fast-paced turning concluded with the Skewb tournament, where 59 competitors took part. Ash Black earned the gold medal with a 2.91 average and a blistering 1.58 single. Henry Spear took second with an average of 3.55, and Eli Kirk earned third place with a 3.67 mark. Overall, the United States accounted for 13 podium placements, with Vietnam securing two thanks to Đỗ Quang Hưng's double-gold performance.

As the final timers were packed away, Lakewood Spring 2026 concluded on a high note of mutual achievement and shared dedication. From the headline double victories to the personal milestones logged by dozens of first-time event entrants, the gathering highlighted the enduring appeal of the Pacific Northwest speedcubing community.