Manchester Favourites II 2026

Inside the bustling hall of the Wythenshawe Forum, timer displays flashed as puzzle layers clicked into alignment during an intensive single day of speed cubing. The atmosphere in Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom reflected a sport in full stride as 97 competitors gathered on January 17, 2026. Official tables filled quickly across seven distinct disciplines, with seasoned performers standing shoulder to shoulder with dozens of newcomers taking their initial steps onto the official circuit.

The tournament served as a major showcase for fresh talent, drawing numerous participants to their very first official cubing competition. For many across the room, the primary objective was securing their initial marks in the World Cube Association database. Across nine intense rounds, the sheer volume of official debuts and personal breakthroughs gave Manchester Favourites II 2026 an unmistakable sense of discovery from the morning heats to the evening finals.

The headline 3x3x3 Cube event drew a massive field of 93 competitors through three rounds of action. When the final 3x3 results were tallied, Caleb Wolf Dunn captured first place with an exceptional winning average of 6.95 seconds. Dunn also posted the round best single solve of 5.49 seconds on the classic Rubik's Cube. Benjamin Espinosa secured the second spot on the podium with a 7.81 average, while Luke Burns took third with an average of 7.87.

Beyond the main event, the spotlight turned to the newer competitors who delivered some of the most dramatic progression of the weekend. Martha Livesey took on four events, securing a 34th-place finish in Pyraminx while logging a personal best of 7.88 seconds that was 49.6 percent faster than her prior mark, alongside her first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 2:30.86. Lucas Boaz entered four events, posting his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:07.31, an initial Skewb attempt of 12.51, and a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 14.15 seconds, which was 33.9 percent faster. Jack Ryder improved his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 45.6 percent to 3.06 seconds and his 3x3x3 Cube best by 42.1 percent to 20.19. Levi Manzoni logged a 40.4 percent improvement in 3x3x3 Cube with an 18.39 single, in addition to making his first 4x4x4 Cube attempt in 1:27.28.

The wave of breakthrough performances continued across every stage of the schedule. Timothy Gray entered four events, recording a 23rd-place finish in 2x2x2 Cube, a personal best of 4.40 seconds, a 30.8 percent cut on his 3x3x3 Cube best at 11.50, and his first 4x4x4 Cube mark of 1:15.89. Donna Keenan tackled three events, registering a 26th-place finish in Skewb, her first Pyraminx attempt in 16.12, and her first Skewb solve of 25.38. At the same time, complete newcomers left their mark on the WCA competition. Miles Davies completed his first official tournament across four events, finishing 19th in Skewb and setting opening marks of 31.17 in 3x3x3 Cube and 6.17 in Skewb. Husna U. Khan also made a competitive debut across four events, achieving 33rd in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an opening mark of 55.89 seconds alongside a 20.56 single on the standard cube.

Caleb Wolf Dunn added a second gold medal to his tally in the 4x4x4 Cube, leading a field of 53 competitors with a winning average of 29.23 seconds and a best single of 24.59. Luke Burns followed in second place with a 31.14 average, while Franklyn Bensley secured third position with a 31.85 mark. Burns climbed to the top step in the 2x2x2 Cube, winning the 61-competitor bracket with a rapid 1.46 average over Dunn, who took second with 1.51, and Tommy Kiely in third at 1.58.

The side events featured equally sharp speedcubing across varied puzzle formats. In Pyraminx, Edward Burgess emerged victorious among 46 entrants with a 2.39 winning average, edging Joel Keenan at 2.46 and Bella Campbell at 4.16. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Joseph Briggs led the 35-person field with a 13.40 average, besting Charlie Harrison at 14.54 and Billie Hammill at 16.21. Megaminx saw Fred Lang claim victory in 44.34 seconds, ahead of Dunn at 44.95 and Burns at 49.98. In Skewb, Adejuwon Adebusuyi Oluwemimo took the title with a 3.64 average, flanked by Harrison at 4.07 and Thomas Vickers at 5.24.

The collective medal distribution highlighted broad national representation, with competitors representing the United Kingdom taking 20 podium places and Nigeria taking one. As the final rounds wrapped up at the Wythenshawe Forum, Manchester Favourites II 2026 demonstrated both the technical excellence of top contenders and the vital energy brought by a vast influx of rising solvers.

With personal bests shattered and dozens of newcomers logging their first official results, the event closed as an inspiring chapter for competitive solving in the North West. As the 2026 calendar unfolds, the foundation laid here promises to fuel the circuit throughout the upcoming year.