Ohio Championship 2026

Luke Garrett set the tone at the Ohio Union with an extraordinary winning mark of 5.46 seconds to capture the 3x3x3 Cube title, spearheading a weekend of high-caliber speedcubing in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Held from September 11 to September 13, the Ohio Championship 2026 featured a diverse schedule of 12 events. Across three full days of action, solvers from across the country and abroad converged to test their dexterity in one of the premier fixtures of the 2026 season.

The opening stages of the weekend laid the groundwork for intense head-to-head battles across multiple puzzle categories. In the traditional 3x3 results, Garrett stood atop the podium ahead of Jack Pfeifer, who logged a second-place time of 6.36 seconds, and Nolan Wood, who secured third with 6.79 seconds. Solvers navigating the early rounds of the classic Rubik's Cube demonstrated exceptional technique, establishing a competitive baseline that carried across the entire cubing competition.

As the schedule progressed through Saturday, the mid-sized puzzles took center stage with Pfeifer mounting a commanding run across the big cubes. Pfeifer claimed victory in the 5x5x5 Cube with a winning mark of 43.82 seconds, holding off Garrett at 48.09 seconds and Brian Johnson at 51.43 seconds. Pfeifer continued that momentum into the 6x6x6 Cube, logging a top time of 1:17.29 to lead Garrett at 1:20.86 and Lucy Grace Bryson at 1:34.63, proving his versatility across longer solves.

Sunday morning saw the big-cube sweep completed alongside lightning-fast performances in the shorter disciplines. In the 7x7x7 Cube, Pfeifer captured first place with an impressive 1:51.30, while Garrett followed at 2:13.02 and Bryson placed third in 2:23.40. Garrett answered back in the speed disciplines, taking first in 4x4x4 Cube with a time of 23.71 seconds ahead of Johnson at 25.74 and Jacob Dyland Bennett at 27.95, while also clinching the Clock event in 4.13 seconds ahead of Xavier Ye at 4.64 and Caleb Kearney at 5.11.

Beyond the championship finals, the heart of the Ohio Championship 2026 was defined by breakthrough milestones across the broader roster. Nathaniel Smith took on 7 events, completing his first ever attempt at Clock in 28.68 seconds, his first 2x2x2 Cube solve in 4.35 seconds, and a debut Pyraminx time of 13.44 seconds. Nathan Meadows also entered 7 events, notching a first attempt at Square-1 in 28.00 seconds, Pyraminx in 14.70 seconds, and 3x3x3 One-Handed in 50.43 seconds. Luke Gumbert tackled 5 events, recording his first official 4x4x4 Cube solve in 1:45.83, Pyraminx in 16.32 seconds, and Skewb in 15.17 seconds. Siddhartha Singh completed his first 2x2x2 Cube solve in 5.55 seconds, 3x3x3 One-Handed in 55.29 seconds, and Pyraminx in 9.05 seconds.

Massive personal progress highlighted the depth of this WCA competition. Srivats Krishna entered 7 events, delivering a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 51.07 seconds that improved on his previous mark of 2:10.09 by 60.7 percent, alongside a 51st-place finish and a debut 3x3x3 One-Handed time of 33.88 seconds. Connor McNamara registered a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 8.00 seconds, cutting 61.6 percent off his former 20.83 best, while logging first attempts in Clock at 15.55 seconds and One-Handed at 1:34.32. Jude Snyder improved his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 59.6 percent down to 30.32 seconds and made his first official 3x3x3 Cube attempt in 1:10.31. Henry Bratton recorded a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 32.22 seconds, 49.8 percent faster than his previous best, while clocking first attempts in 2x2x2 Cube at 4.14 seconds and Pyraminx at 9.01 seconds.

The single-handed and quick-turn events also delivered intense drama as the final rounds approached. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Garrett earned another gold with a solve of 9.73 seconds, edging out Nolan Wood at 10.16 seconds and Brian Johnson at 10.32 seconds. The 2x2x2 Cube event saw Sujan Feist seize the victory in a blistering 1.03 seconds, beating Garrett at 1.40 seconds and Darshan Bhavanasi at 1.99 seconds in one of the tightest margins of the tournament.

United States competitors earned 34 total podium places across the weekend, with India securing 2 podium spots during the gathering. From elite performances to personal milestones, the Ohio Championship 2026 closed its schedule at the Ohio Union having showcased the breadth and technical skill of competitive speed cubing, setting a high standard for the sport as participants prepare for upcoming challenges in the next season.