Q'umarkaj 2026

Daniel Baeza delivered the defining masterclass of the weekend by registering a perfect eighteen out of eighteen in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind in a time of 53:25. That flawless run established the high-water mark for precision solving at Q'umarkaj 2026, which took place across April 25 and April 26 at Centro Comercial Los Celajes de Quiché. Across two action-packed days of speedcubing in Santa Cruz del Quiché, Quiché, Guatemala, thirty-four competitors contested eight distinct disciplines across thirteen total rounds, producing an engaging display of technical range and mental focus on the national stage.

The opening day established a thrilling duel between Baeza and Shalóm Melquisedec Batz Rodríguez, who together swept the top spot in every single event on the schedule. Saturday set the stage across multiple preliminary brackets, with solvers testing their dexterity in both traditional turning and specialised formats. The competitive spirit peaked early as contenders navigated dense schedules, balancing standard puzzles alongside niche events that demanded vastly different mental and physical approaches in front of judges and fellow competitors alike.

Batz Rodríguez took control of the main stage on Sunday, capturing victory in the traditional 3x3x3 Cube final. Over three competitive rounds of standard Rubik's Cube solving, he delivered the best single time of 7.29 seconds and closed out the championship with a winning average of 7.91 seconds. Pablo Emanuel Say claimed the second spot on the podium with a 9.98 average, while Baeza rounded out the top three with an average of 10.98, capping an intense contest that anchored the weekend 3x3 results.

Beyond the classic puzzle, Batz Rodríguez accumulated three additional championship titles across Sunday's finals. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, he secured first place with an impressive 13.06 winning average, finishing ahead of Juan Jose Ajcam at 18.67 and Baeza at 20.34. Batz Rodríguez also led the Megaminx field with a 43.26 average, again joined on the podium by Ajcam in second and Baeza in third. He concluded his quartet of titles by dominating the single round of Pyraminx, taking first place with a 3.45 average over Estheban Heredia and Baeza.

Baeza answered with an equally dominant sweep of the remaining events on the roster. In 2x2x2 Cube, Baeza posted a winning average of 2.69 seconds to edge out Batz Rodríguez at 2.97 and Say at 3.86. Baeza also topped the Clock final, recording a 6.82 average to hold off Say and Ana Gabriela Pérez Carrillo. In memory-based solving, Baeza excelled not only in multi-blind but also in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a winning single of 38.77 seconds to lead Sergio Bulux and Carlos Luis Guerra Ramírez in a demanding mental test.

Beyond the podium battles, several under-the-radar competitors achieved significant milestones away from the spotlight. Jesten Aguilar took on three events and delivered a 61.7 percent drop in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a personal best of 29.61 seconds, while also making a first official appearance in Megaminx to finish fifth. Alejandra Bulux entered three events and registered a 37.4 percent improvement in the classic cube with a 29.75 personal best alongside her first official Pyraminx attempt. Pedro Bulux recorded a first attempt in Megaminx at 2:03.10 and shaved 40.7 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube mark to reach 4.09 seconds. Victor López trimmed his 2x2x2 Cube standard by 38.8 percent to 7.30 seconds and lowered his 3x3x3 time by 23.7 percent.

Progress continued throughout the rankings as Esvin Santiago Quich Lopez cut his 2x2x2 Cube best by 33.8 percent to 3.02 seconds and Pyraminx by 22.3 percent to 8.92 seconds. Eliseo Chávez stepped up to record a first official attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 47.91 seconds across his three registered events. Brayan Emanuel Escobedo Mendóza improved his Clock mark by 28.7 percent down to 7.85 seconds and lowered his one-handed best by 18 percent to 23.17 seconds. Marking their debut at a WCA competition, Ignacio Bulux took on three events with initial official times of 9.40 in 2x2x2 Cube, 11.06 in Pyraminx, and 24.46 in 3x3x3 Cube.

Altogether, all twenty-four podium spots across the eight disciplines were secured by representatives from Guatemala, reflecting the depth of talent currently thriving within the national circuit. The two-day gathering at Centro Comercial Los Celajes de Quiché offered both seasoned champions and fresh newcomers an ideal platform to benchmark their speed cubing progress. As Q'umarkaj 2026 came to a close, the weekend demonstrated how a well-run cubing competition fosters community growth and competitive excellence in equal measure, leaving participants eager for the challenges of the next season.