Road to Nats Maracay II 2026

A single turn of speed set the tone for the entire weekend when Louis Rodriguez Guerrero clocked a stunning national record single of 9.89 seconds in 3x3x3 One-Handed. That sub-ten second breakthrough became the defining highlight of Road to Nats Maracay II 2026, yet the day was about far more than just individual triumphs. Staged at the Pasillo Principal inside C.C. Unicentro in Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela on September 13, 2026, the gathering brought together competitors who shared tips, examined hardware setups, and cheered each other on across every stage of the schedule.

The atmosphere throughout the mall corridors captured the true spirit of a modern cubing competition. Between events, participants gathered around practice mats to trade solve reconstructions and discuss fingertricks for everything from small twisty puzzles to larger cubes. It was a day where seasoned podium contenders and complete newcomers shared adjacent tables, fostering a welcoming environment that celebrated every breakthrough regardless of where someone finished in the official standings.

In the marquee 3x3x3 Cube event, Louis Rodriguez Guerrero secured the top spot on the podium with a winning result of 8.02 seconds. The 3x3 results featured strong competition at the very top, as Rafael Antonio Sanchez claimed the second step with a 9.88 clocking, while Fabián Villavicencio took third place with a 10.33 mark. Across every solve, the crowd tracking the classic Rubik's Cube action witnessed consistent execution under tournament conditions.

The 3x3x3 One-Handed event proved equally thrilling, anchored by Guerrero's winning mark of 14.58 seconds along with his historic 9.89 single. Sanchez took second place with a time of 20.42 seconds, and Villavicencio rounded out the podium with 21.59. Solving a puzzle with a single hand demands exceptional fingertrick control, and the shared camaraderie among competitors trading technique insights between attempts added depth to the friendly rivalry.

Away from the top tiers of the podium, personal milestones provided the heart of Road to Nats Maracay II 2026. Juan Fernando Araujo Valladares enjoyed a standout day across five events, dropping his 4x4x4 Cube mark to 1:24.98, which was 35.6 percent faster than his previous best of 2:11.99, while cutting his 3x3x3 One-Handed time by 35.5 percent to 49.06. Anthony Loerdo Yannone Hernández took on five events and posted an 8.86 Pyraminx personal best that was 35.6 percent faster than his previous mark of 13.76, alongside a 26 percent improvement in Skewb with a 9.37 result. Daniel Malave tackled six events, achieving a 7.31 personal best in Pyraminx to improve by 29.7 percent, and dropping his 4x4x4 Cube time by 15.4 percent to 1:01.64. Jesús Torrealba León secured a 29.8 percent improvement in 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:20.02, while also lowering his 3x3x3 One-Handed best by 20.6 percent to 22.76.

The depth of the field at Road to Nats Maracay II 2026 was further highlighted by competitors expanding their repertoire across diverse categories. Ángel Gabriel Colmenarez Belisario finished fourth in 3x3x3 Cube while recording his first ever official attempts in three distinct events, posting 3.17 in 2x2x2 Cube, 48.25 in 4x4x4 Cube, and 23.25 in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Albert José Blanco Córdova delivered a sixth-place finish in 2x2x2 Cube, recorded his first ever attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 43.26, and cut his 3x3x3 Cube best by 11.6 percent to 18.06. Pierre Fuad Jisri Haddad logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 20.79 to finish fifth in the main event, while Christian Villegas made his official debut at this WCA competition, taking on five events with first ever attempts of 3.77 in 2x2x2 Cube, 15.34 in 3x3x3 Cube, and 1:29.67 in 4x4x4 Cube.

In the 4x4x4 Cube division, Guerrero once again led the way, taking first place with an impressive winning mark of 28.21 seconds. Sanchez took second position with 39.70, while Villavicencio earned third place with a time of 44.61. The discipline required for larger cubes demands steady edge-pairing and sharp lookahead, skills that were visibly on display as competitors analyzed parities together after their attempts.

Side events brought a lively contrast of disciplines to the floor. In Skewb, Villavicencio topped the standings with a rapid 4.41 mark, followed by Guerrero in second at 7.41 and José Ángel Luyo Santana taking third with 9.13. Villavicencio also earned victory in 2x2x2 Cube with a winning result of 4.19, edging out Guerrero at 4.33 and Sanchez at 4.54. Meanwhile, the Pyraminx title went to Rafael Rojas with a fast 3.54 winning effort, ahead of Miguel Vidal at 4.96 and Villavicencio at 5.65. Overall, speedcubing competitors from Venezuela secured all 18 podium positions across the six disciplines.

As Road to Nats Maracay II 2026 came to an end, the community celebrated both the podium honors and the countless individual breakthroughs achieved across the tournament floor. The full spectrum of speed cubing was well represented, from the intensity of record-setting solves to the collective support found in every side event. With competitors heading home having tested their abilities against the clock and alongside their peers, the gathering in Maracay served as a resounding celebration of camaraderie and competitive dedication.