Rubik's WCA North American Championship 2026

Inside the sprawling halls of the Raleigh Convention Center, hundreds of solve stations stood ready under the bright ceiling fixtures as timers clicked to zero. Tables were lined with mats and displays, drawing competitors and spectators together across four days of intense solving. The Rubik's WCA North American Championship 2026 transformed Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, into the focal point of the global speedcubing community from July 2 to July 5, hosting 892 competitors across 17 distinct events and 41 total rounds of elite competition.

The events that use a mean-of-3 format placed unforgiving demands on the lineup in Raleigh. Unlike average-of-five disciplines where a competitor can discard their worst attempt, a mean-of-3 leaves zero room for error, as every single solve counts directly toward the final standing. One slight lockup, a miscalculated rotation, or an untimely penalty can instantly ruin a championship bid. Navigating that psychological pressure requires pristine consistency, and the massive puzzles on stage tested nerve and endurance across every second of turning.

Max Park met the mean-of-3 challenge with authority, taking gold in the 6x6x6 Cube with a winning mark of 1:08.64 and a best single of 1:08.04 across two rounds of play. He followed that performance with another top podium spot in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a winning mean of 1:40.10. Highlighted within that effort was a spectacular 1:30.59 single, establishing a new world record. Park also took victory in the 5x5x5 Cube with a 34.65 average, setting a North American record average in the process, alongside a win in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 21.00 average.

The precision required in fewest moves solving similarly offered no margin for slipups. Aedan Bryant secured first place in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a mean of 21.00, highlighted by an impressive 18-move single in the single-round contest. Carter Kucala took second place on the podium with a 21.67 mean, while Chris Chi finished third with a 22.33 mark. At this premier speed cubing championship, calculating efficient blockbuilding under the clock proved just as decisive as high-speed execution.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 866 competitors through four grueling rounds before crowning Kyle Santucci as champion. Santucci delivered an average of 5.63 in the final to take the title, accompanied by a 5.23 single. The classic Rubik's Cube division delivered thrilling 3x3 results from start to finish, showcasing remarkable turning speeds and fluid transitions. In the shorter sprint events, Sujan Feist claimed the 2x2x2 Cube title with a 1.31 average and a 0.96 single, navigating a field of 761 entrants across three rounds.

One-handed solving pushed manual dexterity to its limit, where Luke Garrett captured the 3x3x3 One-Handed crown with an 8.79 average and a 7.42 single. Max Park took second place on the podium with a 9.04 mark, followed by Neo Cuares of the Philippines in third at 9.62. In Pyraminx, David Andron-Silva topped a massive field of 689 competitors with a winning average of 1.95. Dean Jacob Adamo Susskind secured gold in Skewb with a 1.77 average, while Aaron Jake Wong captured Clock with a 2.73 average, and Hassan Khanani prevailed in Square-1 averaging 6.21.

Memory and spacial awareness took center stage in the blindfolded events. Stanley Chapel completed a difficult blindfolded double, claiming gold in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a 55.15 single and taking 5x5x5 Blindfolded with a best single of 2:50.32. Tommy Cherry won 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a fast 14.19 single to beat Noah Swor and Calix Tang. In 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, Andrew Tao solved 60 out of 63 cubes in 58:36 to take first place ahead of Joshua Gao and Graham Siggins.

International competitors made their presence felt by rewriting record books across the weekend at this cubing competition. Matthew Liong of Indonesia won Megaminx with a 30.03 average, setting a national record single of 27.19 along the way. Alan Rivera Bañaga logged a Mexican national record average of 1.27 in 2x2x2 Cube, and David Montenegro delivered Panamanian national records in both 2x2x2 Cube and 3x3x3 One-Handed. Colm McCarthy set Irish national marks in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, while Omar Ellabban claimed a Canadian national record average in 5x5x5 Cube.

The four days of competition concluded with the United States earning 45 podium finishes, Canada taking two, the Philippines securing two, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, China, each earning one. The Rubik's WCA North American Championship 2026 concluded its 41 rounds having demonstrated the highest tier of speedcubing across every style of puzzle. From high-pressure mean-of-3 big cubes to rapid sprints and complex blindfolded disciplines, this WCA competition delivered unforgettable drama to conclude the 2026 continental schedule.