Saipan Open 2026

Inside the function spaces at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan by IHG, tournament mats sat ready beneath the lights as timers blinked on every station. Solving tables buzzed with the quick rhythm of turning plastic as competitors warmed up their hands before the opening calls. The one-day gathering brought a focused field together in Garapan, Northern Mariana Islands, USA, creating a lively setting for high-stakes speedcubing across seven distinct disciplines on March 22, 2026.

Making the trip out to the western Pacific required significant journeys across open water, drawing solvers from across the globe to the shores of Saipan. Competitors representing Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and the United States converged on the resort venue, making the Saipan Open 2026 a truly international assembly despite the tight field of 12 solvers. Across nine rounds of intense action, the distance travelled was matched by fierce determination on the competition floor.

The classic Rubik's Cube drew major attention throughout the schedule, concluding with thrilling 3x3 results in the final round. Kyeongmin Choi from Korea captured the title in the 3x3x3 Cube event, posting a sharp winning average of 6.87 seconds alongside the round best single of 6.10 seconds. Marcus Kamen of the United States secured second place on the podium with an 8.36 average, while Taiwan's Yi-Fan Wu took third place with a mark of 8.65 across five solves.

Choi established total control over the tournament schedule, claiming five victories across the seven events held during the day. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Choi secured first place with an average of 1.85 seconds, leading Marcus Kamen who posted a 3.54 average and Yi-Fan Wu who completed the podium at 3.57. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Choi won with a 12.73 average over Wu's 14.42 and Kamen's 15.20, while also topping Skewb with a 3.99 average and Clock with a 6.00 average.

Beyond the podium battles, several solvers reached significant personal milestones on the tournament floor. Hershel Kamen took on Pyraminx, shaving massive time to record a personal best single of 7.18 seconds, which was 46.3 percent faster than their previous best mark of 13.36, on the way to a 6th-place finish. Amelia Itoi tackled three events, scoring a 30.4 percent improvement in Pyraminx with a 10.27 personal best, a 10 percent drop to 16.45 in Skewb for 6th place, and a 10.85 personal best in the 2x2x2 Cube. Lyndon Fullerton-Smith registered a strong 20.7 percent cut in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 14.12 single, while James Duke Itoi entered three separate disciplines and earned a 4th-place finish in Skewb.

The weekend also marked memorable debuts for new entrants taking on their very first official cubing competition. Aizaiah Jake Cruz Villagomez stepped onto the stage for four events, securing 5th place in the 2x2x2 Cube while posting first-ever official attempts in Pyraminx at 9.31 seconds, 3x3x3 One-Handed at 39.48 seconds, and the 3x3x3 Cube at 17.15 seconds. Jesus Rufo Mafnas Villagomez entered three events, taking 5th place in the 3x3x3 Cube with a 15.18 first attempt, alongside a 4.14 opening try in the 2x2x2 Cube and 1:49.04 in the 4x4x4 Cube. Jayrold Villacrusis of the Philippines rounded out the newcomers across three events, earning 7th in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 2:11.33 first attempt, beside marks of 7.86 in 2x2x2 Cube and 26.64 in 3x3x3 Cube.

The larger puzzles and side events produced equally sharp contests at the Saipan Open 2026. Yi-Fan Wu delivered an outstanding performance in the 4x4x4 Cube, taking the gold medal with a 26.25 winning average and a single of 22.94 seconds, holding off Kyeongmin Choi who finished second at 28.27 and Marcus Kamen in third at 44.83. In Pyraminx, Marcus Kamen captured the top spot on the podium with a rapid 2.04 average, beating Choi's 4.11 and Chris Martin's 5.85 average.

The United States led all nations in overall podium finishes with 10 top-three spots, followed by Korea with seven and Taiwan with four. As this WCA competition came to a close in Garapan, the Saipan Open 2026 stood as a remarkable day of high-level speed cubing in the Pacific, setting a strong standard as solvers look ahead to the next season of tournament play.