Singapore Warm Up January 2026

Inside Midland House across January 3 and January 4, the tables buzzed with the steady clatter of rotating plastic and timer resets as a brand new season got underway in Singapore, Singapore. Dozens of newcomers arrived carrying their puzzles alongside established contenders, instantly transforming the opening gathering of 2026 into a lively showcase of fresh talent. With 72 competitors registered across 13 events and 34 distinct rounds, Singapore Warm Up January 2026 provided an ideal stage for first-time tournament participants to step into official competition.

The sheer presence of debuting cubers shaped the weekend narrative from the opening morning. For many solvers stepping into their very first WCA competition, the experience meant confronting tournament pressure and strict regulations for the first time. The energy around the side tables and warm-up areas was fueled by novices comparing methods across various formats, underscoring how quickly the local community continues to expand. Singapore Warm Up January 2026 demonstrated that the sport thrives just as much on these initial journeys as it does on championship duels.

When the spotlight shifted to the classic 3x3x3 Cube, Jovan Susanto delivered composed performances across all three rounds to claim victory. Susanto posted a winning average of 7.00 seconds, backed by a tournament best single of 6.52 seconds. Lim Hung followed in second place with an average of 7.32 seconds, while Tristan Chua Yong earned third place with a 7.36 average. The 3x3 results drew wide attention throughout the room as 62 entrants battled through the cutoffs of the largest bracket of the weekend.

Beyond the traditional Rubik's Cube, the schedule featured an extensive spread of formats that tested every discipline of speedcubing. Lim Hung enjoyed an exceptional weekend across the big cubes, sweeping first place in three separate events. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Lim finished on top with a 24.19 winning average and a 21.80 best single. Lim then added victories in the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:16.33 average and the 7x7x7 Cube with a 1:46.70 average, holding off Emmanuel Kao, who took second in both events before winning the 5x5x5 Cube with a 43.26 average.

The shorter formats and side events produced equally sharp turnarounds. Nigel Phang captured the 2x2x2 Cube title with an electric 1.30 winning average and a 0.97 best single from a field of 43 competitors. Luis Tan Hong Yi secured the Skewb crown with an impressive 1.96 average, while Jovan Lee prevailed in Pyraminx with a 2.05 average. In Clock, Dayson Lu posted a 3.30 winning average, and Akash Sreedharan took the 3x3x3 One-Handed title in 9.94 seconds. In the blindfolded discipline where competitors must memorize the puzzle beforehand, Jacob Keh won the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event with a 32.83 best single.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors delivered massive personal breakthroughs across their events. Docdoc Aaron Tan produced striking progress by dropping his Square-1 personal best to 12.99 seconds, an improvement of 62.2 percent over his previous 34.33 mark, alongside a 7x7x7 Cube single of 4:20.70 that was 51.5 percent faster than before. Nathan Ranti tackled seven events, slicing his 4x4x4 Cube mark to 35.87 seconds for a 59.7 percent drop and trying the 5x5x5 Cube for the first time with a 1:25.08 single. Harini Gunasekaran secured a career-best fourth place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a personal best of 49.46 seconds, cutting 41.6 percent off her prior mark.

First attempts at unfamiliar disciplines brought out equally memorable milestones throughout the draw. Mohamed Farhan logged his first official attempts in both the 4x4x4 Cube at 46.93 seconds and the 5x5x5 Cube at 1:43.62. Loh Sion Wei tried 3x3x3 One-Handed for the first time, notching a 30.67 single, while Deng Jingheng completed his first official Square-1 solve in 33.57 seconds. Li Yongrui made his first attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 5:58.52 result. First-time tournament entrants also made immediate marks, including Riti Nurmaisarah who completed initial attempts across three events including a 17.31 in 3x3x3 Cube, and Leong Weng Kit who posted an opening 18.71 mark.

Specialty puzzle finals wrapped up the schedule with fast times and tight finishes. In Megaminx, Tristan Chua Yong earned the title with a 30.37 winning average and a 27.63 best single. Square-1 concluded with Koh Zi Qian claiming the top spot with an 8.57 average, aided by a best single of 7.59. Podium distributions highlighted strong regional depth, with Singapore solvers earning 31 podium places while Malaysia claimed 8. Every round added meaningful momentum to the early calendar.

As the final timers were packed away at Midland House, the complete scope of Singapore Warm Up January 2026 showed a thriving speed cubing circuit full of promise. From brand new entrants discovering their official baselines to seasoned champions claiming multi-event victories, the cubing competition set a vibrant benchmark for the months ahead. Solvers departed ready to build upon their achievements as the competitive year gains speed.