St. Ansgar 2026

Fifty-five competitors gathered on April 18, 2026, at South Square in St. Ansgar, Iowa, USA, turning a single day of speedcubing into a masterclass in poise and precision. While flashy single solves often draw immediate attention across the speed cubing scene, the weekend proved that sustainable consistency over entire five-solve rounds remains the decisive factor. Across 12 rounds in 6 events, the competitors battled through varied formats, demonstrating that calm execution under pressure separates champions from contenders at St. Ansgar 2026.

The 3x3x3 Cube competition headlined the schedule, drawing all 55 entrants across three demanding rounds. Ethan Cho set the benchmark for composure, delivering a winning average of 8.40 seconds to secure the title. Although the best single solve of the event stood at 6.39 seconds, Cho’s steady hand through the final round kept him ahead of Kaius Young, who posted an 8.98 average for second place. Tyler Youlden completed the podium with a 9.19 mark, cementing the top tier of 3x3 results in this competitive field.

Young had already left his mark on the tournament in the 4x4x4 Cube, where 35 competitors faced off in a straight final round. Navigating the extra layers of the Rubik's Cube variant, Young earned victory with an average of 30.52 seconds and a best single solve of 25.28 seconds. Ethan Cho pressed closely behind to finish second with a 30.97 average, while Carl Overbye took third place at 31.87 seconds, making it one of the closest three-way battles of the afternoon.

Max McGill produced one of the most remarkable multi-event performances of the cubing competition, capturing two separate titles through unwavering consistency. In the Skewb final, McGill took first place with an average of 4.29 seconds, holding off Carl Overbye, who finished runner-up at 4.54 seconds, and Ethan Cho in third at 4.78 seconds. McGill then returned to the table in Clock, securing his second victory with an impressive 2.89 average, accompanied by a sharp single of 2.44 seconds, ahead of Kaius Young and William Beattie.

The smaller rotational puzzles highlighted fine margins and high-speed execution throughout the day. In Pyraminx, Carl Overbye delivered a blistering 2.13 winning average to claim gold, backed by a quick single of 1.35 seconds. Max McGill earned second place with an average of 3.59 seconds, while John Wheeler took third with 4.05 seconds. The 2x2x2 Cube event saw Kaleb Hake capture the top podium spot with an average of 2.55 seconds, narrowly outpacing Tyler Youlden at 2.67 seconds and John Wheeler at 2.94 seconds.

Beyond the championship podiums, the official WCA competition offered fertile ground for personal growth and career milestones. Milo Osbourne tackled six events and produced a remarkable Pyraminx personal best of 2.41 seconds, an improvement of 74.5 percent over their prior mark of 9.44, while also logging a first ever attempt at Skewb in 7.48 seconds. Josian Turner trimmed their Pyraminx personal best by 67.2 percent down to 4.53 seconds and registered an 11th-place finish in 4x4x4 Cube with a 55.22 personal best. Jonah Vilhauer took on six events, slicing 45.1 percent off their Skewb best to reach 2.46 seconds, alongside a fifth-place finish in 2x2x2 Cube.

First-time challenges defined the day for several other athletes in St. Ansgar. Ayaan Mimar Jamali dropped their Skewb personal best by 47.8 percent to 10.54 seconds and lowered their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 39.4 percent to 19.29 seconds across six events. Gram Nelson took on six events and achieved a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 1:43.76, improving by 39.9 percent, while logging a first Clock solve in 25.99 seconds. Hugh Courtney posted an initial 2x2x2 Cube mark of 8.69 seconds and improved their 3x3x3 Cube best by 17.6 percent to 27.95 seconds. Braden Barber made their first WCA competition appearance, finishing 22nd in 4x4x4 Cube with an initial 1:21.48 attempt, while Theo Eliason debuted with a Skewb time of 7.58 seconds.

As the final timers stopped, St. Ansgar 2026 stood out as a celebration of measured discipline and broad participation. From the disciplined averages of multi-event champions to the significant breakthroughs achieved by rising contenders across Iowa, the event reflected the full spectrum of competitive cubing. With all eighteen podium positions claimed across six varied formats, the tournament delivered a memorable showcase of skill to set the tone for the 2026 season.