Stevenage January 2026

The Forum buzzed with relentless clicking and the soft thud of timers resetting as 190 competitors gathered in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom on January 10 and 11. Tables were lined with timers and display mats as competitors warmed their hands, exchanged puzzle hardware, and focused on inspection routines. Over two intensive days across 16 rounds and 9 events, the tournament hall remained in continuous motion.

The host nation delivered an overwhelming performance across the board at Stevenage January 2026. Solvers representing the United Kingdom captured 24 of the 27 available podium places, sweeping every step of the rostrum in four separate events. It was a commanding display of national depth that set the tone from the early preliminary stages straight through to Sunday afternoon finals.

In the flagship 3x3x3 Cube, the premier test of Rubik's Cube speedcubing, Noah Calderon-Kamata produced a masterclass to take the title against a massive field of 177 entrants across 3 rounds. Calderon-Kamata posted a winning average of 6.70 seconds and a best single solve of 6.24 seconds. The final 3x3 results confirmed a complete British sweep, with Alan Tan securing second place with a 6.97 average and Monty Fox taking third with 7.17.

Multi-event specialist Danny Morgan assembled a remarkable weekend haul, collecting three individual tournament victories and a runner-up finish. Morgan took top honours in Clock with an average of 3.25 seconds, won the 5x5x5 Cube with an average of 48.45 seconds, and sealed the Square-1 crown with a 10.31 average. In 2x2x2 Cube, Max Tully earned victory with an average of 1.43 seconds, edging Morgan who finished second at 1.67, while Canada's Jensen Belen-Brown earned third with 1.72.

Single-handed dexterity and puzzle-turning finesse were on full display throughout the side events at this cubing competition. Alan Tan captured the 3x3x3 One-Handed title with an average of 11.73 seconds, leading a British sweep ahead of Daniel Partridge at 13.61 and Monty Fox at 13.62. In Skewb, Ariel Benchetrit claimed victory with a 2.31 average, leading Amelie Court at 3.44 and Harry Allen at 3.75 in another all-UK podium.

Megaminx action saw Sean Moran secure top spot with an average of 33.78 seconds, highlighted by a single of 29.21. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded category, where competitors memorise the scrambled puzzle before donning a blindfold, Ben Stokes won the final with an average of 28.74 seconds and a best single of 21.16. China's Mengfei Shen followed in second place with a 24.36 average, while Ben Ridley claimed third in 1:02.37.

Away from the championship podiums, Stevenage January 2026 provided a stage for outstanding individual milestones and personal breakthroughs. Elisha Shaw slashed their Clock personal best by 68.4 percent down to 9.31 seconds from a previous mark of 29.48, also taking on a first ever attempt at Skewb with a 10.36 mark. Alexander Thomas Gurner shaved 57.2 percent off their previous Square-1 standard to log 34.93 seconds while trying Clock for the first time in 11.08 seconds. Lucas Dryden tackled a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 2:24.59 and cut 46.1 percent from their 3x3x3 Cube personal best down to 18.72 seconds. Ethan Liang reduced their Skewb personal best by 44.1 percent to 6.15 seconds and completed a first ever Megaminx solve in 2:55.38.

Other competitors took on demanding multi-discipline schedules and delivered excellent marks across the weekend. Arthur Scragg improved their 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 43.4 percent to 29.59 seconds while taking on 5 events in total. Fergus Paterson entered 9 events, registering a first ever Megaminx attempt of 2:05.32 and dropping their Skewb personal best by 41.8 percent to 4.75 seconds. Aidan Kinsella took on 8 events, recording a first ever Square-1 solve of 1:36.76 and finishing 22nd in Megaminx. Isobel Morton also contested 8 events, posting a first ever 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt of 30.12 seconds and placing 22nd in Square-1.

Across every bracket of this speed cubing showcase, the 2026 competitive season started on an energetic note. For the 190 entrants who attended this official WCA competition at The Forum, Stevenage January 2026 delivered swift solves, unforgettable stage runs, and a commanding statement from British speedcubers across the board.