UCSD March A 2026

Yichen Sheng delivered a commanding 7.22 average to capture the main title as speedcubing returned to UC San Diego. The single-day showdown brought 44 competitors together in San Diego, California, USA on March 1, 2026 for an action-packed slate of four puzzles across six rounds. Sheng set the benchmark in the weekend showcase, recording a tournament-best single solve of 5.60 on the classic 3x3x3 Cube to lead the pack throughout two competitive rounds of play.

The 3x3 results demonstrated intense pace right through the final round. Sheng secured the top spot on the podium ahead of Ethan Yeh, who averaged 7.85 for second place, and Joel Kim, who earned bronze with an 8.63 mark. Yeh had earlier logged a 7.12 single and a 7.54 average during the competition, while Michael Larsen also produced a sub-eight single of 7.43 on his way to an 8.98 average. Across 43 competitors tackling the primary event, the speed cubing standard remained remarkably tight.

Beyond the traditional Rubik's Cube, the schedule highlighted fast-turning precision in Pyraminx. Tripp Peters captured the victory with an impressive 2.70 winning average, powered by a rapid 1.68 single. Joel Kim followed closely in second place at 2.81, picking up his second podium of the meet. August Barnard completed the top three with a solid 3.54 average, concluding two competitive rounds featuring 26 entrants in the pyramid puzzle.

Ethan Yeh delivered another championship performance in Clock, topping a field of 20 competitors with a 4.16 winning average. Yeh posted the fastest single of the discipline at 3.24 to secure his second top-two finish of the day. Joel Kim took the silver spot on the podium with a 5.60 average, while Ayman Hoque claimed bronze for Bangladesh with an 8.09 average, securing an international podium finish on the day.

The 12-sided Megaminx challenged 22 solvers across a single comprehensive round. Zhai Phifer came out on top with a winning average of 44.14, punctuated by the event's quickest single solve of 37.14. Ruby Lu secured the runner-up position with a 48.26 average, while Michael Larsen completed the podium lineup in third place with a time of 1:00.01, rounding out the diverse puzzle slate at UCSD March A 2026.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors logged significant breakthroughs across their events. Adam Walters cut his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 57.8 percent down to 12.76 seconds and made his first ever attempt at Megaminx with a time of 1:24.66. Alex Lloyd shaved 35.2 percent off his Pyraminx best to hit 10.26 and recorded his first ever attempt at Clock at 16.27. Caleb Kim improved his Pyraminx personal record by 38.7 percent to 4.57, while Rachel Waung improved her Megaminx personal best by 31.3 percent to 2:29.64 and made her first ever attempt at Clock at 25.97.

Fresh debuts and steady drops continued throughout the lineup. Cathy Ceng took on three events at her first WCA competition, posting a first ever attempt of 16.98 on the 3x3x3 Cube, 15.12 on Pyraminx, and 14.83 on Clock. Harrison Stevens also attended his first WCA competition, notching a first ever attempt of 12.67 on the 3x3x3 Cube and a 17th-place 1:58.59 on Megaminx. Jacob Ramirez entered four events and achieved a 6.09 Pyraminx personal best, a 16.1 percent drop, alongside a seventh-place finish in Clock. Billy Fallon tackled four separate puzzles, logging a first ever attempt at Megaminx in 2:57.94, Pyraminx in 13.43, and Clock in 23.27.

A series of personal best milestones highlighted the depth of the field in San Diego. Timothy Zhang posted a 9.98 single and a 12.68 average in 3x3x3 Cube, while Elijah Gabriel Ret recorded an 11.46 single and 14.99 average. Ryo Horikawa, competing in his first official meet, managed an 18.47 single on the 3x3x3 Cube, and Zachary Maksim closed out his first event appearances with a 53.62 single. Across all divisions, the cubing competition provided plenty of momentum for everyone involved.

The day concluded with United States competitors earning 11 podium finishes alongside Bangladesh's single medal, wrapping up a productive program at UC San Diego. UCSD March A 2026 stood out for its blend of elite speed and individual progression across four varied disciplines. With fast single marks and multiple event specialists making their mark, the southern California circuit established strong early benchmarks for the 2026 season.