UTP Speedcubing Open 2026

Inside the halls of the Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, the steady clatter of turning layers and tapping timers filled the air as forty-eight competitors gathered at the tables. The single-day schedule brought intense focus across five different disciplines, drawing puzzle enthusiasts together for a high-stakes speedcubing showcase. As judges held clipboards and runners moved between stations, the stage was set for a memorable day of competitive solving in Panama City, Panama on May 2, 2026.

Across the tournament, David Montenegro emerged as one of the defining figures of the weekend. The Panamanian standout put together a dominant run in the marquee 3x3x3 Cube, maintaining control across two rounds of play. Montenegro sealed first place with a 7.89 average in the final round, highlighted by a sharp 6.69 single that stood as the best time of the entire forty-eight competitor event. His steady execution kept him clear of the field from the opening turns.

Montenegro also made his presence felt on another podium before the day concluded, adding a third-place finish in Clock with a 10.05 average. His commanding 3x3 results topped a competitive podium that featured international talent, with Luciano Rocha of Bolivia taking second place with an 8.87 average and Martin Fernando Velilla Garcia of Colombia securing third with a 9.43 mark. Montenegro set a high bar throughout the competition, anchoring the host nation atop the classic Rubik's Cube standings.

Gustavo Ross delivered another headline performance for Panama by claiming victory in the 2x2x2 Cube. Ross powered through the single-round event of forty-one competitors, putting up a winning average of 2.43 that set a new national record average for Panama. Backed by a best single of 2.06, Ross led the field ahead of countryman Omar Aguilar, who finished second with a 3.08 average, and Bolivia's Luciano Rocha, who took third in 3.20.

Beyond his 2x2x2 Cube triumph, Ross secured a second podium spot in Skewb, taking runner-up honors with a 5.59 average. The Skewb title went to Josip De Lora of Panama, who captured the win with a 5.48 average and a 4.85 single, holding off Ross and Colombia's Martin Fernando Velilla Garcia, who finished third at 5.78. De Lora also showed remarkable versatility later in the program by stepping up to the 3x3x3 Blindfolded podium with a third-place single of 2:01.63.

Away from the top steps of the podium, the tournament produced significant milestones across the roster. William Fong entered two events and slashed his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 11.43, marking a 59.1 percent improvement from his prior 27.98 mark, while also recording a 4.38 result in his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube for tenth place. Javier Elias Pan Luo knocked 39.1 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube mark to record a personal best of 21.43 and posted an 8.15 in his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube. Javier Gomez achieved a 6.33 personal best in Skewb, dropping his previous best by 49.5 percent on his way to a seventh-place finish, while Lynette Alicia Chan Zhu took on three events and lowered her 2x2x2 Cube mark by 44 percent to 2.00 alongside a ninth-place finish in 3x3x3 Cube.

The personal breakthroughs continued throughout the rounds as Alexander Brown shaved 43.9 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube mark down to 26.14. Jean Carlos Arauz Talaga dropped his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 6.30, an improvement of 37.5 percent, and set a 3x3x3 Cube mark of 22.85. Andrea Icaza Kinloch took on four events and posted a 21.83 in her first ever attempt at Clock, while José Donado stepped up for his first WCA competition, tackling three events and logging a 13.49 in his first ever attempt at Skewb alongside his first ever attempts in 2x2x2 Cube and 3x3x3 Cube.

The specialty events generated additional drama, particularly in Clock where Jonathan David González Araúz of Panama won with an 8.82 average, narrowly edging Omar Aguilar's 8.89. In the same event, Roberto Icaza Kinloch of Nicaragua set a national record single with a time of 7.61. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Omar Arrocha took first place with a swift 37.76 single, while Fabián García finished second with 43.96. Across all five disciplines, Panamanian competitors collected eleven podium finishes, with Bolivia and Colombia securing two each.

The UTP Speedcubing Open 2026 brought a total of six rounds across its five events, highlighting both elite speed cubing technique and rapid development throughout the roster. With national records established and dozens of personal bests recorded across the tables, this cubing competition at Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá provided a complete display of regional talent that will resonate well into the 2026 season.