Warm Up Carolina Pride 2026

Eighty-seven competitors gathered as the competitive calendar turned toward its critical summer stretch in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Held on June 27 and June 28, 2026, Warm Up Carolina Pride 2026 gave competitors a vital mid-season measuring stick at North Carolina State University Talley Student Union. With 17 rounds spread across eight distinct events, the gathering served as an ideal proving ground for both seasoned veterans and rising talents looking to establish their form before the later chapters of the 2026 campaign.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube competition featured three demanding stages where competitors put their months of preparation to the test on the classic Rubik's Cube. Kavin Prince rose to the top of the 87-person field, posting a winning average of 7.06 seconds alongside the weekend's best single solve of 5.46 seconds. Nicolás Sánchez took second place on the podium with a 7.57 average, while Justin Barker secured third place with an average of 7.71 seconds. These final 3x3 results capped an intense series of elimination rounds that set a benchmark for the regional circuit.

Zayn Khanani staged a dominant performance in the shorter formats, picking up two victories across the two-day cubing competition. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Khanani took the title with a blistering winning average of 1.12 seconds and a best single of 0.84 seconds, finishing ahead of Nicolás Sánchez at 1.44 and Kerry Creech at 1.49. Khanani repeated his success in Skewb, where a 2.63 winning average and a 1.76 single earned him another gold over Willem A. Schmidt with 3.80 and Zachary Ochs with 3.87.

Big cubes brought equal drama to the tables, demanding endurance and mechanical precision over extended solves. In the 4x4x4 Cube event, Nicolás Sánchez took top honours with a winning average of 27.33 seconds, holding off Katie Hull who finished second with 29.37 and Easan Peacock who placed third with 32.36. Meanwhile, the 5x5x5 Cube title went to Kavin Rajendran, whose 53.06 winning average edged out Katie Hull at 54.34 and Nicolás Sánchez at 59.04. In the single-round 6x6x6 Cube clash, Ibrahim Khanani secured victory with an average of 1:45.53 ahead of Hull and Creech.

The specialty categories rounded out the podium ledger with equally sharp turnarounds. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Andreas Lambropoulos captured first place with an impressive winning average of 10.44 seconds, defeating Kavin Rajendran who took second with 12.57 and Raghav Reddy in third with 13.52. Clock saw Chase Pak claim the top step with a winning average of 3.62 seconds and a single of 3.08, leaving Lambropoulos in second at 4.72 and Kerry Creech in third at 5.16 in a display of pure speed cubing agility.

Beyond the trophies and podium battles, Warm Up Carolina Pride 2026 provided a stage for breakthrough milestones across the roster. Sara Gulabani dropped her 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 8.45 seconds, shaving 60.3 percent off her previous record, while also taking on Skewb for the first time with a 31.13 mark. Gavin Branch showed steep growth by lowering his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 5.01 seconds, an improvement of 55.1 percent, and logged his first ever Clock attempt at 24.73 seconds. Grayson Fiordimalva advanced his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 1:37.93, a 40.5 percent cut, after making a first ever attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 36.87 seconds. Chase Galpin improved his Clock personal best to 15.79 seconds, cutting 32.6 percent, and completed a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 3:42.65.

The personal milestones continued throughout the weekend as developing competitors stepped into new events. Michael Gonzalez registered a 30.5 percent improvement in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a personal best of 24.83 seconds, alongside a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 3.42 seconds. Gavi McLaughlin lowered their 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 18.17 seconds, a 26.8 percent drop, and took on their first ever 4x4x4 Cube attempt at 1:18.49. Micah Bart tackled eight events, setting a best finish of 28th place in 6x6x6 Cube with a first attempt of 4:10.51, while Casey Yuechen Gou took on six events and completed a first attempt at Clock in 15.97 seconds.

Fresh faces made their debut on the official floor, with several participants completing their first WCA competition at the Raleigh venue. Lee Beatty contested five events, establishing baseline marks including a 4.46 on 2x2x2 Cube and a 1:02.97 in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Isaac Rust stepped into four events, recording official marks of 16.93 in Skewb and 26.70 in 3x3x3 Cube. Uriel Odulio completed three events in their debut, recording a 9.46 single in 3x3x3 Cube and a 24.41 in one-handed solving, while Massimo Hannum added marks in Skewb, 3x3x3 Cube, and Clock.

Every podium position across the weekend went to competitors representing the United States, showcasing deep regional talent across all eight disciplines. As the competition concluded, the diverse field of 87 participants left with valuable experience, updated personal records, and sharper routines. With the season hitting full stride, the performances logged at Warm Up Carolina Pride 2026 provide clear evidence of a vibrant, progressing speedcubing community ready for the tests that lie ahead.