Wide Moves & Waterslides CT 2026

A razor-thin margin of seventeen hundredths of a second decided the premier event of the weekend as Curtis Chai secured victory in the 3x3x3 Cube final. Chai assembled a winning average of 7.13 seconds across the deciding round, capped by a best single solve of 6.89 seconds, to hold off Ayden Dincher, who finished in second place with an average of 7.30 seconds. Parker Trager claimed third on the podium with a 7.47 average. The dramatic finish concluded a bustling weekend of speedcubing at Wide Moves & Waterslides CT 2026, held at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mashantucket, Connecticut, USA.

The two-day WCA competition ran from January 10 to January 11, drawing an eager field of 102 competitors who took on 17 rounds across nine official events. Spectators tracking the classic Rubik's Cube action saw three full rounds of play in the main event, where 97 competitors vied for spots in the final round. Chai set the benchmark early and maintained his pace through the last turn, ensuring the 3x3 results topped a memorable start to the 2026 speed cubing calendar.

Dincher established dominance across multiple disciplines throughout the gathering. Across four separate finals, Dincher captured gold, beginning with a swift 1.47 average in the 2x2x2 Cube alongside a single of 1.08 seconds. In the Skewb final, Dincher recorded an average of 2.81 seconds with a best single of 2.19, outpacing Milan Vincent Andric who logged a 3.44 average. The versatile solver also swept the larger puzzles, securing the 4x4x4 Cube title with a 26.24 average and taking the 6x6x6 Cube crown with an average of 1:45.83.

The podium battles across the remaining events showcased exceptional variety at Wide Moves & Waterslides CT 2026. Parker Trager won the Pyraminx title with a blistering 1.51 average and a 1.11 single, finishing ahead of Clem Tucker at 1.94 and Milan Vincent Andric at 2.35. Trager also took third place in Skewb, Square-1, 4x4x4 Cube, 6x6x6 Cube, and the 3x3x3 Cube. In Clock, Brandon Villadolid collected the gold with a 3.82 average, highlighted by a rapid 2.63 single in the second round.

Complex technical disciplines tested solver accuracy and mental focus on the tables in Mashantucket. Benson Kim proved unmatched in the single-round Square-1 contest, recording a winning average of 7.37 seconds and a 6.26 single to defeat Dincher and Trager. Meanwhile, the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event demanded pure memorisation and flawless execution. Eli Rogers earned first place with a single solve of 56.45 seconds, edging Trager who completed his blind solve in 58.26 seconds, while Caleb Andersen claimed third place in 1:10.70.

Beyond the championship podiums, individual breakthroughs marked the weekend on the competition floor. Patrick Casey delivered massive personal bests across multiple categories, dropping his Skewb mark to 5.07 seconds from 30.54, an improvement of 83.4 percent, alongside a 1:26.92 in 4x4x4 Cube that shaved 17.4 percent off his previous benchmark. John Wintrob dropped 52.1 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best with a 14.66 single and completed his first ever official Skewb attempt in 10.36 seconds. Thomas Yueh posted a 3.73 single in 2x2x2 Cube, an improvement of 48.8 percent, cut his 3x3x3 Cube time by 46.2 percent down to 14.86 seconds, and logged a Clock debut of 10.97 seconds.

Other competitors took on demanding schedules across new events at the cubing competition. Lil Torres entered four events, posting a Clock debut of 15.57 seconds while lowering personal bests in 2x2x2 Cube to 5.34 seconds and 3x3x3 Cube to 20.85 seconds. Corbin Saastamoinen tackled six events, achieving a 31st place finish in Square-1 with a debut solve of 49.54 seconds, while cutting his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 41.1 percent to 1:18.39. William Schloat took on eight events, securing 10th in 3x3x3 Blindfolded while trying Square-1 at 58.52, 4x4x4 Cube at 1:28.79, and Skewb at 6.25 for the first time. Calvin Wu tackled six events with debuts in 4x4x4 Cube at 1:41.82, 2x2x2 Cube at 4.95, and Clock at 59.16, while Arush Sarkar took on six events with debuts in Skewb at 10.54, Clock at 26.09, and Pyraminx at 8.00.

As the final timers reset at Wide Moves & Waterslides CT 2026, the 102 participants celebrated a packed schedule of 17 rounds. From Chai's tight margin in the main final to Dincher's four event titles and the numerous personal bests recorded throughout the roster, the Great Wolf Lodge proved an ideal setting for high-level solving. The competitors now look ahead to building upon these marks as the speedcubing season advances.