WPI Spring 2026

A blistering 1.81-second winning average in the 2x2x2 Cube by Curtis Chai set the tone for an explosive sprint-focused weekend at the WPI Rubin Campus Center. The one-day WCA competition brought 82 competitors to Worcester, Massachusetts, USA on May 2, 2026, delivering 10 rounds of high-velocity action across six different events. Chai laid down a mark with a 1.42 best single during the two rounds of 2x2, holding off Sufyaan Syed at 1.89 and Ian Kim at 2.03 in a rapid-fire final where fractions of a second separated the entire top tier.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest delivered equal drama, drawing all 82 competitors through three demanding rounds of classic Rubik's Cube solving. Cameron Soulagnet captured the title with a 7.74 winning average, edging out Krish Shah-Nathwani at 7.80 and Chai at 7.85 in one of the tightest podium races of the year. Soulagnet also registered the fastest single solve of the entire competition with a sharp 6.10, providing the definitive highlight among the final 3x3 results in Worcester.

Chai proved to be the most versatile force across the entire cubing competition schedule, collecting three event victories and reaching the podium in five separate disciplines. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Chai secured first place with an average of 27.01 and a single of 24.12 across two rounds, holding off Soulagnet who finished runner-up at 27.28, while Jeffrey Li rounded out the top three with a mark of 31.08.

The dodecahedral test of the Megaminx produced another victory for Chai, who logged a 46.96 average and a single of 39.54 to lead the 31-competitor field. Jeffrey Li secured the second step on the Megaminx podium with a 47.81 average, while Jason Wickman placed third at 49.06. Across both big cubes and non-cubic puzzles, Chai demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout the tournament program.

Beyond the sprint showdowns, Jeffrey Li earned top honors in the 5x5x5 Cube, recording a 50.25 winning average and a best single of 44.17 in the single-round event. Soulagnet followed closely behind in second place with a 50.79 average, while Chai took third at 54.00. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, China's Yancheng Liu (刘彦程) delivered a commanding performance to take the win with a 12.41 average and an 11.00 single, finishing ahead of Chai at 14.50 and Charles Amarello at 14.52.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones that highlighted the depth of the field at WPI Spring 2026. Anthony Bottari secured personal bests across multiple puzzles, cutting his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark to 22.14, which was 56.8 percent faster than his prior best, alongside personal records of 9.14 in 3x3x3 and 57.19 in 4x4x4. Elizabeth Magee lowered her 2x2x2 personal best by 42.9 percent down to 5.74 and improved her 3x3x3 standard by 36 percent to 22.88, while also tackling her first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:00.41. Jack Desmond took on four events, dropping his 2x2x2 best by 49 percent to 5.44 and logging first-ever marks in 4x4x4 at 1:40.37 and One-Handed at 59.83. Dhyan Pankaj Patel made a first attempt in 2x2x2 with a 1.96, took sixth place overall, and improved his 4x4x4 best by 38.7 percent to 1:00.86.

First-time event entries defined the day for many others seeking fresh challenges in Worcester. Ryan Carey tackled five events, recording his first official attempts in 5x5x5 at 2:18.32, Megaminx at 2:02.65, and 4x4x4 at 56.64, while securing 14th place in 2x2x2. William Schloat took on all six available events, posting first-ever marks of 1:44.98 in Megaminx, 2:12.72 in 5x5x5, and 22.75 in One-Handed. Landen Newton logged his first One-Handed solve at 29.82 while improving his 3x3x3 average by 27.8 percent to 11.64. Alex Bronson made their speedcubing debut at their first official tournament, entering three events and establishing initial career marks of 3.21 in 2x2x2, 11.93 in 3x3x3, and 55.04 in 4x4x4.

The single-day gathering represented another successful chapter of New England speed cubing, showcasing balanced excellence across both rapid sprint events and extended puzzle formats. With 17 podium places claimed by United States competitors alongside an international victory for China, WPI Spring 2026 provided elite benchmarks and meaningful progress across every tier of the 82-person field as competitors look ahead to the next phase of the season.