Only Cubes in ABQ 2026 blends newcomers and veterans in Albuquerque
Only Cubes in ABQ packed 172 event entries into 41 slots, with veterans and nine first-timers sharing a compact Saturday at Saint John's United Methodist Church.
A compact Saturday in Albuquerque produced the kind of results sheet speedcubing communities like to see: familiar names at the top, a wide spread of events, and enough first-timers to keep the floor busy. Only Cubes in ABQ 2026 ran June 6 at Saint John’s United Methodist Church, using the Family Life Center at 2626 Arizona St NE as its base, and the finished page reads like a healthy local meet rather than a one-off headline grab.
Anthony J. Telford set the tone by winning 3x3 with an average of 8.59 seconds and 4x4 with an average of 33.77. Daniel Mullen added two wins of his own, taking 5x5 in 1:03.30 and Square-1 in 12.79. Alexander Wheeler claimed 2x2 with a 2.81 average, while Sean Paul Dominguez topped Skewb with a 3.85 average. Abdel Issa’s second-place finish in 3x3 helped give the event a layered podium rather than a single-cuber runaway.
The registration data shows why the meet felt so balanced. The main competition page listed 41 competitors, while the registration page showed 9 first-timers and 31 returners for 40 people, a small difference that points to a roster that shifted slightly as the event approached. More telling was the workload: 172 event entries across the field, with many competitors signed up for four to six events apiece. That is the kind of spread that usually comes from a scene with both committed all-arounders and newer cubers trying to sample the card.
The schedule was tight and efficient, running as a single Saturday block from 7:30 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. The day opened with 3x3, moved through 4x4, 5x5 and Square-1, then finished with 2x2, Skewb and the later 3x3 rounds. The event was officially recognized by the World Cube Association, and the organizer and delegate list, including Caleb Dye, Mia Sponseller, Brendan McConkey, TJ Kelly and Zachary Miller, points to the volunteer structure that keeps these meets running smoothly.
If you want to know whether a local scene is strong, the results page gives it away fast. Look past the winners and count the mix of events, the first-timer total, and how many people are entering multiple puzzles. Albuquerque has now hosted another official WCA competition after Albuquerque Cubefest 2024 drew 55 competitors at Netherwood Park Church of Christ, and Only Cubes in ABQ 2026 fits the same pattern: a community that is not just showing up, but showing depth.
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