Cubing is back in the Copper Country! For the first time in over five years, a Rubik’s Cube competition, Copper Country Comeback 2026, was held on Saturday, September 19. This event was the latest World Cube Association (WCA) speedcubing competition in the UP. The WCA is a non-profit organization that hosts these cubing competitions worldwide through WCA delegates like Luke Selle, a Michigan Tech junior majoring in Mathematics. According to Luke, although these are competitions by name, they feel more like a way to meet other cubers and have fun sharing a love of cubing.
Of the event, Luke says, “While I’ve organized competitions back home, this was my first time holding one in the UP. It had been five years since the last Houghton competition, and I was worried that there may not be enough local interest to make future competitions feasible. Fortunately, many of the 19 competitors were from the area, and I’m looking forward to bringing more competitions to Michigan Tech and supporting the cubing community here!” The Department of Mathematical Sciences was well represented among those 19 competitors: In the main event, the standard 3×3 cube, Luke finished in second place and Philip Cuthbertson, PhD candidate in Mathematical Sciences, finished in third place.
While more Houghton competitions have not been officially announced yet, Luke is actively planning events for this spring. They are open to anyone who can solve a cube, and Luke encourages cubers of all skill levels to give it a try. Spectators are also welcome to come and see what cubing is about. Keep an eye on the WCA competitions page to find out when the next one will be!