Simon Praschl needed just one attempt in the 4x4 blindfolded final at Austrian Nationals 2026 in Vienna. He opened with a 57.79, cutting 3.25 seconds off his own European record. Before that solve, Stanley Chapel was the only one with a sub-1 in WCA competition, and he had 17 total.
Praschl followed with a 1:10.00 and a 1:15.69 to win the event. His three solves gave him a 1:07.83 mean, beating the European record of 1:22.99 by more than 15 seconds. That round puts Praschl second in the world for both single and mean. Chapel holds both world records with a 51.96 single and a 59.39 mean.
Chapel had offered $1,000 of his own money to the next three people who broke a minute in WCA competition. As the first to join him, Praschl earned the $600 share. The next two solvers to do it can earn $300 and $100, respectively.