Vietnam’s Fewest Moves Championship features a big rematch. In Malta, the competitors will chase a national title. Czech champion Adam Kořínek also returns, with last year’s runner-up among his challengers.
Welcome back to the Speedcuber’s Digest Weekend Preview, where we look ahead at the potential storylines going into the weekend.
Wong Leads Vietnam’s FMC Field
Vietnam FMC Championship 2026 takes place September 26 in Hanoi, with two results to watch: the overall winner and the Vietnamese national champion.
Wong Chong Wen is the overall favorite by personal-best mean. The Singaporean set a 19.33 world record earlier this year and shared first place at FMC World 2026 with a 20.00 mean. Takumi Tamura, who won FMC at last year’s Vietnam Championship, follows with a 21.67 best. Yuto Morishita is next at 22.33.
Nông Quốc Duy leads the Vietnamese competitors with a 24.33 best mean. He finished second to Tamura last year and was the top Vietnamese finisher. The next registered Vietnamese competitor by best mean is Hồ Đức Minh at 36.33. Nông has a clear edge in the national title race, while Wong faces a closer fight for the overall win.
Chele Leads Malta’s 3x3 Field
Maltese Championship 2026 takes place September 26 in Valletta. Sixty people are registered, including 17 first-time competitors. The last WCA competition in Malta had 27.
Ianis Costin Chele is the overall 3x3 favorite. The Romanian leads the field with a 5.33 personal-best average, ahead of Italy’s Giacomo Daniele Corò at 6.56 and Poland’s Hubert Darłak at 7.98.
The Maltese title is a separate race. Benjamin Chetcuti Cauchi leads the local competitors with a 9.81 best average, followed by Bianca Spiteri at 10.75 and Michael Schembri at 11.34. Schembri beat Chetcuti Cauchi in the final at Malta End of Summer 2025, 11.34 to 11.57. Chetcuti Cauchi has the faster personal best, but Schembri won their last meeting in Malta.
Kořínek Defends the Czech Crown
Czech Championship 2026 begins September 26 in Nupaky and continues through Monday, September 28.
Adam Kořínek won last year’s 3x3 final with a 6.89 average. David Nesiba finished second at 7.42. Both are registered this year, and Nesiba now brings a 6.23 personal best, faster than Kořínek’s 6.89 best. Their results from last year set up another close title race. Max Herink has the only sub-6 average on the psych sheet, with a 5.97.
Vojtěch Grohmann gives us a second event to follow. He won last year’s Czech Skewb title with a 1.83 average and has since set a 0.73 world record single. His best average is now 1.45. He returns with a chance to defend his title and add to a strong year in Skewb.
No mention of African Champs?