FTO Day One 2027: Who Will Set the First British National Records?
On 2nd January 2027, Face-Turning Octahedron (FTO) will officially become the newest World Cube Association event, marking the first addition to the WCA's event list since Skewb in 2014.
To celebrate this historic occasion, the UK Cube Association is organising four special FTO Day One competitions across the country, giving British speedcubers the opportunity to compete in the event on its very first official day.
But with no existing official records, these competitions present an unusual opportunity: someone will become the first British National Record holder in FTO.
Will it be one of the established FTO specialists, an experienced speedcuber who has recently taken up the event, or someone who has been secretly practising for months?
With less than two months remaining, let's look at the competitions, the leading contenders and the times that might be required to make history.
Where Are the UK FTO Day One Competitions?
Four competitions are scheduled for 2nd January 2027, spread across England and Scotland.
| Location | Competition |
|---|---|
| Airdrie, North Lanarkshire | Airdrie FTO Day One 2027 |
| Cheltenham, Gloucestershire | Cheltenham FTO Day One 2027 |
| Guildford, Surrey | Guildford FTO Day One 2027 |
| Manchester, Greater Manchester | Manchester FTO Day One 2027 |
These competitions will give competitors around the country the opportunity to establish their first official FTO results without having to travel hundreds of miles.
The Manchester competition runs across 2nd–3rd January, while the other three are scheduled for 2nd January.
FTO will use the familiar average of five format, meaning competitors will be able to establish both single and average records.
The first official FTO results will be particularly interesting because the rankings will begin completely from scratch.
A competitor who has never previously held a National Record could suddenly find themselves at the top of the British rankings.
What About the First FTO World Records?
Although British competitors will have an excellent opportunity to establish National Records, it is less likely that the UK will produce the first FTO World Record.
This is partly because of time zones.
Countries further east, including Australia and several Asian countries, will begin their competitions before the UK, meaning their competitors could establish official results many hours earlier.
However, there is an important distinction between being the first person to achieve a result and becoming the official World Record holder.
Under the WCA's approach to recognising records, a result does not necessarily become a historical World Record simply because it was achieved first on the day. Results from competitions taking place on the same date must be considered when determining the record.
This means the first FTO World Records will ultimately depend on the fastest eligible performances achieved on 2nd January, rather than simply who completes their solves earliest.
For the British National Records, the same principle applies.
The first official UK records will therefore be decided by the fastest British performances across the Day One competitions.
Who Are the Favourites for the First British FTO National Records?
Although FTO has never previously been an official WCA event, it has been held unofficially at numerous competitions over the past few years.
Fortunately, many of these results have been recorded on Cubing Contests, giving us a useful indication of who is currently fastest in the UK.
Of course, unofficial competition results don't tell us everything.
Some competitors may have improved significantly since their last recorded FTO attempts, while others might have been practising extensively at home without entering unofficial competitions.
Nevertheless, the existing rankings give us several clear contenders.
Sam Jones – The Fastest Unofficial Single
Unofficial British record single: 16.27 seconds
Sam Jones currently holds the fastest recorded British FTO single on Cubing Contests, having achieved an impressive 16.27 seconds at Falkirk Autumn 2026.
This makes him an obvious contender for the first official National Record single.
His recent performance also suggests that he is actively practising FTO and may be capable of improving further before January.
Sam is registered to compete at Airdrie FTO Day One 2027, where he will have the opportunity to turn his unofficial record into an official one.
However, achieving one exceptionally fast single is not necessarily enough to establish the National Record average.
That is where his biggest rival may have an advantage.
Edd Dibley – The Favourite for the Average?
Unofficial British record average: 18.81 seconds
Edd Dibley is arguably the most interesting competitor to watch.
He has been a dedicated FTO enthusiast for years, having practised the puzzle long before DianSheng released the first modern magnetic FTO in 2024.
Back then, FTO hardware was considerably worse than it is today.
The original LanLan FTO was notoriously difficult to turn quickly, and serious competitors often spent hours modifying their puzzles just to make them suitable for speedsolving.
Anyone who was willing to practise FTO extensively during that period can certainly be considered a dedicated enthusiast!
Edd currently ranks second in Britain for single and first for average, with an unofficial National Record average of 18.81 seconds, achieved back in January 2025.
The age of that result might suggest that he has not been practising as intensively recently.
However, his performance at the UK Championships 2026 tells a different story.
Edd won the unofficial FTO event with a 19.59 average, beating Sam Jones by almost five seconds.
That is an impressive result, particularly at such a major competition.
Edd is registered for Cheltenham FTO Day One 2027, setting up an intriguing contest between the two leading British FTO specialists at different venues.
If both perform close to their unofficial personal bests, we could see Edd take the first National Record average while Sam claims the single.
But there are plenty of other competitors who could upset those predictions.
Ashwyn Wadhawan and Boyan Ma – Could They Make a Comeback?
Two other highly ranked British FTO competitors are Ashwyn Wadhawan and Boyan Ma.
Ashwyn currently ranks third in Britain for both single and average, demonstrating considerable ability across both disciplines.
However, he has not competed since 2025 and is not currently registered for any of the FTO Day One competitions.
Boyan Ma, meanwhile, ranks fourth for single but has not competed since early 2026.
He is also not currently registered for any of the four events.
Unless either competitor decides to make a return, they are unlikely to challenge the first official records on 2nd January.
Nevertheless, both have demonstrated that they are capable of extremely fast FTO solves, and it would be interesting to see either return to competition.
Other Competitors Who Could Challenge the Records
Beyond the leading specialists, there are several other competitors who could potentially challenge the first National Records.
Billie Hammill currently ranks fifth in Britain for single with a time of 20.48 seconds. That is already within striking distance of the leading competitors, and a couple of months of focused practice could make a significant difference.
Joshua De Costa was the highest-ranked British competitor in the unofficial FTO event at the European Championships 2026. His experience competing against international FTO specialists could prove valuable.
Danny Morgan has achieved numerous British National Records in big-cube events. He has demonstrated an exceptional ability to practise and improve at technically demanding puzzles, making him a competitor who should never be underestimated.
Jake Brown, who was recently promoted to WCA Junior Delegate, remains highly ranked across several events. Although delegation responsibilities can take up considerable time, he has the speedcubing ability to become competitive at FTO.
Sean Moran has also recently become a Junior Delegate and is another experienced competitor with strong results across multiple events.
Daniel Partridge currently holds the British National Record for sum of ranks, making him one of the country's strongest all-round speedcubers. The introduction of a new event could affect that ranking, so he has an additional incentive to become competitive at FTO.
Rufus Prabhu-Desai is one of the younger potential contenders. Already highly ranked in 3x3, Skewb and Megaminx, he has demonstrated the versatility needed to learn new puzzles quickly.
Matthew Stephenson placed third in Clock at the UK Championships 2025. With Clock eventually being removed from the official event list, FTO offers another opportunity to establish himself in a less conventional speedcubing discipline.
Alec Hall is a relatively new competitor who appears to be particularly interested in FTO. A competitor focusing heavily on one event can sometimes improve far more quickly than someone dividing their practice between many puzzles.
Sam Shaw was a finalist in Clock at the European Championships 2022, demonstrating considerable ability in specialist events. It will be interesting to see whether he can transfer that success to FTO.
Of course, the biggest surprise could come from someone who isn't on this list at all.
There may well be competitors who have been practising FTO extensively at home but have never entered an unofficial round.
With official rankings starting from scratch, this is one of the rare occasions where a relatively unknown competitor could suddenly become a British National Record holder.
How Fast Will the First British FTO Records Be?
Based on the unofficial competition results, I think we should expect some very fast times on 2nd January.
My predictions are:
| Record | Predicted target |
|---|---|
| First British National Record single | Sub-17 seconds |
| First British National Record average | Sub-20 seconds |
Sam Jones has already demonstrated that a sub-17 single is achievable, while Edd Dibley has recorded multiple sub-20 averages.
Therefore, these are not particularly ambitious predictions.
In fact, I would be somewhat disappointed if the first official records were slower than these targets.
With almost two months remaining, there is still plenty of time for the leading competitors to improve.
The most interesting question is whether someone can produce a significant breakthrough and achieve a time considerably faster than anything previously recorded in an unofficial UK competition.
Could we see the first official British FTO single below 15 seconds?
It would certainly be an impressive way to begin the event's official history.
Why FTO Becoming Official Is Such a Big Deal
The introduction of FTO is one of the biggest changes to WCA competitions in more than a decade.
FTO is a genuinely different puzzle from the familiar 3x3 and larger cubes.
Its octahedral shape, eight faces and distinctive solving methods make it an interesting challenge even for experienced speedcubers.
The solving process incorporates ideas that will be familiar to people who have practised puzzles such as Skewb and 4x4, but it also requires techniques unique to FTO.
One of the most interesting consequences of adding a new event is that it could encourage some former competitors to return.
Someone who has lost interest in practising the established WCA events might find a new challenge in FTO, particularly with the opportunity to establish an official ranking from the beginning.
However, the decision to remove Clock has also been controversial.
Although FTO becomes official in January 2027, Clock will remain an official event until after the WCA World Championship 2027, giving Clock specialists a final opportunity to compete at the highest level.
The removal of Clock is understandably disappointing for competitors who have spent years practising it, particularly as the event has experienced significant developments in both hardware and solving methods.
It remains to be seen whether FTO will attract enough new and returning competitors to outweigh the disappointment felt by some Clock enthusiasts.
Which FTO Should You Buy for 2027?
If you are interested in learning FTO before it becomes official, the good news is that modern FTO hardware is significantly better than it was just a few years ago.
For a long time, the only widely available option was the LanLan FTO, which was extremely difficult to use for competitive speedsolving without extensive modifications.
That changed in 2024 when DianSheng released its magnetic FTO, followed by improved models from other manufacturers.
At Speedcubing.org, I stock a range of FTOs suitable for different budgets and experience levels.
ShengShou FTO – £7.95
The ShengShou FTO is the cheapest option in my range, making it an accessible choice for anyone who simply wants to learn how the puzzle works.
It is particularly suitable for beginners who aren't yet concerned about achieving extremely fast times.
However, if you are planning to practise seriously for official competitions, I would recommend spending a little more on a magnetic model.
DianSheng Magnetic FTO – £15.95
View the DianSheng Magnetic FTO
The DianSheng Magnetic FTO deserves a special mention because it was arguably the puzzle that started the modern FTO speedsolving boom.
Released in June 2024, it was a massive improvement over the original LanLan and made FTO much more enjoyable to practise.
The magnetic mechanism provides better alignment and control, making it a substantial upgrade over older non-magnetic designs.
Although newer models have since been released, the DianSheng remains an important part of FTO's development.
DianSheng NEO FTO – £16.95
The DianSheng NEO is an improved version of the original magnetic FTO.
It features both conventional magnets and additional core-corner magnets, designed to improve stability and turning consistency.
At just £1 more than the original DianSheng, it is an attractive option for anyone who wants a modern competitive FTO without spending too much.
For many competitors, this could be an excellent balance between price and performance.
DaYan FTO – £23.95
The DaYan FTO is my premium recommendation for anyone planning to take FTO seriously.
It features a magnetic system incorporating both regular magnets and corner-core magnets, helping improve stability and alignment.
DaYan also designed the puzzle with an improved anti-pop mechanism, addressing one of the issues that can affect FTO hardware during fast turning.
Although it is more expensive than the other options, I would currently recommend the DaYan as the best choice for serious FTO speedsolving.
You can also browse my complete range of FTO puzzles here.
How to Learn FTO Before January 2027
If you have never solved an FTO before, there is still plenty of time to learn.
I have created a complete written FTO tutorial, which explains the solving process step by step, including diagrams and algorithms.
The tutorial covers solving the first centre, building corner triplets, completing the middle centres and solving the final pieces.
You don't need to be an expert speedcuber to learn FTO, although experience with other puzzles will certainly help.
It may now be rather late to start practising with the intention of challenging the first British National Records, but there is no reason why a new FTO solver couldn't become competitive over the coming months.
And even if you aren't planning to attend one of the Day One competitions, learning FTO is an excellent way to experience a new type of puzzle.
Who Will Make FTO History on 2nd January?
The introduction of FTO gives British speedcubers an opportunity that has not existed for more than a decade: the chance to establish the very first official National Records in a completely new WCA event.
Sam Jones and Edd Dibley are currently the obvious favourites, but there are plenty of other talented competitors who could challenge them.
With four competitions taking place across the country, the first British FTO records could come from almost anywhere.
My prediction is that we will see a sub-17 single and a sub-20 average, but I wouldn't be surprised if the eventual records are significantly faster.
The most exciting possibility is that someone we haven't even considered could emerge as the country's fastest FTO solver.
Whatever happens, 2nd January 2027 promises to be an exciting day for British speedcubing.
Who do you think will set the first FTO National Records?
