By RQS Editorial Team

Key Takeaways

  • Royal Queen Seeds won two trophies at the 2026 Autoflower World Cup, with Trainwreck Auto taking 1st place for Best Auto Sativa and Gaia F1 earning 2nd place for Best New Autoflowering Strain.
  • Trainwreck Auto stood out for her uplifting sativa effect, peppery pine flavour, reliable yields, and strong performance in a focused autoflower competition.
  • Gaia F1 showed the strength of next-generation autoflower genetics, combining F1 uniformity, hybrid vigour, fast flowering, compact growth, and a deeply relaxing high.


Royal Queen Seeds left the 2026 Autoflower World Cup with two trophies: first place for Trainwreck Auto in Best Auto Sativa, and second place for Gaia F1 in Best New Autoflowering Strain. The results came through while our team was on the floor at Mary Jane Berlin, one of Europe's biggest cannabis fairs, turning an already busy week into a landmark one for the brand. Both wins say something real about the genetics behind them, and both strains, one a sativa-driven classic and one a debut F1 hybrid, are worth a closer look.

A Big Week for RQS: Mary Jane Berlin and the Autoflower World Cup

Mary Jane Berlin fills the German capital with growers, breeders, and brands each year, and in 2026 Royal Queen Seeds was there in force, talking genetics with the people who actually grow them. Our stand stayed busy from the first morning, with visitors stopping by to see new releases and talk shop about autoflowers, F1 hybrids, and the classics. Midway through the fair, word arrived from the Autoflower World Cup: two RQS strains had placed. Picking up international awards while meeting growers face to face made the timing hard to beat, and it set the tone for the rest of the week.

Discover Trainwreck Auto and Gaia F1, two Royal Queen Seeds strains awarded at the 2026 Autoflower World Cup.

What Is the Autoflower World Cup?

Unlike the big all-category cannabis cups, the Autoflower World Cup keeps its focus on a single part of the catalogue: autoflowering strains. That narrow focus is the whole point. Autoflowers get judged on their own terms, against other autos, on the traits that matter most for this kind of plant, from vigour and structure to resin, aroma, and the quality of the finished flower. Placings are decided by people who grow and assess the entries rather than by marketing spend, which is why a result here carries real weight with growers. For a seedbank, it is independent proof that the genetics perform in the garden, not just on the page.

Trainwreck Auto: 1st Place Best Auto Sativa

First place in the Best Auto Sativa category went to Trainwreck Auto, a Trainwreck x Big Skunk Auto cross, and anyone who has grown her will understand why. At 80% sativa, she delivers a clear, motivating, uplifting high that leans social and creative rather than couch-locked, the kind of daytime effect recreational smokers reach for and experienced growers respect. THC climbs to around 19%, with CBD staying low.

The flavour matches the lift. Pepper and pine lead, grounded by an earthy base and a sweet, candy note that gives her real character on the cure. It is a moreish profile that holds up through the dry and well into the jar.

She grows with genuine vigour, reaching a manageable 80 to 130 cm indoors and stretching to 130 to 160 cm outdoors, so a little training pays off. Flowering wraps in 55 to 65 days, with harvest landing roughly 85 to 95 days after germination, and indoor growers can expect 450 to 500 g/m². That blend of energy, flavour, and dependable yield is what carried Trainwreck Auto to the top of her class.

Discover Trainwreck Auto, an award-winning autoflower cannabis strain that won 1st place for Best Auto Sativa.

Gaia F1: 2nd Place Best New Autoflowering Variety

Taking second place for Best New Autoflowering Variety in her first year out is no small feat, and that is exactly what Gaia F1 managed. New varieties face a crowded field and seasoned competition, so an immediate podium says the genetics arrived fully formed.

Gaia F1 belongs to our F1 Hybrid range, the line built on the world's first true F1 hybrid cannabis seeds. She delivers the consistency that defines a real F1: plants come up uniform across the crop, with the hybrid vigour that drives an XXL yield from a tidy 50 to 70 cm frame. For an autoflower, that stability is a genuine step forward, taking much of the guesswork out of a fast, hands-off grow.

Her character comes from heavyweight parentage. A cross of New Breed Auto, Black Domina, and Sin Trabajo, she is built for the evening, a physically relaxing, sleepy, deeply stoning high carried by very high THC and a citrus, mint, and pineapple flavour over caryophyllene, myrcene, and terpinolene. Speed is the other headline: flowering takes just 40 to 45 days, with harvest around 65 to 70 days after germination. For anyone curious about where autoflowering genetics are heading, Gaia F1 is a clear marker of the next generation, and her showing at the Autoflower World Cup only underlines the point.

Discover Gaia F1, an award-winning autoflower cannabis strain that won 2nd place for Best New Autoflower.

Why These Wins Matter for Growers

An award is more than a trophy on a shelf. For a grower choosing seeds, a win at a focused competition like the Autoflower World Cup is a shortcut through the uncertainty, independent confirmation that a strain performs as the breeder claims. It means the genetics have been grown out, assessed, and rated by people with no stake in selling them.

That translates into something practical: lower risk. When you put a Trainwreck Auto or Gaia F1 seed in soil, you are starting with genetics already proven in competitive conditions, not an untested promise. Consistency like that is the difference between a hopeful grow and a confident one.

Seen alongside our presence at Mary Jane Berlin, the timing tells its own story. A brand meeting growers in person and winning internationally in the same week is a brand with momentum, and that is worth paying attention to.

Two Champions for Your Autoflower Lineup

Two podium finishes at the 2026 Autoflower World Cup, earned in the same week our team was shaking hands at Mary Jane Berlin, made for a standout few days at Royal Queen Seeds. Trainwreck Auto took Best Auto Sativa, while Gaia F1 announced itself with second place among the year's new autoflowers. If you want award-winning autos in your next grow, both are a strong place to start, and they sit alongside the rest of our autoflowering range whenever you are ready to explore.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

[email protected]


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: [email protected].

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to [email protected].

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: