A Twisty Day in Araneta 2024

Inside Ali Mall Cubao, the distinct clatter of turning plastic echoed across the competition floor as competitors took their stations for a packed schedule of speedcubing. A Twisty Day in Araneta 2024 brought together a dedicated field of 72 competitors on August 4, 2024, in Araneta City, Philippines. The single-day tournament spanned 10 rounds across 7 events, challenging participants in everything from fast single-handed turns to long big-cube endurance tests.

The morning schedule opened with big cubes and specialty disciplines, setting an energetic tone for the cubing competition. In the 6x6x6 Cube event, Dale Palmares secured top honors with a winning average of 1:34.90 and a best single of 1:34.03. Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc followed closely in second place with an average of 1:37.41, while Richmond Mico Rigor took third with 1:40.22 among 15 competitors. The big-cube action continued as Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc claimed victory in the 5x5x5 Cube final, posting a winning average of 48.75 and a sharp single of 42.01.

Midday brought high technical precision to the tables with the blindfolded and one-handed disciplines. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, an event requiring rigorous memorisation and execution without sight, Luis Gabriel Magadia took first place with a single solve of 5:29.76. Hans Dominic Gamboa finished second with 7:31.99 and Earl Bien D. Celestino earned third with 15:41.00. Meanwhile, the 3x3x3 One-Handed event saw Sean Patrick Villanueva take the win across two rounds, averaging 9.67 in the final round ahead of Maverick Sua at 11.93 and Jaden Lim at 12.49.

As the afternoon progressed, fast-paced side events drew strong interest from both seasoned solvers and emerging talent. Kenneth Carlos topped the 23-competitor Skewb bracket, logging a winning average of 3.83 and a best single of 3.42. Yuji Yoshida earned the runner-up spot with an average of 5.49, while Niño Francis S. Reyes rounded out the podium at 6.03. In 4x4x4 Cube, Jaden Lim set the pace in a 40-person field, capturing first place with a 27.11 average, just ahead of Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc at 29.37 and Richmond Mico Rigor at 30.29.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their events. Christian McKlein Lantin made a first ever attempt at Skewb with a 5.20 solve while slashing his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 18.69, which was 39.9 percent faster than his previous mark, and cutting his 5x5x5 Cube best to 3:55.28. Japhine Laurice E. Bigalbal took 9th place in Skewb with a personal best of 4.24, improving by 43.2 percent, and registered a first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 43.30. Frytsz Jhecxel A. Sobrenilla delivered a 47.99 in 4x4x4 Cube, an improvement of 35 percent, alongside a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt of 2:39.93 and a 10.62 3x3x3 Cube best.

Other rising solvers delivered equally impressive breakthroughs during the tournament. Jaime Vergara achieved a 28.8 percent personal best reduction in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 23.22, improved to 11.41 in the classic cube, and logged an 8.05 in a first Skewb attempt. Amir Ocon Decena dropped his 4x4x4 Cube best by 23.2 percent down to 1:01.40 while recording first attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:36.55 and Skewb at 15.43. Janver Andrei G. Monis lowered his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 21.9 percent to 10.57 and made first attempts in 4x4x4 Cube and Skewb. Davin Victor Gabriel Chu improved his 3x3x3 Cube single by 25.8 percent to 30.26 and tackled one-handed solving for the first time, while Kristelle Marjorie Pascual Milante completed maiden official attempts in both 4x4x4 Cube and 5x5x5 Cube alongside a 14.45 personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube.

The competitive tension peaked late in the day with the final rounds of the traditional Rubik's Cube. The three-round 3x3 event gathered 70 competitors, narrowing the field down to a tight group of finalists. Sean Patrick Villanueva dominated the concluding stage, capturing first place with a 6.59 winning average and a single of 5.94. Stephen Mark V. Mariñas took second place with an average of 7.11, while Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc completed a busy, multi-podium day by securing third place with an average of 7.56.

With the final 3x3 results recorded and all 21 podium positions claimed by competitors representing the Philippines, A Twisty Day in Araneta 2024 concluded its full schedule of speed cubing at Ali Mall Cubao. The 2024 WCA competition delivered sharp personal bests, high-level wins, and valuable stage experience across all seven featured disciplines, closing out a memorable day of racing against the timer in Araneta City.

Nagtala si Dale Palmares ng pambihirang bilis nang pangunahan niya ang 6x6x6 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 1:34.90 average upang itanghal na kampeon sa entablado ng Araneta City, Philippines. Ang mga malalaking puzzle tulad ng 5x5x5 at 6x6x6 ay sumubok sa tibay at konsentrasyon ng mga kalahok dahil sa dami ng piyesa at haba ng bawat solve. Sinundan ni Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc si Palmares sa naturang kategorya taglay ang 1:37.41 average, habang si Richmond Mico Rigor naman ang pumangatlo sa kanyang 1:40.22 average.

Hindi nagpahuli ang bakbakan sa 5x5x5 Cube kung saan umangat si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc upang sungkitin ang unang pwesto gamit ang 48.75 winning average at 42.01 best single. Pumangalawa rito si Jaden Lim na nagrehistro ng 50.84 average, habang muling sumampa sa podium si Richmond Mico Rigor matapos pumangatlo sa oras na 55.44 average. Ipinamalas ng mga manlalaro ang pambihirang tibay ng kamay at isip sa bawat ikot ng mga komplikadong cube.

Naging matagumpay ang buong A Twisty Day in Araneta 2024 na ginanap noong August 4, 2024 sa Ali Mall Cubao kung saan nagtipon ang pitumpu't dalawang kalahok sa pitong magkakaibang kategorya sa kabuuang sampung rounds. Ang buong torneo ay nagbigay-daan upang maipamalas ang galing ng mga manlalaro sa pambansang komunidad ng Rubik's Cube. Bawat kategorya ay nagtala ng mahihigpit na labanan mula sa pinakamalalaking puzzle hanggang sa mga tradisyunal na pabilisan.

Sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube event, ipinamalas ni Sean Patrick Villanueva ang kanyang kahusayan upang magwagi bitbit ang 6.59 winning average at 5.94 best single laban sa pitumpung kalahok sa tatlong rounds. Pumangalawa sa podium si Stephen Mark V. Mariñas na may 7.11 average, habang si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc ang pumangatlo tangan ang 7.56 average. Nagpakita rin ng matinding bilis si Villanueva sa mga naunang yugto kung saan nagtala siya ng 5.68 single at 6.27 average.

Bukod sa pangunahing event, naging dominante rin si Sean Patrick Villanueva sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos magtala ng 9.67 average upang talunin ang tatlumpu't walong katunggali. Pumangalawa rito si Maverick Sua na nagsumite ng 11.93 average, habang pumangatlo si Jaden Lim sa kanyang 12.49 average. Sa kabilang banda, pinatunayan ni Jaden Lim ang kanyang lakas sa 4x4x4 Cube nang dominahin ang laban sa pamamagitan ng 27.11 winning average laban kina Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc at Richmond Mico Rigor.

Sa likod ng mga panalo, nagpamalas ng sariling husay ang mga kalahok na nagtala ng malalaking pag-unlad at mga bagong subok sa kani-kanilang speedcubing journey. Si Markus Wong ay sumabak sa anim na events at nagtala ng 2:48.47 sa 6x6x6 Cube na 34% na mas mabilis kaysa sa kanyang dating marka, 28.56 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 30.7% na pagbuti, at 46.38 sa 4x4x4 Cube na 12.5% na mas mabilis, bukod pa sa kanyang ikaapat na pwesto sa 4x4x4 Blindfolded. Si Skyeler Calaguas Valdez naman ay sumabak sa Skewb sa unang pagkakataon na may 5.51 single para sa ikasampung pwesto, kasabay ng personal best na 22.13 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 29.9% na mas mabilis. Si Jared Albert ay nagtala ng 26.90 sa kanyang unang subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed at nagbawas ng 17.4% sa 3x3x3 Cube sa oras na 9.68. Samantala, si Jaden Mikaela Sy ay nagtala ng unang subok sa 5x5x5 Cube sa 3:47.99 at sa 6x6x6 Cube sa 5:30.81 para sa panlabinlimang pwesto.

Naging espesyal din ang paligsahan para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition ngayong taon. Si Agatha Maria Eden O. Nunag ay nagrehistro ng 16.08 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 13.05 sa Skewb para sa panlabimpitong pwesto, at 43.44 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed. Si Andrew Kyle L. Tan ay pumasok sa tatlong events kung saan nagtala siya ng 1:00.03 sa 4x4x4 Cube para sa ika-31 pwesto, 16.62 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 49.13 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed. Unang laban din ito para kay Rodel C. Reyes III na nagtala ng 1:40.02 sa 4x4x4 Cube at 22.84 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Si Alfonso Luis M. Bautista naman ay nagsumite ng 34.41 sa Skewb para sa ika-23 pwesto at 23.41 sa 3x3x3 Cube bilang kanyang unang mga marka.

Sa larangan ng memorya at bilis, pinangunahan ni Luis Gabriel Magadia ang 4x4x4 Blindfolded nang magtala ng 5:29.76 best single upang makuha ang panalo laban kina Hans Dominic Gamboa na may 7:31.99 at Earl Bien D. Celestino na may 15:41.00. Sa Skewb, napasakamay ni Kenneth Carlos ang kampeonato matapos magtala ng 3.83 winning average laban kina Yuji Yoshida at Niño Francis S. Reyes na may 5.49 at 6.03.

Ang kabuuang dalawampu't isang podium finishes sa torneo ay nagpatunay sa lumalalim na galing ng mga lokal na manlalaro sa bawat cubing competition sa bansa. Matagumpay na naidaos ang A Twisty Day in Araneta 2024 sa pagpapakita ng dedikasyon, bilis, at tibay ng konsentrasyon sa bawat ikot ng puzzle hanggang sa pinakahuling solve.