Altavista Open 2023

Thirty-five competitors converged on Grupo Altavista Lab & Trend on January 15, 2023, turning Montevideo, Uruguay into an international hub of twisting speed. Solvers journeyed from across South America, crossing national borders from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, and Venezuela to meet the local contingent on the tournament floor. That shared commitment to travel set the tone for an intense single-day cubing competition featuring seven events and thirteen rounds of top-tier play.

The journey proved remarkably fruitful for Argentina's Gael Augusto Lapeyre, who swept six of the seven disciplines contested at Altavista Open 2023. Lapeyre captured the signature 3x3x3 Cube crown with a winning average of 8.48 seconds, bolstered by a best single of 7.33. Local standout Manuel Malvárez pushed hard to finish as runner-up with an 8.60 average, while Uruguay's Bruno Lezama rounded out the podium at 8.92.

Lapeyre continued his dominant form in the shorter formats, taking top honors in the 2x2x2 Cube with a winning mark of 2.70 seconds over Lezama and Malvárez. In the Pyraminx final, Lapeyre posted a 2.50 winning average to lead Uruguayan challengers Sebastiano Benato and Brian Hambeck. His versatility extended into the Skewb event, where a 3.62 average secured yet another victory ahead of Lezama and Malvárez, cementing an exceptional run across every twisty category.

When the puzzles grew larger, Lapeyre maintained complete control of the tables. He secured the 4x4x4 Cube title with a 29.89 average, the only sub-thirty average of the event, ahead of Malvárez at 36.64 and Lezama at 41.13. In the twelve-sided Megaminx contest, Lapeyre registered a 41.97 average, leaving Hambeck and Lezama to claim second and third on the podium. Through these rounds, the Argentine visitor accounted for all seven podium appearances recorded by his delegation at Altavista Open 2023.

The lone exception to Lapeyre's sweep came in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, where Manuel Malvárez defended home ground for Uruguay with an impressive 13.57 winning average. Lapeyre followed closely behind in second place at 14.38, with Lezama taking third at 16.97. The host nation ultimately secured fourteen podium spots across the entire gathering, showing immense depth across the speed cubing circuit.

Beyond the championship trophies, the true heart of the weekend emerged through remarkable personal milestones and competitors tackling unfamiliar disciplines for the very first time. Fabricio Cancela Saez produced one of the most stunning leaps of the day, cutting his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 47.4 percent down to 12.79 seconds. Luca Fontana tackled a grueling schedule of seven events, slashing his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 39.4 percent to 2.72 seconds, trimming his 4x4x4 Cube time by 26.7 percent to 44.61 seconds, and finishing sixth overall in Megaminx. Ian Patrick Scotte took on his first ever attempts at Pyraminx and 2x2x2 Cube while cutting his 3x3x3 mark by 41.2 percent to 15.91 seconds. Carlos Sotillo made his initial official runs on both 2x2x2 Cube and Pyraminx while lowering his 3x3 Cube single to 30.71 seconds.

That same adventurous spirit carried through several other competitors who embraced new events and established fresh benchmarks. Mateo Damian Coitinho Gabarain entered all seven categories, lowering his Pyraminx personal best by 37.1 percent to 6.20 seconds alongside substantial gains on Megaminx and 4x4x4 Cube. Rodrigo Benitez achieved a fourth-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed while trimming 35.1 percent off his Pyraminx single. International traveler Ayan Valadao Lima entered five events, logging official first attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed, 4x4x4 Cube, and Skewb on his way to an eighth-place finish in one-handed solving. Mateo Blois Escobar also took on a full slate of seven events, setting first-time career marks in Skewb, Pyraminx, and Megaminx.

Every official WCA competition offers newcomers an initial entry point into the global community, and this tournament welcomed several first-time participants. Lucas Villasante, Francisco Piedrabuena, and Nicolás Villalba each logged their very first official solves in both the standard Rubik's Cube and 2x2x2 events. Alex Daniel Castillo Muñoz ventured even further during his debut, completing first attempts in 3x3x3 and recording an eleventh-place result on the demanding Megaminx puzzle.

With thirteen rounds completed, Altavista Open 2023 illustrated the vibrant growth of South American speedcubing. As competitors pack their bags and calculate their final 3x3 results, the shared miles and milestone achievements establish a thrilling precedent for future seasons on the regional stage.