Apol Open Guayaquil 2024

Inside the halls of APOL Academia de Ciencias exactas, the rhythmic clatter of turning plastic echoed across the tables as timers flickered to life. Competitors gathered in Guayaquil, Ecuador on September 7, 2024, meticulously inspecting puzzle mechanisms and calibrating tension settings before the day got underway. With thirty-five competitors taking part in ten rounds across seven different disciplines, this cubing competition brought together dedicated puzzle solvers eager to demonstrate their skills across a balanced slate of events.

While the standard puzzle always draws attention, the unique side disciplines took center stage early on with outstanding demonstrations of technical mastery. Megaminx challenged solvers with its complex twelve-faced dodecahedron geometry, demanding sustained spatial recognition and smooth hand movements throughout long solve sequences. Caleb Salcedo Rivera dominated the event from start to finish, recording an impressive winning average of 57.46 seconds along with the single best solve of the discipline at 49.34 seconds. Alejandro Francisco Jaramillo Fernandez took second place with a mark of 1:11.27, while Fabrizcio Gabriele Schiepatti Cedeño finished third in 1:15.51.

The distinctive corner-turning Skewb provided a contrasting tactical test, requiring quick finger precision and sharp movement efficiency across its deceptive axes. Fernando Zevallos proved unbeatable in the discipline, securing victory with a 9.96-second average and producing the top single time of the event at 7.53 seconds. Sonner Cortez Ojeda claimed the second spot on the podium with a 10.56-second average, narrowly edging out Edgar Moisés Valencia Segura, who earned third place with a mark of 10.84 seconds.

Pyraminx brought high-speed ergonomics to the arena, where Alejandro Francisco Jaramillo Fernandez captured the championship with a stellar 4.02-second average and a best single attempt of 3.23 seconds. Mateo Baruc Mero Benavides followed in second place with a 5.20 average, and Leonardo Miguel Viteri Cardenas secured third with 5.52. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, which tests extraordinary finger dexterity and one-handed control, Caleb Salcedo Rivera earned another title by posting a 14.80 average and a single of 13.97, leading Mateo Baruc Mero Benavides at 19.50 and Geovanny Arias at 21.61.

The competition floor also saw tremendous personal progress from emerging participants whose dedication shaped the day. Vladimir Evaristo Ramirez Alvarez made a major statement by dropping his personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube to 10.41 seconds, an improvement of 45.8 percent over his previous mark of 19.21, in addition to making his first official attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 25.87 to place sixth. Héctor Darío Muentes Muentes cut his 3x3x3 Cube best down by 41.4 percent, going from 31.31 to 18.36 seconds. Santiago Matias Guarnizo Alvarez lowered his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 37.4 percent to 4.00 seconds and logged his first official one-handed single at 22.66. Donovan Sander Suarez Tejena entered five events, slicing 35.8 percent off his Pyraminx personal best to reach 11.90 seconds.

First-time competitors and multi-event contenders continued to produce memorable milestones across the scorecards. Joaquin Alejandro Bastidas Tobar improved his 3x3x3 Cube best by 32.3 percent down to 9.55 seconds while securing sixth place in the 2x2x2 Cube. David Navarrete launched into his first official attempt in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 59.98, tackled his first 2x2x2 Cube attempt at 2.84, and improved his 3x3x3 Cube best to 14.20 seconds, which was 30.2 percent faster than his prior 20.34. Jorge Emiliano Ratto De Luca reached sixth place in Pyraminx with a personal best of 7.56 seconds and tried one-handed solving for the first time with a 48.59 single. Jorge Patricio Macias Palacios completed his first WCA competition by competing in three events, posting an 18.01 single in the 3x3x3 Cube, a 6.38 in the 2x2x2 Cube, and taking tenth in Pyraminx with an 8.75.

The larger puzzles and fast-paced sprints maintained the momentum in the main arena as speed cubing specialists battled through the brackets. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Caleb Salcedo Rivera captured his third event title of the tournament, locking down first place with a 37.86 average and a 33.30 single. Mateo Baruc Mero Benavides finished runner-up with a 45.28 average, while Mateo Keneth Toala Rios rounded out the top three with 50.23. The rapid 2x2x2 Cube saw Fernando Zevallos take top honors with a 3.17 average, ahead of Caleb Salcedo Rivera at 3.35 and Joao Crofford at 4.41.

The classic Rubik's Cube brought the schedule to an exciting conclusion through three intense rounds of play. In the final round of 3x3 results, Mateo Baruc Mero Benavides claimed victory by the thinnest of margins, averaging 9.52 seconds to edge Caleb Salcedo Rivera, who took second place with a 9.54 average. Sonner Cortez Ojeda finished third with a 10.52 average, while the best single solve of the entire discipline went to Mateo Baruc Mero Benavides at 8.57 seconds. Every podium step across the seven events was claimed by competitors from Ecuador, highlighting local talent across the board.

As the timers were packed away and the tables cleared at Apol Open Guayaquil 2024, the day stood as an impressive showcase of versatility and determination. The blend of seasoned podium contenders and rapidly improving entrants underscored the depth present in regional speedcubing circles. With numerous personal milestones achieved across a demanding program, participants left the venue with valuable experience to carry forward into future training sessions and the upcoming competitive season.