Bacolod Big Cubes 2024

Ace Christian C. Wong delivered a sensational performance in the 2x2x2 Cube final, posting a winning average of 1.75 seconds alongside a best single of 1.62 seconds to set the tone for an electric weekend. Hosted at City Mall Mandalagan on June 1 and June 2, the Bacolod Big Cubes 2024 brought together 48 competitors for two days of intense speedcubing across 10 distinct events and 19 competitive rounds. The high-energy gathering in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines, showcased immense personal growth across every division, giving both veteran contenders and rising talents a stage to push their limits in this 2024 WCA competition.

Beyond the blistering 2x2x2 Cube display, Wong proved unbeatable in the classic 3x3x3 Cube event, claiming the gold with an average of 8.20 seconds and a top single of 7.78 seconds. In a field of 46 competitors tackling the traditional Rubik's Cube across two demanding rounds, Wong held off Miguel Gonzaga, who took second place with a 9.12 average, while Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. rounded out the podium in third at 9.83 seconds. The high-caliber 3x3 results demonstrated the incredible sharpness of the country top solvers, setting a benchmark for precision and control under tournament pressure.

The larger puzzle events were utterly dominated by Anyu Zhang, who claimed a sweep of victories spanning four consecutive cube categories. Zhang captured the 4x4x4 Cube crown with an average of 32.37 seconds, narrowly edging out Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr., who finished second with an average of 32.43 seconds, and Miguel Gonzaga, who secured third place at 33.70 seconds. Moving to the 5x5x5 Cube, Zhang stood atop the podium with a winning mark of 51.80 seconds, finishing ahead of Korea MinGwan Yeo, who posted a 56.91 average, and Aguirre Jr., who placed third in 57.09 seconds.

Zhang extended this remarkable superiority into the heaviest puzzles of the weekend, securing first place in both the 6x6x6 Cube and 7x7x7 Cube. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Zhang registered an average of 1:22.68 with a single solve of 1:19.82, leaving Gonzaga in second place at 1:52.58 and Brian Acuña in third with 1:55.36. The 7x7x7 Cube final saw Zhang triumph again with a winning average of 1:59.68 and a single of 1:55.88, while Gonzaga earned another silver with a 2:46.86 average and Aguirre Jr. took bronze in 2:59.97, capping an extraordinary showcase of big cube endurance.

Away from the top of the podium, the true pulse of the speed cubing weekend was felt in the extraordinary personal breakthroughs recorded throughout the field. Asher Jess B. Baluya took down personal milestones in remarkable fashion, trimming their previous Skewb best by 69 percent down to 6.31 seconds and cutting their 2x2x2 Cube mark by 34.3 percent to 4.72 seconds. Generoso L. Secreto III took on a demanding schedule of 10 events, logging a first ever attempt at the 6x6x6 Cube of 5:27.58 while improving their 5x5x5 Cube best by 39.6 percent to 3:16.72 and dropping their Clock record by 32.5 percent to 17.62 seconds. Inigo Miguel D. Mercado delivered first career attempts in Skewb at 15.18 seconds and the 3x3x3 Cube at 27.51 seconds, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 4.46 seconds, which was 41.4 percent faster than before.

That momentum continued with Railee Diocampo, who completed a first official attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube in 1:28.36, lowered their Skewb mark by 41.7 percent to 4.32 seconds, and trimmed their 3x3x3 Cube best to 14.85 seconds. Rhea Blair O. Dulman registered first-time efforts in both the 3x3x3 Cube at 40.62 seconds and the Megaminx at 2:15.96, while achieving a Skewb personal best of 4.30 seconds, an improvement of 32.2 percent. Miguel Salde recorded first attempts in Pyraminx at 10.97 seconds and Skewb at 12.65 seconds, alongside a 14.1 percent drop in the 3x3x3 Cube to 22.54 seconds. Ken Erick A. Caceres logged initial competition solves in Pyraminx at 12.36 seconds and Skewb at 9.38 seconds while lowering their 3x3x3 Cube standard by 19.2 percent to 13.70 seconds. Ianne Theodore D. Pastera took on eight events, highlighted by a fourth place finish in Pyraminx, a first 5x5x5 Cube solve of 2:24.50, and personal bests of 10.62 seconds in Clock and 1:59.75 in Megaminx.

Side events offered thrilling action across the board, beginning with Mars Daniel Kudemus taking double gold. Kudemus won the Pyraminx title with an average of 2.57 seconds, and later claimed the Clock division with an average of 7.90 seconds, holding off Aguirre Jr. in second at 8.13 seconds and Chrisgel G. Tubianosa in third at 8.49 seconds. In the Skewb final, Kirby Jay Caragan emerged victorious with a 4.30-second average, fueled by a single solve of 2.19 seconds. The Megaminx event saw Andrew Thomas Salazar Pacilan secure top honors with an average of 47.79 seconds, defeating Zhang, who took second in 51.37 seconds, and Aguirre Jr., who placed third in 51.78 seconds.

When the final timers were stopped, competitors from the Philippines had secured 24 podium placements, accompanied by five from China and one from Korea. From Wong double sprint triumphs to Zhang masterclass across the big cubes and the dozens of personal milestones achieved down the order, the Bacolod Big Cubes 2024 stood as a testament to dedication and steady progression across the cubing competition landscape as solvers look ahead to the next stage of the competitive calendar.

Umapaw ang enerhiya at sigla sa loob ng City Mall Mandalagan habang nagtitipon ang mga kalahok at tagasubaybay sa Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines nitong Hunyo 1 hanggang Hunyo 2, 2024. Sa bawat paglapag ng mga kamay sa timer at mabilis na pag-ikot ng mga layer, naging sentro ng aksyon ang venue para sa dalawang araw ng puspusang laro. Sa kabuuan, 48 kalahok ang nagtagisan sa 10 magkakaibang kaganapan na binubuo ng 19 na rounds, kung saan ipinamalas ng bawat delegado ang kanilang husay at bilis sa paglutas ng iba-ibang puzzle.

Naging maningning ang buong paligsahan para sa mga pambato ng Pilipinas matapos nilang hakutin ang 24 sa kabuuang 30 puwesto sa podium. Sa pangunahing kaganapan ng 3x3x3 Cube, naghari si Ace Christian C. Wong sa pamamagitan ng winning average na 8.20 at best single na 7.78 sa gitna ng 46 competitors sa 2 rounds. Kasunod niya sa podium ang kanyang mga kababayan, kung saan sumegunda si Miguel Gonzaga na nagtala ng 9.12 average at pumangatlo naman si Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. na may 9.83 average upang makumpleto ang isang pambansang sweep.

Hindi rin nagpaawat si Ace Christian C. Wong sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan nasungkit niya ang isa pang tagumpay tangan ang winning average na 1.75 at pinakamabilis na solusyon na 1.62 laban sa 39 na katunggali. Tulad sa pangunahing kategorya, winalis muli ng Pilipinas ang podium sa nasabing puzzle. Pumangalawa si Aaron Josh C. Wong na nagsumite ng 2.66 average, samantalang nakuha muli ni Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. ang ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 2.69 average sa isang napakabilis na tapatan.

Sa mga mas malalaking kaganapan sa Bacolod Big Cubes 2024, nagpakita naman ng pambihirang galing ang internasyonal na manlalaro mula sa China na si Anyu Zhang (张安宇) na humakot ng apat na gintong medalya. Nagwagi si Zhang sa 4x4x4 Cube matapos magtala ng 32.37 average, na sinundan nina Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. na may 32.43 at Miguel Gonzaga na may 33.70. Nakuha rin ni Zhang ang unang puwesto sa 5x5x5 Cube sa bilis na 51.80, kung saan pumangalawa si MinGwan Yeo (여민관) mula sa Korea sa 56.91 at pumangatlo si Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. sa 57.09.

Ipinagpatuloy ni Anyu Zhang (张安宇) ang kanyang pananalasa sa pamamagitan ng pagwawagi sa 6x6x6 Cube na may average na 1:22.68 laban kina Miguel Gonzaga na may 1:52.58 at Brian Acuña na may 1:55.36. Nagtapos din si Zhang bilang kampeon sa 7x7x7 Cube tangan ang 1:59.68, kung saan muling sumunod sina Miguel Gonzaga na may 2:46.86 at Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. na may 2:59.97. Sa Megaminx naman, naagaw ng Pilipinas ang tagumpay nang manguna si Andrew Thomas Salazar Pacilan sa average na 47.79 laban sa 51.37 ni Zhang at 51.78 ni Aguirre Jr.

Sa iba pang kategorya, nagpasiklab si Mars Daniel Kudemus na nagkampeon sa Pyraminx tangan ang 2.57 average laban sa 29 na kalahok, at nagwagi rin sa Clock sa pamamagitan ng 7.90 average kung saan pumangalawa si Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. sa 8.13 at Chrisgel G. Tubianosa sa 8.49. Samantala, pinangunahan naman ni Kirby Jay Caragan ang Skewb matapos magtala ng winning average na 4.30 at best single na 2.19 laban sa 23 iba pang manlalaro, na nagpatunay sa malawak na talento ng mga Pilipinong manlalaro sa speedcubing.

Sa likod ng mga labanan para sa medalya, marami ring kalahok ang nagtala ng mahahalagang tagumpay sa kanilang sariling mga marka. Si Alfonso Gabriel Gavan, na sumabak sa 3 events, ay nagtala ng personal best sa Pyraminx na 5.73 na 34.1 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa kanyang dating 8.70, bukod sa kanyang unang subok sa Clock na may 13.65 at Skewb na may 5.61. Si Nathan Garrido ay nagtala naman ng 13.56 sa Skewb na 33 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dati niyang 20.25 at 15.31 sa 3x3x3 Cube, habang si Elizer James G. Buro ay nakapagtala ng unang subok sa 4x4x4 Cube na may 1:23.76 at nagsumite ng 5.05 personal best sa Pyraminx na 24.9 porsyentong pag-angat mula sa 6.72. Si Mikael Lagon ay sumabak sa apat na kaganapan at nagrehistro ng unang subok sa 5x5x5 Cube sa bilis na 1:46.04 kasabay ng 51.31 personal best sa 4x4x4 Cube na 12 porsyentong mas mabilis.

Naging espesyal din ang paligsahan para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Si Jesse Thaddaues R. Capindo ay lumahok sa tatlong kaganapan at nagtala ng kanyang mga unang subok na 12.31 sa Pyraminx, 26.47 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 9.32 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Gayundin si Vince Louie P. Chua na humarap sa tatlong events at nagtala ng 16.71 sa Pyraminx, 10.40 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 33.87 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Samantala, nagtala naman si Uri Llarah Maxine M. Zarsuelo ng 20.86 sa kanyang unang subok sa 3x3x3 Cube upang makuha ang ika-31 puwesto, at si Anton Martin Abad ay nagrehistro ng 21.24 sa kanyang unang pagtangka sa Pyraminx upang magtapos sa ika-28 puwesto.

Ang tagumpay ng Bacolod Big Cubes 2024 ay nag-iwan ng magandang alaala sa bawat manlalaro na humawak ng Rubik's Cube sa City Mall Mandalagan. Sa pagtatapos ng 19 rounds ng matinding kompetisyon, pinatunayan ng mga kalahok ang kanilang dedikasyon sa pagsasanay at pagpapahusay ng sariling kakayahan. Sa pagtitipon ng mga beterano at mga baguhan sa entablado ng cubing competition, nagtapos ang katapusan ng linggo na may matibay na pundasyon para sa mas marami pang tagumpay sa susunod na panahon ng palakasan.