Big Time Manila 2025

Thirty competitors assembled at Sikat Inc. for Big Time Manila 2025, taking on a packed schedule of four challenging disciplines across ten rounds of action. Blindfolded solving and big puzzle mastery demand exceptional levels of concentration, requiring solvers to maintain intense mental discipline and spatial precision under strict competitive conditions. On February 2, 2025, in Quezon City, Philippines, the gathering brought together elite talents and dedicated enthusiasts for an intensive showcase of dexterity and focus.

While traditional 3x3 results often capture attention across the speedcubing circuit, this specialized WCA competition leaned heavily into high-order hardware alongside the quick-turning Clock event. China representative Anyu Zhang delivered a masterclass across the big puzzle category, capturing gold medals in every single multi-layered cube event on the schedule. With 28 competitors contesting the 5x5x5 Cube across three separate rounds, Zhang set the pace early and never relinquished control of the field.

In the 5x5x5 Cube final, Anyu Zhang captured top honors with a winning average of 49.99 seconds, backed by a best single of 46.23. The podium battle behind Zhang was fiercely contested by local favorites. Christian Naguio of the Philippines secured second place with an average of 52.96, edging out compatriot Jansen Alvarez who took third place in 53.20. The deep field demonstrated remarkable parity throughout the rounds, highlighting the growing technical depth in the region across complex Rubik's Cube variants.

Zhang extended that momentum directly into the 6x6x6 Cube, besting 27 competitors across three rounds with a winning average of 1:19.87 and an event-best single of 1:12.55. Korea representative Do Hyun Kwon claimed the second step on the podium with an average of 1:33.31, while Richmond Mico Rigor of the Philippines took third in 1:35.23. The sheer stamina required to manage the increased piece count of the six-layer puzzle proved decisive during the final round.

The 7x7x7 Cube marked the culmination of the big-cube triple crown, where 26 competitors battled through three rounds. Anyu Zhang once again prevailed, winning the event with a final average of 2:05.40 and a standout single of 2:03.49. Dale Palmares of the Philippines earned second place with an average of 2:16.96, followed closely by Do Hyun Kwon, who secured his second podium of the day for Korea with a mark of 2:18.09.

Beyond the podium standings at Big Time Manila 2025, numerous competitors achieved significant personal milestones across their events. Yusuke Suzuki of Japan took on four events, making a first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube with a time of 2:57.73 and a first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube in 4:15.11, while dropping their Clock personal best by 73.2 percent to 9.91. Archie G. Jamlan of the Philippines tackled four events, recording a first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube with a time of 4:20.62 and improving their 6x6x6 Cube personal best by 6.3 percent to 2:58.04.

Other competitors similarly delivered standout improvements across the board. Huisu Yu of Korea contested four events, earning an 8th-place finish in Clock while lowering their 6x6x6 Cube personal best by 32.1 percent to 1:57.41, cutting their 7x7x7 Cube mark by 6.6 percent to 3:23.01, and logging a 5x5x5 Cube best of 1:02.61. Youyong Kim of Korea registered an 18.1 percent improvement in 6x6x6 Cube with 1:58.67 and dropped their 7x7x7 Cube best by 5.6 percent to 3:38.04. Markus Wong of the Philippines improved their 7x7x7 Cube best by 15.1 percent to 4:25.86, and Dimetri De La Rea of the Philippines cut 15.3 percent off their 7x7x7 Cube best down to 4:04.47 alongside an 11.8 percent reduction in 6x6x6 Cube to 2:31.84.

The single-round Clock competition brought rapid-fire speed cubing to the venue, testing hand speed and mechanical precision across 22 competitors. Zoei Principe of the Philippines claimed victory with a winning average of 4.06 seconds and a blisteringly fast single of 2.50. Sota Nakamura of Japan followed in second place with an average of 5.75, while Yuji Yoshida of the Philippines rounded out the podium in third with an average of 5.98.

The final medal table saw host nation Philippines capture six total podium positions, with China earning three, Korea taking two, and Japan claiming one. Across ten rounds of dedicated competition, Big Time Manila 2025 highlighted the immense skill, endurance, and mental focus demanded by large-scale cube puzzles, concluding a memorable day of competitive solving in Quezon City.

Puno ng pananabik ang bulwagan sa Sikat Inc. habang naghahanda ang mga kalahok sa kani-kanilang mga lamesa. Umalingawngaw ang tunog ng mga umiikot na mekanismo sa buong lugar bago pa man opisyal na magsimula ang mga labanan sa Quezon City, Philippines noong February 2, 2025. Sa pagtitipong ito ng komunidad, tatlumpung kalahok ang nagtipon upang subukin ang kanilang bilis at galing sa ibat ibang kategorya ng Rubik's Cube.

Ang buong araw ng Big Time Manila 2025 ay nagtampok ng sampung rounds sa apat na opisyal na laro. Mula sa pinakamalaking mga puzzle hanggang sa mabilisang mekanikal na kaganapan, naging masikip ang labanan sa bawat yugto. Sa unang bahagi pa lamang ng iskedyul, nasaksihan agad ang mataas na antas ng husay ng mga lokal at dayuhang manlalaro na nagpakita ng kanilang dedikasyon sa naturang cubing competition.

Naging sentro ng tagumpay si Anyu Zhang ng China matapos niyang walisin ang tatlong pinakamalalaking kategorya sa paligsahan. Sa 5x5x5 Cube, nakuha ni Zhang ang unang puwesto tangan ang winning average na 49.99 matapos ang tatlong rounds ng matinding bakbakan laban sa 28 kalahok. Sumunod sa kanya si Christian Naguio ng Pilipinas na nagtala ng 52.96 para sa ikalawang puwesto, habang si Jansen Alvarez naman ng Pilipinas ang pumangatlo sa kanyang average na 53.20.

Ipinagpatuloy ni Anyu Zhang ang kanyang dominasyon sa pagdating ng 6x6x6 Cube kung saan nagrehistro siya ng winning average na 1:19.87 at best single na 1:12.55. Pumangalawa sa naturang dibisyon si Do Hyun Kwon ng Korea na nagsumite ng 1:33.31, habang pumangatlo ang pambato ng Pilipinas na si Richmond Mico Rigor na may 1:35.23 average. Ang tagumpay na ito ay nagpatunay ng solidong tikas ni Zhang sa mas matitinding hamon ng speedcubing.

Sa 7x7x7 Cube, muling umangat si Anyu Zhang upang kumpletuhin ang kanyang pambihirang sweep sa torneo. Nagtala siya ng winning average na 2:05.40 at best single na 2:03.49 laban sa 26 na katunggali. Naangkin ni Dale Palmares ng Pilipinas ang ikalawang puwesto sa kanyang 2:16.96, habang si Do Hyun Kwon ng Korea ang sumungkit ng ikatlong puwesto tangan ang 2:18.09 average. Sa kabilang banda, nagwagi naman si Zoei Principe ng Pilipinas sa nag-iisang round ng Clock matapos magtala ng winning average na 4.06 at best single na 2.50, kung saan pumangalawa si Sota Nakamura ng Japan sa 5.75 at pumangatlo si Yuji Yoshida ng Pilipinas sa 5.98.

Sa likod ng mga nagwagi sa podium, marami ring personal na tagumpay ang naitala sa WCA competition na ito. Ipinamalas ni Jihun Yang ang kahanga-hangang sigasig matapos sumabak sa apat na kaganapan at magtala ng bagong personal best sa 7x7x7 Cube na 3:51.05 na pitong porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa dati, bukod pa sa 2:26.23 sa 6x6x6 Cube na 3.4 porsyentong pagbuti. Nagpakitang-gilas din si Hiroyuki Iriyama na lumahok sa tatlong kategorya at nagtala ng personal best na 3:39.02 sa 7x7x7 Cube na 3.9 porsyentong mas matulin kaysa sa kanyang dating rekord.

Hindi rin nagpahuli si Yusuke Takada na nakapagtala ng personal best na 1:55.48 sa 6x6x6 Cube na 3.8 porsyentong pag-angat mula sa dati niyang tala. Sumabak naman si Carlos Joseph Ong sa apat na magkakaibang kaganapan kung saan nakapagtala siya ng mga bagong personal best na 2:02.18 sa 6x6x6 Cube at 3:35.15 sa 7x7x7 Cube. Samantala, buong husay na lumaban si Giovanni Sy sa apat na kategorya at nakuha ang ikalimang puwesto sa Clock, habang si Nicole Santos ay nagtapos bilang ikaapat sa naturang labanan sa Clock.

Nagtapos ang Big Time Manila 2025 na may kabuuang anim na podium finishes para sa Pilipinas, tatlo para sa China, dalawa para sa Korea, at isa para sa Japan. Ang matagumpay na paligsahang ito sa taong 2025 ay nagbigay-diin sa galing at tiyaga ng bawat manlalaro sa ibabaw ng entablado. Sa paglisan ng mga kalahok sa Sikat Inc., panibagong karanasan at mga bagong personal na tala ang kanilang baon patungo sa mga susunod pang laban sa kalendaryo.