Cavite Speedcubing Open VIII 2024

The competitive calendar reached an intense mid-year stretch as competitors gathered inside SM City Trece Martires on June 23, 2024. The venue hummed with focused energy across thirteen rounds of action as timers clicked and puzzle faces turned at blistering rates. Speedcubing enthusiasts from across the region traveled to Trece Martires City, Cavite, Philippines, eager to test their form in a pivotal mid-season cubing competition that drew 74 competitors battling across seven distinct events.

The centerpiece 3x3x3 Cube contest delivered the tightest finish of the entire WCA competition. Brenton Angelo Lo Wong captured the title with a 6.40 winning average and a single of 5.59, edging out Sean Patrick Villanueva who finished second with an average of 6.41. Toby Litiatco secured third place on the podium with a 7.29 average. The classic Rubik's Cube main event featured the full 74-competitor field across two intense stages, setting a high standard for the entire day of speed cubing.

Lo Wong maintained his strong momentum throughout the weekend by securing a second victory in the 4x4x4 Cube. He topped the 39-competitor field over two rounds with a 29.60 average, supported by a 25.67 best single. Richmond Mico Rigor pushed hard to take second place with a 30.11 mark, while Dale Palmares completed the podium in third at 33.80. Lo Wong also added podium finishes across other events, finishing as runner-up in both the 2x2x2 Cube and Megaminx, and taking third in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

The 2x2x2 Cube saw Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes rise to the top of a 63-player bracket. Magallanes posted a decisive 2.13 average in the finals, holding off Lo Wong's 2.38 and Litiatco's 2.56. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed division, Sean Patrick Villanueva took the title over 39 competitors with a 9.55 average and a 7.35 single. Crimson Arradaza earned the second spot at 10.24, followed by Lo Wong at 12.87. Nigeria's Ayooluwa Samuel Dada clinched the Megaminx crown with a 48.18 average, ahead of Lo Wong's 49.74 and Francis Yuel B. Merced's 53.50.

Zoei Principe claimed the Clock event with a 3.90 winning average and a 3.22 single across two rounds of 30 competitors, leading Yuji Yoshida at 5.80 and Elijah Francis Jagonio at 5.94. In Skewb, Ayra Aiesha N. Negrillo took first place in a direct single-round final of 38 competitors with a 4.18 average and 3.55 single, besting Yoshida's 5.82 and Iya Franzene L. Hufancia's 6.00. Across all podium placements, the home nation took 20 spots, while Nigeria claimed one.

Away from the top podium steps, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones that underlined the depth of the field. Rachel Tatad contested five events and delivered a massive leap on the 3x3x3 Cube, recording a personal best of 14.02 that was 47.7 percent faster than her prior 26.82, alongside a 32.8 percent Skewb personal best of 7.60 and a first ever 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 2:27.19. Denver Janry M. Mendoza took 10th in 3x3x3 One-Handed, logged a Skewb debut of 6.50, and chopped 33.8 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best to reach 6.58. Anne Gwyneth P. Villaseran entered six events, improving her 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 40.1 percent to 3.41 while recording first attempts in Clock at 10.55 and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:07.63. Xian Brave Gan achieved a 29.3 percent 2x2x2 Cube improvement to 7.16 and made a Skewb debut of 17.32.

The progression continued with Jairo Daniel Importante, who posted a first ever 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt of 45.16, improved his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 20 percent to 11.45, and finished 28th in Skewb. Neil Joseph D. Prudencio tackled six events, achieving first attempts in Megaminx at 1:32.35 and Skewb at 9.70, while lowering his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 14.5 percent to 7.93. Darren Floyd Dilidili earned a 9th-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 16.46 personal best and put up his first 4x4x4 Cube attempt at 45.19. Karl Aaron P. Ilano completed six events, placing 8th in 3x3x3 Cube, posting a Clock personal best of 10.23, a 4x4x4 Cube best of 36.39, and a first Megaminx attempt of 2:07.17.

The Cavite Speedcubing Open VIII 2024 wrapped up with memorable 3x3 results and personal milestones across the board. The single-day tournament highlighted the competitive vitality of the region as competitors fine-tuned their skills heading into the second half of the year. With dominant performances at the top and significant personal growth through every tier of the standings, the event set an exceptional standard for the ongoing competitive season.

Pitumpu't apat na kalahok ang nagtipon sa SM City Trece Martires para sa matinding labanan sa bilis at talas ng isip sa Cavite Speedcubing Open VIII 2024. Sa loob ng 13 rounds at pitong magkakahiwalay na kategorya noong June 23, 2024, naging sentro ng aksyon ang Trece Martires City, Cavite, Philippines para sa prestihiyosong torneo. Bawat solve ay may kaakibat na malaking presyur dahil nakataya ang mga titulo sa isang araw na punong-puno ng tensyon sa pagitan ng mga pinakamahuhusay na cuber sa bansa.

Sa pangunahing kategorya ng 3x3x3 Cube, naging dikit ang bakbakan sa pagitan ng mga nangungunang pambato sa speedcubing. Nakamit ni Brenton Angelo Lo Wong ang kampeonato sa pamamagitan ng winning average na 6.40, kung saan naitala rin niya ang pinakamabilis na best single na 5.59 sa 74 competitors. Napunta ang ikalawang puwesto kay Sean Patrick Villanueva na nagtala ng 6.41 average, habang pumangatlo naman si Toby Litiatco na may 7.29 average sa nasabing final round.

Hindi nagpaawat si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa kanyang kampanya dahil nasungkit din niya ang unang puwesto sa 4x4x4 Cube. Nagtala siya ng winning average na 29.60 at best single na 25.67 sa 39 competitors upang pangunahan ang naturang laban. Sumunod sa kanya sa podium sina Richmond Mico Rigor na may 30.11 average para sa ikalawang puwesto, at Dale Palmares na nakakuha ng ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 33.80 average.

Sa kategoryang 3x3x3 One-Handed sa Cavite Speedcubing Open VIII 2024, ipinamalas ni Sean Patrick Villanueva ang kanyang galing matapos dominahin ang 39 competitors gamit ang winning average na 9.55 at best single na 7.35. Pumangalawa sa naturang laban si Crimson Arradaza na nagsumite ng 10.24 average, habang si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong naman ang pumangatlo sa kanyang 12.87 average. Ipinakita sa labanang ito ang mataas na antas ng kontrol sa paglutas ng Rubik's Cube gamit lamang ang isang kamay.

Sa iba pang kaganapan sa cubing competition, nagwagi si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes sa 2x2x2 Cube tangan ang 2.13 winning average laban sa 63 kalahok, habang pumangalawa si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa 2.38 at pumangatlo si Toby Litiatco sa 2.56. Sa Clock, nagreyna si Zoei Principe na may 3.90 winning average at 3.22 best single sa 30 competitors, kasunod sina Yuji Yoshida sa 5.80 at Elijah Francis Jagonio sa 5.94. Nagwagi naman si Ayra Aiesha N. Negrillo sa Skewb sa bilis na 4.18 average laban sa 38 competitors, kung saan pumangalawa si Yuji Yoshida sa 5.82 at pumangatlo si Iya Franzene L. Hufancia sa 6.00.

Nagpakitang-gilas din ang dayuhang kalahok sa Megaminx kung saan nagwagi si Ayooluwa Samuel Dada mula sa Nigeria na nagrehistro ng 48.18 winning average laban sa 18 competitors. Pumangalawa si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa kanyang 49.74 average, samantalang nakuha ni Francis Yuel B. Merced ang ikatlong puwesto sa 53.50. Sa pangkalahatan, nakalikom ang Pilipinas ng 20 podium finishes habang ang Nigeria ay nagkaroon ng isa sa kabuuang resulta ng torneo.

Sa likod ng mga labanan sa podium, marami ring indibidwal na tagumpay ang naitala sa opisyal na WCA competition na ito. Malaking pag-angat ang ipinamalas ni Elian Miguel L. Tawingan na sumali sa 2 events at nagtala ng 2x2x2 Cube personal best na 2.91, na 40.2 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa dati niyang 4.87. Si Brent Miguelle Loyola ay sumabak sa 4 events at nakapagtala ng 33rd place finish sa Skewb, bukod pa sa mga bagong personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 14.18 mula 21.00, Skewb na 7.73 mula 10.91, at 3x3x3 One-Handed na 43.81 mula 54.47. Nagtala rin si Alec Zamiel Cruz ng kanyang unang opisyal na tangka sa Clock na may 22.66 kasabay ng bagong personal best sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 49.43, habang si River Misashi Ornido ay nakamit ang ika-30 puwesto sa Skewb at nagsumite ng personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 19.48 at 3x3x3 One-Handed na 1:04.03.

Naging mahalagang entablado rin ang araw para sa mga bagong salang na kalahok na sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang opisyal na torneo. Si Jaren Matthew Pascua ay lumahok sa 4 events at nakuha ang ika-38 puwesto sa Skewb kasabay ng mga unang marka sa 2x2x2 Cube na 22.08, 3x3x3 Cube na 51.19, at Megaminx na 6:19.52. Matagumpay namang hinarap ni Jeof Zyvehr I. Dela Virgen ang 3 events sa pamamagitan ng mga unang tala sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 41.69, 2x2x2 Cube na 4.86, at 3x3x3 Cube na 16.00. Sumabak din si John Hosea M. Pizarro sa 3 events at nagtala ng 22.11 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 1:20.80 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, at 7.92 sa 2x2x2 Cube, habang si Stephen Ken Asis ay kumatawan sa 2 events na may 40.45 sa 3x3x3 Cube at 11.43 sa 2x2x2 Cube.

Nagtapos ang Cavite Speedcubing Open VIII 2024 na nag-iwan ng matitinding marka at panibagong karanasan sa lahat ng mga lumahok. Ang buong serye ng labanan sa Trece Martires ngayong taong 2024 ay nagpatunay sa lumalawak na talento sa iba't ibang kategorya ng puzzle sa bansa, patungo sa susunod na yugto ng mga pambansang paligsahan.