Cebu New Year Open 2026

The open commercial atrium of Banilad Town Centre served as the bustling gathering point for speedcubing enthusiasts as the calendar flipped forward. Across the weekend of January 3 to January 4, 2026, the retail floor filled with timing mats, display timers, and inspection hoods, drawing a field of 75 competitors and dozens of spectators into a shared, focused arena. The venue provided a bright, lively backdrop in Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines, where the steady clatter of turning plastic resonated throughout the halls across 16 total rounds of play.

The Cebu New Year Open 2026 launched the new calendar year with intense activity across 10 official events. Long lines formed at the registration and queuing tables as participants prepared their puzzles, applied lubricant, and dialed in their tensions under the venue lights. The format tested solvers across standard puzzles, side variants, and specialty challenges, turning the busy commercial space into a full-scale arena where every turn of the classic Rubik's Cube was tracked on the official clock.

Leo Borromeo delivered a commanding showing in the premier events, securing four separate tournament victories across the weekend. In the main 3x3x3 Cube contest, which featured the full 75-competitor roster over three rounds, Borromeo topped the standings with a winning average of 6.56 seconds and logged the event best single solve at 5.77 seconds. Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes finished runner-up with an 8.63 average, while Caleb Valenzuela took the third podium spot with an 8.65 mark, highlighting the high standard of the 3x3 results.

Beyond the main event, Borromeo proved unstoppable across the big cubes and the one-handed discipline. In 4x4x4 Cube, Borromeo locked up first place with a 22.23 average, followed by Miguel Gonzaga in second at 31.08 and Jansen Alvarez in third at 32.80. Borromeo also claimed the 5x5x5 Cube crown with a 55.97 winning average, besting Alvarez at 58.43 and Gonzaga at 1:00.94. The 3x3x3 One-Handed final saw Borromeo capture his fourth title with an 11.48 average, outpacing Magallanes at 13.49 and Gonzaga at 15.97.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors made substantial progress on their personal records during the competition. Stephanie Amber Torrejos tackled four events and achieved dramatic improvements, cutting her 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 7.75 seconds to mark a 55.8 percent drop, while taking her 3x3x3 Cube time to 37.56 seconds and her Pyraminx mark to 13.91 seconds. Jayden Lavares recorded a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.80 single and lowered his 3x3x3 Cube best to 15.29 seconds, which was 42.3 percent faster than his prior standard. Rheana Antonia G. Blance took 13th in Clock and dropped her 3x3x3 Cube best by 53.4 percent to 46.85 seconds.

Other solvers expanded their repertoires with fresh disciplines and steep time cuts across the boards. Zaidan Zabala entered four events, logged a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with a 1:39.95 single, improved his 2x2x2 Cube best by 45.2 percent to 3.28 seconds, and cut his 4x4x4 Cube mark to 51.57 seconds. Denver Cal earned a best finish of 5th in Pyraminx with a 4.35 mark that was 31.3 percent faster, logged a first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 19.07 seconds, and reduced his 2x2x2 Cube best to 4.55 seconds. Donde Christian Elum placed 18th in One-Handed while dropping his mark by 49.6 percent to 26.06 seconds and improving his 3x3x3 Cube best to 9.73 seconds. Gregg Alfred Tuñacao logged a first One-Handed attempt of 25.90 seconds and personal bests of 5.61 in 2x2x2 Cube and 12.46 in 3x3x3 Cube. Eduardo Lofranco Jr. registered first ever attempts in One-Handed at 27.90 seconds and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:24.89, while cutting his 3x3x3 Cube best to 11.29 seconds.

The short-format puzzles brought sharp, rapid turnarounds to the solving stations. In 2x2x2 Cube, Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes claimed the title with a 2.15 winning average, leading Caleb Valenzuela at 2.40 and Luke Dawson Chik at 3.00. The Pyraminx event went to Jansen Alvarez, who registered a 2.50 average to top the 27-person field, while Kirby Jay Caragan secured victory in Skewb with a 3.79 average across two competitive rounds.

Specialty disciplines rounded out the weekend schedule at Banilad Town Centre. Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado earned top honours in Clock with a 6.41 winning average, finishing ahead of Miguel Gonzaga at 7.60 and Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes at 7.70. Jose Polorhenzo Aquino produced an 8.70 average to take the Square-1 crown over Jansen Alvarez at 15.84 and Gonzaga at 18.03. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded division, which demands total memorisation and execution under a blindfold, Brian Acuña won with a best single time of 45.17 seconds, clear of Hilado at 1:20.49 and Jasper Lee Marbella at 3:33.99.

Across all ten categories, competitors representing the Philippines swept all 30 available podium placements. The weekend served as a comprehensive speed cubing showcase, giving local competitors the opportunity to test their skills in an energetic public setting. As the tables were packed down and the timing mats cleared away, the Cebu New Year Open 2026 concluded having delivered a dynamic opening weekend of competitive play for the local community.

May kabuuang 75 na kalahok ang nagtipon sa Banilad Town Centre sa Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines upang simulan ang taon sa Cebu New Year Open 2026. Mula Enero 3 hanggang 4, 2026, sumabak ang komunidad sa 16 na round sa loob ng 10 magkakaibang larangan. Para sa marami, ang pagsisimula sa isang opisyal na WCA competition ay nagdala ng kakaibang sigla sa speedcubing entablado, kung saan ang bawat pag-ikot ng Rubik's Cube ay may kaakibat na bagong karanasan at mga personal na marka.

Ang pangunahing entablado ng 3x3x3 Cube ay pinangunahan ni Leo Borromeo, na nagtala ng pambihirang winning average na 6.56 at best single na 5.77 matapos ang tatlong round ng labanan. Pumangalawa si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na nagtala ng average na 8.63, habang pumangatlo si Caleb Valenzuela na may 8.65. Ipinamalas ng mga manlalaro ang kanilang husay sa pinakapopular na kategorya ng torneo, na nagbigay ng kapana-panabik na simula para sa buong kaganapan sa lungsod.

Hindi lamang sa iisang dibisyon nanguna si Leo Borromeo sa Cebu New Year Open 2026 dahil nasungkit din niya ang unang puwesto sa tatlo pang kategorya. Sa 4x4x4 Cube, nagwagi siya gamit ang 22.23 average laban kina Miguel Gonzaga na may 31.08 at Jansen Alvarez na may 32.80. Sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, naghari muli si Borromeo sa bilis na 11.48 average, kasunod sina Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na may 13.49 at Miguel Gonzaga na may 15.97. Napanalunan din niya ang 5x5x5 Cube sa average na 55.97 laban kina Jansen Alvarez na may 58.43 at Miguel Gonzaga na may 1:00.94.

Sa mas maliliit at natatanging mga puzzle, nagpakitang-gilas si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes sa 2x2x2 Cube matapos magtala ng winning average na 2.15 upang talunin sina Caleb Valenzuela na may 2.40 at Luke Dawson Chik na may 3.00. Sa Clock, nanguna si Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado na may 6.41 average, habang pumangalawa si Miguel Gonzaga sa 7.60 at pumangatlo si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes sa 7.70. Sa Square-1, si Jose Polorhenzo Aquino ang nagwagi sa bilis na 8.70 average laban kina Jansen Alvarez na may 15.84 at Miguel Gonzaga na may 18.03.

Maraming magagandang kwento ang nabuo sa likod ng mga numero sa Cebu New Year Open 2026 sa pamamagitan ng mga bagong mukha at sumusubok ng mga bagong kategorya. Si Bien Dranreb Gablines ay sumabak sa 9 na dibisyon at nagtala ng 11.02 personal best sa Clock na 32.4 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa dati, bukod sa 4th place sa Square-1. Si Nathan Daniel Chik ay lumaban sa 8 dibisyon, gumawa ng unang subok sa 5x5x5 Cube sa oras na 1:58.50, at nagtala ng 49.53 personal best sa 4x4x4 Cube na 16.5 porsyentong mas mabilis. Si Harry Jacalan Delantes ay sumabak sa 4 na kategorya kasama ang unang subok sa Skewb sa 8.02 at 10.73 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 15 porsyentong mas mabilis.

Ipinagpatuloy ng iba pang manlalaro ang kanilang magagandang simula sa torneo. Si Dan Eliezer R. Jakosalem ay nagtala ng 4th place sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded at unang subok sa 4x4x4 Cube sa oras na 48.79. Sa kanilang unang sabak sa opisyal na cubing competition, si Cris Rodolfo D. Yu ay pumasok sa 4 na dibisyon at nagtala ng 14.18 sa 3x3x3 Cube, si Ciao Eironimo A. Lopez ay nagtapos sa ika-21 puwesto sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa oras na 28.03 at may 4.14 sa 2x2x2 Cube, si Rain Azriel Cayapas ay nagtala ng 11.95 sa Pyraminx at 28.85 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at si Zildjian Nathanael M. Castillo ay nagrehistro ng 5.05 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 16.62 sa 3x3x3 Cube.

Sa iba pang larangan, nagtagumpay si Jansen Alvarez sa Pyraminx nang magtala ng winning average na 2.50 at best single na 1.58. Sa Skewb, nakuha ni Kirby Jay Caragan ang unang puwesto sa average na 3.79 at best single na 2.85. Sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded, kung saan kailangan ang matinding memorya at pagsasaulo nang nakapiring, nagwagi si Brian Acuña gamit ang best single na 45.17, habang pumangalawa si Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado na may 1:20.49 at pumangatlo si Jasper Lee Marbella na may 3:33.99.

Nagtapos ang buong weekend na may 30 kabuuang podium finishes para sa Pilipinas, patunay sa malalim na talento sa rehiyon. Mula sa mga batikang kampeon hanggang sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang opisyal na round, naging matagumpay ang Cebu New Year Open 2026 bilang pambungad sa bagong taon ng palakasan.