Ciudad Crepuscular Lara 2024

A razor-thin margin of one single hundredth of a second decided the 3x3x3 One-Handed final, setting the tone for an intense and companionable day of speedcubing at C.C. Ciudad Crepuscular. Louis Rodriguez Guerrero captured the title with a 16.31 winning average, edging out Bernardo Torres who delivered a 16.32 mark across his five solves. That thrilling finish captured the collective energy of the entire room, where nineteen competitors gathered on October 26, 2024, to share tables, swap tips, and test their dexterity across multiple puzzle disciplines.

The gathering in Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela, officially known as Ciudad Crepuscular Lara 2024, brought the regional Rubik's Cube community together for six competitive rounds across four distinct categories. Beyond the race against the timer, the venue fostered continuous camaraderie as participants cheered for each other between rounds, scrambled puzzles, and traded solving approaches. Whether tackling big cubes or one-handed solving, the spirit across the staging tables remained supportive and focused throughout the single-day gathering.

In the flagship 3x3x3 Cube event, Bernardo Torres took top honors across three rounds of competition, posting a winning average of 9.18 in the final to seal the victory. Torres produced a best single of 6.60 during the contest, outlasting a competitive final group of nineteen entrants. Santiago David Paz Gutierrez secured second place on the podium with a 9.79 average, while Rafael Antonio Sanchez finished third with a 9.97 mark to complete an all-Venezuelan podium sweep.

The 3x3 results across the earlier rounds showcased exceptional depth and blistering personal marks from the top contenders. Rodriguez Guerrero posted a 6.13 single and a 7.86 average, while Torres registered a 6.18 single alongside an 8.80 average. Further down the field, Paz Gutierrez turned in a 9.31 single and 9.82 average, Sanchez logged a 10.14 single and 10.43 average, and Edgar Briceño broke into the sub-ten territory with a 9.81 single during his campaign.

Away from the main stage, the real heart of the cubing competition lived in the massive personal leaps made by dedicated solvers. Daniel Carrizalez enjoyed a stellar showing across four events, taking fourth place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a personal best of 16.20 that improved upon his prior mark by 72.8 percent, while also lowering his 3x3x3 Cube best to 11.04. Edgar Briceño also displayed remarkable progress across three events, cutting his 3x3x3 One-Handed best down to 20.83 for a 44.6 percent improvement and taking sixth place in 4x4x4 Cube with a 52.02 personal record. Dierry Jeesid Querales Bello took on all four events on the schedule, earning fourth place in 5x5x5 Cube with a debut attempt of 3:39.99 and cutting his one-handed best by 37.2 percent to 35.83. Rafael Arturo Lucena Vivas entered three events, achieving an eighth-place finish in 4x4x4 Cube with a first attempt of 1:05.34, taking his first crack at one-handed with 30.10, and dropping his 3x3x3 Cube best by 27.9 percent to 15.78.

The day also welcomed several new faces making their official debut at a WCA competition. Jesus Torrez stepped up to the tables across three events, recording a best finish of ninth place in 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:23.14 debut time alongside maiden attempts in one-handed with 37.45 and the classic 3x3 with 19.46. Jhonnel Carrizalez contested three events, finishing fifth in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 16.05 debut while posting an 11.97 first attempt in 3x3 and 1:01.18 in 4x4. Joselyn Valeria Sivira Orellana completed her first official 3x3x3 Cube attempt in 20.46, and Sebastián Ávila Ocampo posted a solid 24.88 in his introductory 3x3 appearance to celebrate his first official solves.

Big cube events expanded the scope of Ciudad Crepuscular Lara 2024, requiring deep algorithmic mastery and endurance. In the 4x4x4 Cube event, which drew eleven participants, Rodriguez Guerrero took his second gold of the day by averaging 30.12, highlighted by a fastest single solve of 27.63. Torres took the runner-up spot with an average of 32.96, while Sanchez rounded out the top three with an average of 47.56.

The 5x5x5 Cube event closed out the multi-layered puzzle program with five dedicated solvers reaching the final round. Rodriguez Guerrero completed a dominant triple-crown across the specialty categories, winning the event with an average of 53.89 and an impressive single solve of 42.51. Torres finished second with an average of 58.76, while Carlos Gonzalez earned third place on the podium with an average of 1:44.57.

As the timers were packed away and the tables cleared at Ciudad Crepuscular Lara 2024, the Venezuelan speed cubing community celebrated a day defined by mutual support and competitive milestones. With all twelve podium positions claimed by domestic solvers across four events, the gathering reinforced the enduring bonds and growing talent across the region heading into the upcoming competition calendar.