Cuenca Sigue Cubeando 2023

The competition floor at the Centro Comercial Millenium Plaza was filled with focused intensity as timers clicked and puzzle faces aligned across tables in Cuenca, Ecuador. Competitors gathered on October 28, 2023, for a high-stakes meeting of talent from across the area, setting up intense head-to-head battles across seven distinct disciplines. Cuenca Sigue Cubeando 2023 brought together 26 competitors who contested a total of 11 rounds, each vying for supremacy on the official tables in a test of precision and speed.

At the center of the weekend action was the classic Rubik's Cube, where local rivals pushed each other through three rounds of 3x3 results. Jorge Adrian Cambisaca Pillco emerged at the top of the standings, capturing the 3x3x3 Cube title with a decisive winning average of 11.46 seconds and a best single of 10.06 seconds. He held off strong challenges on the podium from Fabio Alejandro Clavijo Benalcazar, who took second place with a 13.96 average, and Carlos Mario Ortiz Alay, who earned third place with a 14.07 mark.

While Cambisaca secured the main event, Josué Ordóñez produced an overwhelming display across multiple disciplines at this cubing competition. Ordóñez claimed five distinct tournament victories, beginning with a triumph in the 4x4x4 Cube where he finished first with an average of 49.15 seconds and a single of 44.31 seconds. In that contest, he outpaced Pablo Sebastián Flores Peralta, who finished second with a 56.67 average, and Cambisaca, who placed third in 56.79 seconds. Ordóñez also took the Clock title with a 13.61 average, finishing ahead of Ronmel Fabian Tenezaca Rios and Ronny Morocho.

Ordóñez extended his dominance into the short-format and specialty events, capturing first place in Pyraminx with a 6.41 average ahead of Ortiz Alay and Flores Peralta. In Skewb, Ordóñez took gold with a 6.58 average, again leading Ortiz Alay, who posted an 8.40 average, and Tenezaca Rios. The 3x3x3 One-Handed event saw another decisive performance from Ordóñez, who won with a 22.03 average and a single of 20.44 seconds, while Morocho secured second place with 34.02 and Ortiz Alay placed third with 41.48.

The 2x2x2 Cube final provided one of the closest finishes of the entire WCA competition. Carlos Mario Ortiz Alay claimed the victory with a 4.47 winning average and a 3.61 single, edging out Ordóñez, who finished in second place with a 4.53 average, and Flores Peralta, who took third in 4.55 seconds. The battle on the 2x2x2 tables saw multiple competitors push their pace throughout the rounds, highlighting the sharp depth across the field during Cuenca Sigue Cubeando 2023.

Away from the top step of the podium, several participants delivered standout individual milestones and sharp reductions in their personal bests. Joaquin Alejandro Bastidas Tobar entered four events, posting a personal best of 4.40 seconds in the 2x2x2 Cube that was 52.8 percent faster than his previous mark, while making his first career attempts in Pyraminx with a 13.04 and 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:19.77. Pablo Alejandro Herrera Verdugo dropped his Pyraminx personal best by 48.8 percent to 5.53 seconds on his way to a fifth-place finish. José Isaac Manrique Galarza improved his 2x2x2 Cube best to 5.67 seconds, cutting 30.3 percent off his prior time.

The drive for improvement was evident across the roster as competitors tackled new challenges. Andrés David Granda Saquipay contested three events, shaving 18.5 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best with a 16.39 single, setting a 2x2x2 Cube best of 4.16, and reaching an 8th-place finish in 4x4x4 Cube with a personal best of 1:21.56. Christian Vanegas lowered his 3x3x3 Cube best by 17.7 percent to 16.60 seconds and logged a first official 2x2x2 Cube attempt of 7.23 seconds. Anthony Adrian Criollo Gordillo recorded a 15.7 percent cut in the 3x3x3 Cube to 13.19 seconds and finished 4th in 3x3x3 One-Handed, while Abiel Rosero took 4th in the 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 4.50 seconds. Isaac Rafael Curillo Muñoz secured 5th in Skewb during his first try at the puzzle with a 40.71 mark and improved his Pyraminx best to 9.86 seconds.

The single-day meet highlighted the steady evolution of local speedcubing talent, bringing together experienced finalists and rising challengers under one roof. Across every bracket, Ecuadorian competitors filled all 21 podium places available throughout the event. With fast solves across big cubes, side events, and short formats, Cuenca Sigue Cubeando 2023 concluded as an exciting demonstration of speed cubing skill that sets a high benchmark for future regional clashes.

As the equipment was packed away at Centro Comercial Millenium Plaza, the final tallies confirmed the balance of power established on the tables. Cambisaca stood tall in the main event, Ordóñez demonstrated remarkable versatility across five separate events, and Ortiz Alay claimed a hard-fought win on the 2x2x2 Cube. The competitive standards displayed in Cuenca reflect a community pushing its limits in every discipline as solvers look ahead to the next season of competition.