Dare to DR Rizal 2025

The morning air inside the Area 3 Phase 7 Covered Court and Function Hall was filled with the rhythmic click and snap of plastic as solvers warmed up their fingers. Tables across the hall were lined with timers, mats, and an assortment of geometric puzzles ready for official inspection. Competitors gathered in the Municipality of Cainta, Rizal, Philippines on September 28, 2025, for a day dedicated to testing precision, memory, and raw turning speed across a demanding eight-event schedule.

The rapid improvement of emerging talent took center stage throughout Dare to DR Rizal 2025, where a tight-knit field of 26 competitors tackled nine rounds of action. Speedcubing across the region continues to see athletes lowering their completion times at an astonishing rate. From standard Rubik's Cube speed solves to complex blindfolded attempts, the single-day WCA competition showcased how swiftly modern solvers are refining their technique and slicing critical seconds off their personal marks.

In the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, Robbie Villarica delivered a commanding performance to secure the top step of the podium. Across the single round featuring 24 contenders, Villarica assembled a winning average of 7.88 seconds, bolstered by a best single solve of 7.31 seconds. Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc earned the runner-up position with an average of 8.95 seconds, while Dale Palmares took third place with a mark of 10.08 seconds, rounding out a quality set of 3x3 results.

Beyond the main event, Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc demonstrated remarkable versatility across the larger puzzles. Palisoc captured gold in the 5x5x5 Cube with a 43.51 average, outpacing Mark Aeron Santos who finished second in 54.53 and Robbie Villarica in third with 54.87. Palisoc returned to claim victory in the 7x7x7 Cube, recording a winning average of 2:10.90 across two rounds of play, ahead of Dale Palmares in second at 2:19.51 and Yuji Yoshida in third at 2:52.60.

Away from the top steps of the podium, significant milestones and massive personal bests defined the character of the cubing competition. Ma. Cecilia Villaruz delivered one of the weekend's most striking breakthroughs by dropping her 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 20.87 seconds, an improvement of 63.2 percent from her previous mark of 56.68, alongside making a first career attempt in Pyraminx with 22.59. Nythan Clark Orozco tackled three separate events, cutting his Skewb personal best by 54.6 percent down to 15.48 seconds to take 12th place, while also completing first-ever official attempts in 3x3x3 Cube at 42.46 and 5x5x5 Cube at 4:23.64.

That same drive was evident across multiple disciplines as solvers expanded their competitive repertoires. Elyjah Andres took on four events, making first-ever official attempts in 5x5x5 Cube with 1:55.16, 7x7x7 Cube with 5:47.04, and Pyraminx with 8.95 seconds for a 12th-place finish. Gibran Kwan entered five events, logging a first career 7x7x7 Cube attempt of 6:28.53, improving his 5x5x5 Cube personal best by 4.2 percent to 1:25.08, and securing a fifth-place finish in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind. Maverine Sanchez completed a rigorous six-event program, setting a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 12.27 seconds and slicing 21 percent off their previous 7x7x7 Cube mark to register a 4:52.67 personal best alongside a fourth-place Pyraminx finish.

Specialized events provided tense moments and diverse technical challenges throughout the afternoon. Yuji Yoshida captured the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves title with a winning average of 28.33 moves, outperforming Taiwan competitor Hsiang-Cheng Kan at 29.67 and Singapore representative Glen Goh Wee Zhuan at 39.67. In Pyraminx, Kat Gonzalez took the victory with a 4.64 average, finishing ahead of Michael Angelo Zafra at 5.65 and Juan Miguel C. Manalo at 5.83. Skewb saw Kenneth Carlos post a 3.48 average for first place, narrowly edging Ivan Keith Cariaga at 3.55, with Niño Francis S. Reyes placing third at 5.31.

Memory and spatial mastery highlighted the blindfolded disciplines. In 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, which requires extensive memorisation before execution, John Axel B. Gordo secured victory by successfully solving 46 of 51 cubes in 59:12, followed by Juan Miguel C. Manalo with 12 of 13 in 59:16 and Glen Goh Wee Zhuan with 3 of 4 in 34:37. Luis Gabriel Magadia took first place in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a winning average of 5:02.58, besting John Axel B. Gordo whose average finished at 5:15.69.

By the conclusion of Dare to DR Rizal 2025, host competitors from the Philippines earned 22 podium spots, alongside three for Singapore and one for Taiwan. The intense speed cubing action in Cainta highlighted how rapidly the newer generation of competitors is progressing, setting up an exciting foundation for the next season of competitive solving.

Walong natatanging kategorya ang sumubok sa galing ng dalawampu't anim na kalahok sa Area 3 Phase 7 Covered Court and Function Hall sa Municipality of Cainta, Rizal, Philippines. Sa pagbubukas ng paligsahan noong September 28, 2025, naging sentro ng atensyon ang mga kategoryang bihirang masilayan sa karaniwang speedcubing circuit. Mula sa komplikadong pagmemorya nang nakapiring hanggang sa masusing pagpaplano sa Fewest Moves, ipinamalas ng bawat kalahok ang mataas na antas ng konsentrasyon at kasanayan sa bawat pag-ikot ng puzzle sa buong maghapon.

Bumida si John Axel B. Gordo sa 3x3x3 Multi-Blind nang maresolba niya ang 46 sa 51 na kubo sa loob ng 59:12. Ang ganitong tagumpay sa blindfolded solving ay nangangailangan ng matinding memorya at spatial awareness bago simulan ang pagpihit. Pumangalawa sa naturang laban si Juan Miguel C. Manalo na nakakuha ng 12/13 sa oras na 59:16, habang pumangatlo naman si Glen Goh Wee Zhuan mula sa Singapore na may naitalang 3/4 sa loob ng 34:37.

Nagpatuloy ang galing sa blindfolded solving sa 4x4x4 Blindfolded kung saan nanguna si Luis Gabriel Magadia na nagtala ng winning average na 5:02.58 at pinakamabilis na single na 4:46.99. Pumangalawa sa kategoryang ito si John Axel B. Gordo na may 5:15.69. Samantala, nagtapos na may DNF ang iba pang kalahok na sina Juan Miguel C. Manalo, Glen Goh Wee Zhuan, at Nikko Gammad sa masalimuot na pagsubok na ito ng memorya at katumpakan.

Sa kategoryang 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, pinatunayan ni Yuji Yoshida ang kanyang husay sa estratehiya matapos magwagi bitbit ang winning average na 28.33 at pinakamahusay na single na 26. Tinalo niya si Hsiang-Cheng Kan ng Taiwan na nagtala ng 29.67 average para sa ikalawang puwesto, at si Glen Goh Wee Zhuan ng Singapore na pumangatlo sa kanyang 39.67 average. Ang tagumpay na ito ay nagbigay-diin sa lalim ng taktika na kailangan sa bawat galaw.

Maliban sa mga kategoryang pambihira, nasaksihan din sa Dare to DR Rizal 2025 ang dominasyon sa malalaking kubo. Nagwagi si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc sa 5x5x5 Cube tangan ang 43.51 average at single na 41.10, habang sumunod sina Mark Aeron Santos na may 54.53 at Robbie Villarica na may 54.87. Hindi pa doon nagtapos ang gilas ni Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc dahil inangkin din niya ang unang puwesto sa 7x7x7 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 2:10.90 average laban kina Dale Palmares na nagtala ng 2:19.51 at Yuji Yoshida na nagtala ng 2:52.60.

Sa likod ng mga opisyal na podium, maraming kalahok ang nagtala ng mahahalagang tagumpay sa kanilang sariling mga laban. Si Railee Darrel A. Traballo, na sumabak sa tatlong kategorya, ay nagtala ng bagong personal best sa 5x5x5 Cube na 1:14.47, na mas mabilis nang 11.3 porsyento mula sa kanyang dating 1:23.97, at nakamit ang ikawalong puwesto. Si James Austin Villar naman ay nagtala rin ng bagong personal best sa 5x5x5 Cube na 1:16.36 mula sa dating 1:20.59 na mas mabilis nang 5.2 porsyento, kasama ang personal best na 3:18.19 sa 7x7x7 Cube at ikasampung puwesto sa tradisyunal na 3x3x3 Cube.

Sumabak naman si Norainne Mari Mañeja sa apat na kategorya kung saan nakuha niya ang ikalabing-limang puwesto sa Pyraminx bilang pinakamataas niyang pagtatapos. Ipinamalas din ni Paolo Miguel Parian ang kanyang galing sa dalawang kategorya na may pinakamagandang pagtatapos na ika-labintatlo sa Pyraminx. Para naman kay Aira Arwin Cangsuy Cheng, ito ang kanyang unang WCA competition kung saan naitala niya ang kanyang unang opisyal na single na 39.18 at average na 49.61 sa 3x3x3 Cube upang makuha ang ika-dalawampu't apat na puwesto sa torneo.

Sa paboritong klasikong Rubik's Cube o 3x3x3 Cube event, itinanghal na kampeon si Robbie Villarica matapos magtala ng winning average na 7.88 at pinakamabilis na single na 7.31 sa nag-iisang round ng labanan. Pumangalawa si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc na nagsumite ng 8.95 average, habang pumangatlo si Dale Palmares sa kanyang 10.08 average. Ang kategoryang ito ang humakot ng pinakamaraming kalahok sa buong araw na may dalawampu't apat na manlalaro.

Sa iba pang side events, pinangunahan ni Kat Gonzalez ang labanan sa Pyraminx sa pamamagitan ng 4.64 winning average laban kina Michael Angelo Zafra na may 5.65 at Juan Miguel C. Manalo na may 5.83. Sa Skewb, napunta ang gintong karangalan kay Kenneth Carlos na nagtala ng 3.48 average, kasunod si Ivan Keith Cariaga na may 3.55 at Niño Francis S. Reyes na may 5.31 upang kumpletuhin ang talaan ng mga nagwagi sa paligsahan ngayong taon.

Naging matagumpay ang pagtatapos ng Dare to DR Rizal 2025 sa Cainta kung saan dalawampu't dalawang podium finishes ang napanatili ng mga pambato ng Pilipinas, habang tatlo ang nakuha ng Singapore at isa para sa Taiwan. Ang naturang cubing competition ngayong 2025 ay nagpakita ng malawak na galing ng mga manlalaro sa iba't ibang uri ng disiplina at nagbigay-daan sa paghahanda para sa mga susunod pang yugto ng palakasan.