Davao City Open 2024

The competition floor inside the NCCC Mall Victoria Plaza hummed with the constant clicking of turning plastic as 77 competitors gathered on August 17, 2024. Across eight distinct disciplines and 11 rounds of action, solvers from across the region lined the staging area to test their speed, pattern recognition, and mental stamina. The gathering in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines, brought together both seasoned veterans and developing contenders for a full day of official tournament play.

Among the varied events at this WCA competition, the 7x7x7 Cube stood as the ultimate test of physical endurance and focus. Taming the massive puzzle requires managing hundreds of individual pieces while maintaining precise turn speed over several minutes of unbroken concentration. Albert Philip Bulao handled the grueling demands best, taking first place across two rounds with a winning average of 2:40.25 and a best single of 2:25.46. Louie Jay Quibote finished as the runner-up with an average of 2:54.11, while Clyde Dencer Tutor secured third place with a 3:00.30 mark.

Alongside his podium finish in the largest cube of the day, Clyde Dencer Tutor excelled in another complex, multi-layered puzzle by winning the Megaminx event. In a field of 26 competitors, Tutor captured victory with a 40.32 average and a 39.35 single. Denmark Sonn E. Taneo took second place with a 53.52 average, followed by Ralph Justine Villarico in third at 1:04.28. Tutor also added another podium to his ledger in 3x3x3 One-Handed, securing third place with a 14.17 average.

The spotlight across the tournament floor often belonged to competitors expanding their repertoires and shattering personal benchmarks. Jaime Miguel Cañete entered four events, logged a first official attempt of 10.98 in Pyraminx, posted a first attempt of 31.33 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, and achieved a 2x2x2 Cube personal best single of 3.01, which was 51.5 percent faster than his prior best of 6.20. Christopher John O. Mordeno contested four disciplines, recording debut marks of 10.40 in Pyraminx and 10.09 in Skewb, while dropping his 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube best single to 13.57, an improvement of 40 percent over his previous 22.62.

Progress continued across the scorecards as Neilwen Ruedas took on four events, completing debut attempts of 2:44.40 in Megaminx and 5.53 in 2x2x2 Cube, alongside a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 26.77 that improved on his old mark of 43.16 by 38 percent. Cyan Aelfric Abadinas entered six events, securing fifth place in Pyraminx with a personal best of 6.24, improving 36.8 percent from 9.88, while also registering an 11.35 Skewb debut and a 5.03 best in 2x2x2 Cube. Richert Jay Pinca Jr. delivered a 17.23 Skewb debut, lowered his Pyraminx best by 31.7 percent to 8.17, and set a 3x3x3 Cube best of 28.78. Lawrence Wong tackled four events, recording debuts in Skewb at 8.95 and One-Handed at 22.14, plus a 2x2x2 Cube best of 5.08. Jaggesh Naithan F. Baliente handled seven events, placing eighth in Square-1 after a 50.45 debut, while also logging first attempts of 3:17.57 in Megaminx and 5.53 in Skewb. Lesley T. Tunguia Jr. entered six events, finishing 16th in Pyraminx with a 9.57 debut, while logging initial attempts of 3:03.76 in Megaminx and 51.38 in One-Handed.

The 3x3x3 Cube, the centerpiece of any speedcubing gathering, drew 76 competitors through three rounds of play. Leo Borromeo led the field with the day's sharpest 3x3 results, capturing first place with a 6.41 winning average and the competition's best single of 4.58. Khayll Paolo Sandukan earned the runner-up spot with an 8.52 average, and Lance Bastien Loy finished third at 8.84. Borromeo also swept the 3x3x3 One-Handed contest with a 12.14 winning average and an 11.23 single, outpacing Loy who took second with 13.49.

The shorter formats featured rapid solves and narrow podium margins throughout the day. Daryll Ben Relatorres won the 2x2x2 Cube with an average of 2.34 and a top single of 1.86, finishing ahead of Khayll Paolo Sandukan at 2.79 and Earl Joven Suyo at 2.87. In Pyraminx, Franklin Tober James Dulay claimed the victory with a 3.63 average, while Suyo finished second at 7.54 and Rea Loraine A. Donayre placed third at 7.95. Suyo returned to top the podium in Square-1, recording a 10.92 winning average and a 6.10 single to finish ahead of Jabe Niccolo C. Tajones and Hiroyuki Singson.

Skewb rounded out the diverse slate of puzzles, where Elmer Joseph Cutin captured first place with an average of 4.77 and a single of 3.54. Hiroyuki Singson took second place with a 5.70 average, while Nathaniël Mühlenberg of Belgium secured third place with 6.50. Across the podiums, competitors from the Philippines took 23 top-three finishes alongside one for Belgium. The fast-paced action and variety of formats at Davao City Open 2024 proved once again that high-stakes speed cubing rewards both explosive speed and deep stamina.

Umarangkada si Leo Borromeo sa NCCC Mall Victoria Plaza matapos niyang dominahin ang 3x3x3 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 6.41 winning average at pinakamabilis na single na 4.58. Naganap ang makapangyarihang pagtatanghal na ito noong August 17, 2024 sa Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines kung saan nagtipon ang 77 kalahok mula sa iba't ibang panig ng bansa at maging mula sa ibang bansa. Ang buong torneo ay nagtampok ng 8 events at 11 kabuuang rounds na nagbigay-diin sa husay ng mga speedcubers.

Naging sentro ng usapan sa naturang cubing competition ang mga natatanging rekord na naitala sa 2x2x2 Cube. Pinangunahan ni Daryll Ben Relatorres ang kategoryang ito bitbit ang winning average na 2.34 at nangungunang single na 1.86. Sumunod sa kanya si Khayll Paolo Sandukan na nagtala ng 2.79 average at 2.03 single, habang pumangatlo si Earl Joven Suyo na may 2.87 average at 2.17 single. Pumasok din sa talaan ng matitinding oras sina Joaquin Miguel Cabañero sa kanyang 3.56 average at 2.61 single, at Dale Palmares sa kanyang 3.66 average at 3.09 single.

Hindi nagpahuli ang iba pang mga kalahok sa 2x2x2 Cube na nagpakitang-gilas din ng mga pambihirang oras. Naitala ni Ricmar Leo P. Salar ang 3.92 average at 2.76 single, samantalang si Seath Margatinez ay umukit ng 4.15 average at 3.28 single. Nagrehistro naman si Alexa Mari Padua ng 4.24 average at 3.53 single, kasunod si Denmark Sonn E. Taneo na may 4.25 average at 3.80 single, at si Hiroyuki Singson na nagtala ng 4.27 average at 3.46 single sa iisang round ng labanan.

Sa pangunahing entablado ng Rubik's Cube, tinanghal na kampeon si Leo Borromeo laban sa 76 na katunggali sa 3x3x3 Cube matapos ang tatlong rounds ng mainit na tapatan. Pumangalawa sa podium si Khayll Paolo Sandukan na nagtala ng 8.52 average, habang nakuha naman ni Lance Bastien Loy ang ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 8.84 average. Ipinagpatuloy din ni Borromeo ang kanyang magandang porma sa 3x3x3 One-Handed kung saan siya ang nagwagi tangan ang 12.14 winning average at 11.23 best single laban sa 49 na kalahok, kasunod sina Lance Bastien Loy na may 13.49 at Clyde Dencer Tutor na may 14.17.

Sa likod ng mga nangungunang puwesto sa Davao City Open 2024, marami sa mga kalahok ang nagtala ng malalaking personal na tagumpay sa kompetisyon. Ipinamalas ni Roy Ilo Jr. ang matinding pag-angat nang itala ang personal best sa tatlong kategorya: 3.06 sa 2x2x2 Cube na 47.3 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa dating 5.81, 10.16 sa 3x3x3 Cube na 20 porsyentong mas mabilis, at 22.36 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 12.6 porsyentong pagpapabuti, na nagdala sa kanya sa ika-15 puwesto sa One-Handed. Si A Juro Paglinawan naman ay sumabak sa apat na event at nagtala ng 14.40 personal best sa Square-1 na 28.8 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 20.23 upang masungkit ang ika-5 puwesto, bukod sa kanyang unang subok sa Megaminx na nagtapos sa 1:14.16. Sumabak din si Blessie Jeanian L. Escodo sa limang events at nagtala ng unang opisyal na subok sa Megaminx na 1:31.82 at Square-1 na 16.80 upang makamit ang ika-6 na puwesto, habang si James Cedric Borela mula Canada ay sumabak sa apat na laban at nagtala ng unang subok sa Pyraminx na 13.82 at Skewb na 10.84.

Naging entablado rin ang paligsahan para sa mga manlalarong sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Si Nhysson Oliveros Montilla ay sumabak sa limang events at nagtala ng mga unang subok na 13.12 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 4.63 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 1:23.32 sa Megaminx kung saan nakamit niya ang ika-12 puwesto. Ganito rin ang naging daan para kay Justin Brey Condevillamar sa limang events kung saan naitala niya ang 9.94 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 5.26 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 25.96 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed. Si Elijah Dominic T. Uddin ay lumaban sa apat na kategorya at nagtala ng 20.40 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 3.10 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 49.46 sa One-Handed, samantalang si Dominic Theodore H. Lacambra ay humarap din sa apat na laban na may 15.64 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 8.80 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 33.88 sa One-Handed.

Nasaksihan din ang matitinding labanan sa iba pang uri ng puzzle sa buong araw ng paligsahan. Sa Megaminx, nanguna si Clyde Dencer Tutor na may 40.32 winning average at 39.35 best single, habang sumunod sina Denmark Sonn E. Taneo na may 53.52 at Ralph Justine Villarico na may 1:04.28. Sa Pyraminx, naging kampeon si Franklin Tober James Dulay sa bilis na 3.63 average, kasunod sina Earl Joven Suyo na may 7.54 at Rea Loraine A. Donayre na may 7.95. Nagwagi naman si Earl Joven Suyo sa Square-1 sa pamamagitan ng 10.92 average at 6.10 best single, kung saan pumangalawa si Jabe Niccolo C. Tajones sa 17.54 at pumangatlo si Hiroyuki Singson sa 18.16.

Tinapos ang mga labanan sa Skewb at 7x7x7 Cube sa pamamagitan ng magagandang marka mula sa mga kalahok. Nagtagumpay si Elmer Joseph Cutin sa Skewb bitbit ang 4.77 winning average laban kina Hiroyuki Singson na may 5.70 at Nathaniël Mühlenberg ng Belgium na may 6.50. Sa dalawang rounds ng 7x7x7 Cube, nakuha ni Albert Philip Bulao ang unang puwesto tangan ang 2:40.25 winning average at 2:25.46 best single, habang pumangalawa si Louie Jay Quibote sa 2:54.11 at pumangatlo si Clyde Dencer Tutor sa 3:00.30. Sa kabuuan ng Davao City Open 2024, nakalikom ang Pilipinas ng 23 podium finishes habang ang Belgium ay nag-uwi ng isang podium finish sa makabuluhang pagtatapos ng torneo sa lungsod.