El Centinela Mexicali 2024

Thirty-six podium positions were available across the weekend, and Mexican solvers claimed every single one of them in a total domestic sweep. Held at the Instituto Tecnologico de Mexicali from December 14 to December 15, El Centinela Mexicali 2024 brought together 24 competitors who tackled 12 distinct events across 23 rounds of intense speedcubing action. The host nation controlled proceedings from the very first solves to the final showdowns, leaving no room for outside challengers on any step of the podium across the entire weekend.

Leading this dominant national showcase was Diego Villarreal Salinas, who assembled one of the most commanding campaigns seen at a regional cubing competition this year. Salinas captured victory in 10 of the 12 events on offer, setting the benchmark for consistency across both short formats and endurance puzzles. His weekend was highlighted by a flawless run in the classic Rubik's Cube, where he delivered a winning average of 8.60 seconds alongside the round best single of 7.62 seconds to capture the top prize.

The official 3x3 results confirmed Salinas as the standout performer in Mexicali, Mexico, but the chasing pack ensured a fiercely contested final round. Jesús Armando Aguirre Ibarra secured second place with an even 10.00-second average, while Diego Isai Mijangos Flores completed the all-Mexican podium in third with an average of 10.02 seconds. Mijangos Flores remained a constant fixture near the top of the standings throughout the event, battling through three rounds of 3x3x3 Cube play that originally started with a field of 23 competitors.

Salinas also showcased his technical mastery in specialized disciplines, winning the 3x3x3 One-Handed title with a 13.12 average, trailed by Mijangos Flores at 14.67 and Ian Yazid Zavala at 15.38. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Salinas topped a 17-competitor field with a 2.42 average, holding off Zavala who posted a 2.55 average and Mijangos Flores who finished third at 3.74. Salinas added further gold finishes in Square-1 with a 12.38 average, Clock with a 6.66 average, and Megaminx with an average of 49.07, demonstrating unrivaled range at this WCA competition.

Big cube events similarly turned into a showcase for the top trio of Salinas, Mijangos Flores, and Claudio Ramón Castillo Salazar. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Salinas took first with a 34.16 average ahead of Salazar at 35.53 and Mijangos Flores at 36.63. Moving up to 5x5x5 Cube, Salinas broke the minute mark with a 58.02 average, while Mijangos Flores took silver in 1:03.17 and Salazar took bronze in 1:05.57. Salinas went on to sweep the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:51.51 mean and the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:57.56 mean, cementing his authority across all large nxn puzzles in 2024.

Beyond the title fights, El Centinela Mexicali 2024 delivered significant breakthroughs for solvers chasing individual milestones across the schedule. Lenin Bernabé Peña Sandoval took on five disciplines and logged his first ever attempt at Skewb with a mark of 14.85, alongside cutting his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 3.01 seconds, which was 54.7 percent faster than his prior mark, and improving his 3x3x3 Cube best by 23 percent to 15.12. David Emmanuel Osuna Melero entered four events, made his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed at 31.75 seconds, lowered his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 2.25 seconds for a 53.7 percent improvement, and dropped his 3x3x3 mark by 42.8 percent to 12.63 seconds. Sebastian Macias Soto entered 12 events, finished fourth in 2x2x2 Cube with a 33.7 percent personal best of 2.07 seconds, and completed his first ever attempts at Square-1 in 30.83 seconds and Clock in 29.57 seconds.

The progress continued across every corner of the venue as competitors expanded their repertoires and shattered personal bests. Edgar Eduardo Garcia Garcia competed in seven events, placing seventh in Pyraminx with a 5.65 personal best while slicing 30.7 percent off his 5x5x5 Cube best to hit 2:44.47 and 30 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube mark to reach 1:18.75. David Enrike Mendoza Castellón contested five events, placed fifth in Pyraminx with an improved 4.77 single, and dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed best by 37.2 percent down to 40.07. Adrián Yañez Barrios took on three disciplines, posted a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 2:55.75, and placed sixth in Megaminx with a 7.3 percent personal best of 58.96 seconds. Alberto Capiz Hernández took on five events, improving his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 12.6 percent to 31.28 seconds and his 4x4x4 Cube best by 4.9 percent to 50.46 seconds.

Ian Yazid Zavala broke up Salinas's victory march in the side events, capturing two first-place finishes during an impressive weekend of speed cubing. Zavala took top honors in the Pyraminx with a 4.50 average across two rounds, having recorded a best single of 3.72 seconds. He duplicated his winning form in the Skewb final, claiming victory over 10 competitors with a 4.56 average and a fastest single of 3.76 seconds. Zavala's twin titles highlighted the depth of local talent that kept the hardware firmly within national borders.

With all 36 podium places secured by Mexican competitors, El Centinela Mexicali 2024 concluded as a definitive celebration of domestic talent in Baja California. From Salinas capturing 10 event titles to Zavala taking two and numerous athletes recording massive personal bests, the tournament highlighted high-level execution across 23 competitive rounds. As the speedcubing calendar closes out 2024, the performances in Mexicali set a formidable benchmark for the community heading into the next competitive season.

La resolución a una mano representa una de las disciplinas más exigentes del speedcubing mundial, donde la ergonomía, la fluidez y el control milimétrico de giros con una sola extremidad marcan distancias insalvables. En la final de 3x3x3 One-Handed, Diego Villarreal Salinas firmó una actuación memorable al registrar un promedio ganador de 13.12 segundos, respaldado por una ronda con un mejor intento individual de 11.05 segundos. Con esta marca, Villarreal Salinas se distanció de una tabla competitiva de 18 aspirantes para adueñarse de lo más alto del podio, superando a Diego Isai Mijangos Flores, quien concluyó en la segunda posición con 14.67, y a Ian Yazid Zavala, tercero con 15.38.

El certamen El Centinela Mexicali 2024 congregó a 24 competidores en las instalaciones del Instituto Tecnologico de Mexicali, en Mexicali, Mexico, durante las jornadas del 14 y 15 de diciembre de 2024. A lo largo del fin de semana, el torneo albergó un total de 12 eventos oficiales de la World Cube Association estructurados en 23 intensas rondas eliminatorias y finales. La justa deportiva reunió tanto a veteranos de la disciplina como a debutantes entusiastas en un ambiente de concentración máxima y precisión técnica frente a los cronómetros.

La victoria en la categoría a una mano fue apenas la punta de lanza de una demostración abrumadora por parte de Diego Villarreal Salinas en esta competencia de cubo de Rubik. En el clásico 3x3x3 Cube, que reunió a 23 participantes a través de tres rondas, Villarreal Salinas aseguró la medalla dorada con un promedio de 8.60 segundos y un mejor registro de 7.62. El podio estelar lo completaron Jesús Armando Aguirre Ibarra con una media de 10.00 segundos en el segundo escalón y Diego Isai Mijangos Flores en el tercer puesto con 10.02 segundos.

El paso arrollador continuó en el cubo 2x2x2 Cube, donde Diego Villarreal Salinas se llevó el triunfo con una media de 2.42 segundos y un tiempo individual de 2.28, escoltado por Ian Yazid Zavala con 2.55 y Diego Isai Mijangos Flores con 3.74. No obstante, Zavala logró arrebatarle dos títulos durante las jornadas: se impuso en Pyraminx con un promedio de 4.50 segundos y una mejor marca de 3.72, además de coronarse en Skewb tras promediar 4.56 segundos con un registro individual sobresaliente de 3.76.

Más allá de las definiciones habituales, el corazón de la competencia latió con fuerza en las historias individuales de superación personal que no suelen ocupar los reflectores principales. Cesar Gustavo Ceceña Lara afrontó una exigente cartelera de 12 eventos, alcanzando la cuarta posición en Square-1, su mejor marca personal en 5x5x5 Cube de 1:23.21 y su primer intento oficial en Clock con 18.75 segundos. Por su parte, Alexandra Beltrán Guillén disputó 6 eventos en el torneo, obteniendo su resultado más destacado al colocarse en la séptima posición de Clock.

El escenario también sirvió de bienvenida para nuevos talentos que afrontaron su primera competición WCA con actuaciones formidables. Isaac Martínez Valdez se midió en 6 eventos distintos, debutando con 13.06 en 3x3x3 Cube, 55.98 en 4x4x4 Cube y 2:27.70 en 5x5x5 Cube. Asimismo, Dereck Armando Velázquez De La O compitió en dos disciplinas, registrando 6.69 en 2x2x2 Cube y 29.55 en 3x3x3 Cube. La prueba reina del 3x3x3 Cube vio además los primeros tiempos oficiales de Luka Castillo Mata con 23.89, Iván Axel Soto Espinoza con 16.28 y Diego Emiliano Armenta Osuna con 25.30 segundos.

En los cubos de mayor volumen, Diego Villarreal Salinas extendió su dominio absoluto al conquistar el 4x4x4 Cube con 34.16 segundos de promedio, superando a Claudio Ramón Castillo Salazar que cronometró 35.53 y a Diego Isai Mijangos Flores con 36.63. En 5x5x5 Cube, Villarreal Salinas paró el reloj en 58.02 segundos frente al 1:03.17 de Mijangos Flores y al 1:05.57 de Castillo Salazar. Las pruebas de 6x6x6 Cube y 7x7x7 Cube ratificaron el mismo orden de honor: en 6x6x6 Villarreal Salinas ganó con 1:51.51 seguido de Castillo Salazar con 1:56.67 y Mijangos Flores con 1:56.84, mientras que en 7x7x7 el vencedor registró 2:57.56 ante el 3:02.78 de Mijangos Flores y el 3:12.55 de Castillo Salazar.

El amplio repertorio de eventos laterales concluyó con sendas victorias de Diego Villarreal Salinas en Megaminx con una media de 49.07 segundos, en Clock con 6.66 segundos y en Square-1 con 12.38 segundos, escoltado en este último por Diego Isai Mijangos Flores con 17.96 e Ian Yazid Zavala con 17.99. Todas las 36 posiciones de podio disputadas quedaron en manos de representantes locales de México, sellando el éxito deportivo de El Centinela Mexicali 2024 como una cita memorable para la comunidad nacional.