Evento al Qbo 2023

Ninety-two competitors gathered in Atlántida, Canelones, Uruguay, on July 15, 2023, for a fast-paced single-day cubing competition that culminated in an intensely narrow race at the top of the standings. Dinamo Atlántida hosted Evento al Qbo 2023 across four total rounds, packing world-class speedcubing action into three distinct disciplines. The flagship standard 3x3x3 Cube event drew the full field, but the margins at the front remained razor thin from the opening round all the way through the final solve.

The 3x3 results in the final round delivered a duel where mere tenths of a second decided the title. Agustín Diano secured the top spot on the podium with a winning average of 8.72 seconds, complemented by a best single of 7.90 seconds. Hot on his heels was Manuel Malvárez, who pushed the champion to the wire by claiming second place with a 9.30-second average. Octavio Arocena took third on the podium with a 10.59 average, completing a thrilling top trio that kept the tournament tense until the final turns.

Prior to the finals, the competition had already seen blazing times during the first round of the classic Rubik's Cube. Agustín Diano laid down an 8.68 average alongside a 7.15 single, while Manuel Malvárez turned in an 8.27 single and a 9.94 average. Octavio Arocena registered an 8.76 single and 10.03 average, and Víctor Gálvez posted an 8.80 single with an 11.04 average. Other standout efforts in that round included Mateo Rodríguez with a 10.24 single and Franco Rivero clocking an 11.29 single, illustrating the deep talent pool present throughout the bracket.

Manuel Malvárez found his own golden moment in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, leading a field of 22 competitors to claim the title. He posted a winning average of 14.29 seconds with a best single of 12.60 seconds. Víctor Gálvez took second place with an average of 16.65 seconds, while Christian Goñi secured third with a 20.78-second average. The specialized event demands incredible finger dexterity and turning efficiency, providing another high-stakes showdown in the coastal department of Canelones.

In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline, Christian Goñi claimed victory among the four competitors who stepped forward for the mental test. Solving without sight requires complete memorisation and spatial mapping before turning begins. Goñi conquered the scramble to register a winning best single of 46.26 seconds, despite recording a DNF average. Víctor Gálvez took second place on the blindfolded podium with a successful solve of 3:04.17, while Maximiliano Rodríguez Ferreira and Ernesto Cabrera shared third place after recording DNF results.

Away from the top of the podium, Evento al Qbo 2023 provided a stage for remarkable individual progress across the board. Felipe Santamaría Ruiz enjoyed a standout weekend, dropping his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 11.33 seconds, an improvement of 45.7 percent, while also lowering his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best to 32.51 seconds. Isaac Morales cut his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 34 percent down to 21.67 seconds and logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 1:05.76. Ayan Valadao Lima delivered dual personal bests, finishing eighth in one-handed solving with a 24.78 mark, 27.6 percent faster, and clocking 11.61 in the standard event, 27.8 percent faster. Mateo Blois Escobar achieved a fifth-place finish in one-handed solving while chopping his standard 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 23 percent to 9.85 seconds.

The tournament also marked memorable milestones for several speed cubing newcomers and veterans expanding their repertoires. Lucas Villasante secured 16th place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a debut mark of 49.66 seconds and trimmed his 3x3x3 Cube best by 21.7 percent to 17.82 seconds. Agustin Gianneo made his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 1:05.56 and lowered his standard cube best to 20.91 seconds. Making their official debuts at a WCA competition, Claudio Sebastián Corujo Portillo took on two events to log a 21.93 in 3x3x3 Cube and 50.62 in one-handed, while Juan Diego Alonso posted a 17.55 in the standard cube and a 47.00 in one-handed to finish 15th.

With 10 podium positions claimed by Uruguayan competitors, Evento al Qbo 2023 wrapped up as a vibrant celebration of local talent and individual growth. From the razor-thin margin in the premier 3x3x3 Cube final to the dozens of personal bests recorded across the tables, the single-day gathering in Atlántida highlighted the depth of the regional scene. As the 2023 calendar progresses, the solvers from this tournament take away valuable experience, setting the stage for even faster times in the seasons ahead.