Fátima en Montevideo 2024

Irene Pinto delivered a masterclass in rapid problem solving at Colegio Fátima, capturing the flagship 3x3x3 Cube title with a sharp 9.46-second winning average. Across three tense rounds in Montevideo, Uruguay, the contest for the premier prize came down to hundredths of a second. Pinto held off Manuel Malvárez, who clocked a 9.77 average, while Víctor Gálvez rounded out the podium in 10.34 seconds. Pinto also secured the round's best single at 8.65 seconds, establishing the benchmark in standard speedcubing for the two-day gathering held over August 17 and 18, 2024.

The lightning-fast 2x2x2 Cube final delivered even closer drama at Fátima en Montevideo 2024, decided by mere margins on the timer. Bruno Lezama claimed the championship with a 3.71 average, barely edging out Santiago Cabral, who took second in 3.73 seconds. Mateo Damian Coitinho Gabarain finished third with a 3.79 average, ensuring all three medalists were separated by less than a tenth of a second. Lezama also delivered the fastest individual solve of the event at 1.65 seconds, setting a scorching standard in the shortest format of the tournament.

A total of 43 competitors gathered at the venue, taking part in 12 distinct events across 17 competitive rounds. The schedule brought together traditional Rubik's Cube categories and specialty formats, testing solvers on everything from single-handed dexterity to massive multi-layered puzzles. The home nation dominated the medal count across the weekend, with competitors representing Uruguay capturing 34 podium positions, while visiting solvers from Venezuela earned two top-three finishes.

Manuel Malvárez stamped his authority on multiple puzzle categories throughout the competition. Beyond his runner-up finish in the premier 3x3 results, Malvárez won the 4x4x4 Cube with a 34.94 average and a 33.68 best single, leading Francisco Alonso and Rodrigo Burone. Malvárez also topped the podium in 3x3x3 One-Handed, posting a winning average of 15.01 seconds and a 12.95 single to finish ahead of Lezama and Burone. In the larger big cubes, Malvárez added third-place finishes in both the 6x6x6 and 7x7x7 events.

Beyond his sprint triumph on the 2x2, Bruno Lezama assembled a massive collection of silverware across the weekend. Lezama topped the 17-competitor Skewb bracket with a 3.95 average, won the Square-1 final in 13.92 seconds, and took first place in the 6x6x6 Cube with a mark of 2:06.68. He added second-place finishes in 3x3x3 One-Handed, 5x5x5 Cube, 7x7x7 Cube, and the 3x3x3 Blindfolded solve, making him one of the busiest and most consistent podium finishers across the entire program.

Away from the top steps of the podium, numerous competitors delivered massive personal breakthroughs that the final scoreboards only begin to capture. Duncan Gutiérrez entered 10 events, making a first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube in 5:38.42, while cutting down his Skewb best to 24.16 seconds, a 45.7 percent improvement, and taking 6th in blindfolded solving. Isaac Morales dropped his 4x4x4 Cube personal record by 35.6 percent down to 1:14.33, improved his one-handed single to 30.99 seconds, and logged his first 5x5x5 Cube attempt at 4:02.48. Lucas Barrientos recorded an inaugural 5x5x5 attempt of 3:41.41 and trimmed his Pyraminx best by 21.6 percent to 10.75. Bruno Gottero took on seven events, recording first career attempts in both Pyraminx at 9.19 seconds and 3x3x3 Blindfolded at 11:40.00.

Other solvers similarly capitalized on their round appearances to establish sharp new marks. Francisco Estapé knocked 32.9 percent off his Skewb personal best with a 12.78 solve and lowered his Clock mark to 21.52. Sofía Rojo took on the massive 6x6x6 Cube for the first time with a 5:57.41 solve and improved her one-handed best by 21.3 percent to 54.68 seconds. Agustín Márquez shaved 36.6 percent off his 4x4x4 best to finish in 1:05.81, reduced his Square-1 time to 24.75, and dropped his standard 3x3 mark to 12.79. Meanwhile, Martín Matías Kaztman Cao registered a massive 31.3 percent leap forward in the 3x3x3 Cube, posting a personal best of 19.47 seconds.

The remaining puzzle divisions featured impressive masteries of unconventional hardware. Santiago Cabral collected two event titles, winning the Pyraminx with a 3.76 average and the Clock event with a 3.73 average. Francisco Alonso took the 5x5x5 Cube crown in 1:06.46, while Víctor Gálvez commanded the 7x7x7 Cube final, taking first place with a 3:09.96 average. In the memory-intensive 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, Christian Goñi seized the title with a swift single of 39.27 seconds, leading Lezama and Venezuela's Felipe Santamaría Ruiz.

The action at Fátima en Montevideo 2024 wrapped up a high-energy chapter of speed cubing in the capital, showcasing both established frontrunners and rising talent. From sprint solves in under two seconds to marathon big-cube battles, the WCA competition delivered intense competition and widespread personal records across every bracket. Solvers across the region now turn their eyes to the training table, preparing their rotations and algorithms for the upcoming tournaments of the cubing competition season.