GAN Philippine Championship 2026

Crimson Arradaza surged to the top of the podium with a decisive 5.99 winning average in the 3x3x3 Cube final, setting the benchmark for pure speed in Pavia, Iloilo, Philippines. The four-day gathering ran from July 9 to July 12, 2026, bringing together 97 competitors across 16 events and 34 rounds of high-intensity solving at Robinsons Place Pavia. The GAN Philippine Championship 2026 delivered blistering turn rates right from the start, as Arradaza coupled a 5.17 best single with consistent sub-six execution to withstand a loaded final field in the premier Rubik's Cube division.

The 3x3 results capped a fierce three-round contest where Ace Christian C. Wong took second place with a 6.58 average, while Leo Borromeo secured third with 6.70. Borromeo also left an indelible mark on the record books during the tournament, lowering the national record average for the classic 3x3x3 Cube twice with sensational marks of 5.06 and 5.04. Arradaza was equally formidable in 3x3x3 One-Handed, claiming first place with an 8.59 winning average, a 6.76 single, and a new national record average of 8.05. Reuel Franz Ramirez Magracia took second in one-handed with 8.77, followed by Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc in third at 10.82.

The lightning pace was just as relentless on the smaller puzzles, where the 2x2x2 Cube saw Aragon Martin Gonzales secure victory with an extraordinary 1.87 winning average. Gonzales held off Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes, who logged a 1.98 average for second place, and James Certeza, who also recorded a 1.98 average to complete the podium in third. Gonzales produced a 1.51 best single during the three rounds of play, demonstrating the fingertwisting precision required at the elite level of speedcubing. The brisk turns of the sprint events set an electric tone for the broader competition.

Beyond the sprints, Leo Borromeo returned to the top step in the 4x4x4 Cube, posting a winning average of 24.10 alongside a 23.04 single to lead Brenton Angelo Lo Wong's 25.96 and Palisoc's 26.05. In the side events, James Certeza captured the Pyraminx title with a 2.40 average, while Kenneth Carlos navigated three rounds of Skewb to win with 3.48. Karl Abarquez proved untouchable on the Clock, claiming victory with a 4.30 average and a 2.54 single. Lorenzo Layug took the Square-1 championship with a 10.53 average, and Nicole Jnus Macalalad locked up the Megaminx title averaging 35.93.

Away from the podium race, numerous personal milestones unfolded across the tables at this cubing competition. Jessy Andrea Bacor entered two events and unlocked massive leaps, dropping their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 54.9 percent down to 4.64 from 10.28, while trimming their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 40.8 percent to 20.31. Zoe Aiichi Cacayan achieved similar progress across two events, recording an 8.92 personal best in the 2x2x2 Cube, an improvement of 46.2 percent over 16.57, alongside a 32 percent drop to 37.63 on the standard cube. Miguel Montero tackled the 3x3x3 Cube and sliced their career best by 48.2 percent, going from 2:08.25 down to 1:06.47.

First attempts at fresh puzzles highlighted the spirit of exploration at the GAN Philippine Championship 2026. Yule Christine Cajilig took on four events, setting a first ever Pyraminx mark of 39.76 while advancing their 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 4.42, a 46.3 percent improvement, and logging a 46.99 personal best in 4x4x4 Cube. Russell Alejandro Junio Obsina registered four events, delivering a first ever attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed of 33.99, a first 4x4x4 Cube effort of 1:27.54, and a 10.60 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube, which was 12.4 percent faster than their previous mark. Dominic Hutalla entered a mammoth 12 events, finishing seventh in Megaminx, improving their Skewb personal best by 21.5 percent to 7.25, dropping their 7x7x7 Cube best by 13.2 percent to 3:02.78, and trimming their Pyraminx best by 12.8 percent to 4.35.

The big cubes belonged entirely to Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc, who swept through the three largest tiered puzzles. Palisoc captured the 5x5x5 Cube title with a 45.38 average ahead of Jaden Lim's 52.75 and Lorenzo Layug's 54.74. Palisoc then dominated the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:20.86 winning average and completed the clean sweep by securing the 7x7x7 Cube crown with an average of 2:09.44. These longer puzzles tested stamina and foresight across two full rounds of tactical execution, highlighting a masterclass in heavy hardware control.

Memory and composure took centre stage in the blindfolded events, where competitors rely solely on recall to solve unassisted. Jaden Lim earned the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title with a 49.14 winning average, edging Earl Bien D. Celestino's 42.83 single and Zaya Qiaolong's 42.86. Brian Acuña assembled a masterclass in blindfold disciplines, taking the 4x4x4 Blindfolded title with a 5:05.54 single, winning 5x5x5 Blindfolded with 12:28.00, and topping the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind contest by solving 18 out of 21 cubes in 53:40, ahead of Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado's clean 10 out of 10 in 51:56.

When all 34 rounds concluded, competitors representing the Philippines earned 45 podium places, with China collecting 3. The GAN Philippine Championship 2026 demonstrated extraordinary depth across every event on the schedule, from sub-two-second sprint rounds to hour-long multi-blind marathons. As another intense WCA competition year in 2026 moves forward, the standard of speed cubing excellence in Pavia has firmly established a new high-water mark for the national stage.

Umapaw ang sigla sa Robinsons Place Pavia habang nagkakatipon ang mga kalahok sa kani-kanilang mga solving station, bitbit ang kani-kanilang mga puzzle at timer. Mula Hulyo 9 hanggang Hulyo 12, naging sentro ng mabilisang pag-ikot ng mga Rubik's Cube ang naturang mall para sa GAN Philippine Championship 2026. Sa bawat mesa, ramdam ang bigat ng bawat yugto dahil sa lawak at lalim ng hanay ng mga manlalaro na nagmula sa iba't ibang panig upang sumabak sa matinding kumpetisyon.

Sa kabuuang 97 kalahok na nagharap sa 16 na magkakaibang larangan at 34 na rounds, naging napakahirap ng daan patungo sa finals. Ang pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube ay kinatampukan ng 96 na kalahok kung saan kinailangang dumaan sa tatlong rounds upang makapasok sa podium. Hindi biro ang naging bentahe sa bawat segundong lumipas dahil sa dami ng mga bihasang cuber na naglalaban para sa napakakaunting puwesto sa huling yugto ng paligsahan.

Nanguna sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube si Crimson Arradaza matapos magtala ng winning average na 5.99 at best single na 5.17 sa ikatlong round. Sumunod sa kaniya si Ace Christian C. Wong na may 6.58 average para sa ikalawang puwesto, habang pumuwesto sa ikatlo si Leo Borromeo na nagtala ng 6.70. Bago ang finals, gumawa ng kasaysayan si Borromeo nang magtala siya ng dalawang sunod na national record average para sa Pilipinas na 5.06 at 5.04 sa nasabing kategorya.

Hindi lang sa pangunahing dibisyon nagpamalas ng husay si Crimson Arradaza, kundi maging sa 3x3x3 One-Handed kung saan siya ang nag-uwi ng kampeonato gamit ang 8.59 winning average at 6.76 best single, bukod pa sa kaniyang national record average na 8.05. Tinalo niya sa podium sina Reuel Franz Ramirez Magracia na may 8.77 para sa ikalawa at Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc na nagtala ng 10.82 para sa ikatlong puwesto sa 63 kalahok na sumabak dito.

Bukod sa mga nasa podium, nagpakita rin ng pambihirang progreso ang iba pang manlalaro sa ilalim ng opisyal na talaan ng WCA competition. Si Kenneth Angelo Kirkconnell mula sa United States ay sumabak sa 6 na events at nagtala ng Clock personal best na 10.00 na mas mabilis nang 32.2 porsyento, Skewb personal best na 8.15 na mas mabilis nang 25.3 porsyento, at 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 15.74 na umangat nang 20.2 porsyento. Si Win M. Marcelo ay nagtala ng kaniyang unang opisyal na subok sa 4x4x4 Cube sa bilis na 50.03, bukod sa 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best na 25.43 na 10.4 porsyentong mas mabilis at 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 8.13.

Nagpakitang-gilas din si Kian Cleigh V. Baron na nagtala ng 2x2x2 Cube personal best na 8.02 na mas mabilis nang 36.7 porsyento at 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 28.75 na 15.1 porsyentong mas mabilis. Si Hannah Grace O. Rafio ay nagtala ng ika-15 puwesto sa Megaminx, unang subok sa Square-1 sa bilis na 32.49, Megaminx personal best na 1:17.27 na 5.7 porsyentong mas mabilis, at 4x4x4 Cube personal best na 49.19. Samantala, si Jilian Rose Besara ay nagtala ng 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 27.66 na 30.9 porsyentong mas mabilis at 2x2x2 Cube personal best na 9.92 na 17.9 porsyentong pag-angat, habang si Prince Ian Napud na lumaban sa 9 na kategorya ay nagtala ng 6x6x6 Cube personal best na 2:29.91 na 24.4 porsyentong mas mabilis, 7x7x7 Cube personal best na 3:33.71 na 7.9 porsyentong mas mabilis, at 5x5x5 Cube personal best na 1:25.78.

Naging mabunga rin ang mga laban sa mas malalaking puzzle kung saan naghari si Leo Borromeo sa 4x4x4 Cube tangan ang 24.10 winning average, habang pumangalawa si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa 25.96 at pumangatlo si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc sa 26.05. Si Palisoc naman ang sumungkit ng tatlong gintong medalya sa big cubes matapos manalo sa 5x5x5 Cube sa average na 45.38 laban kina Jaden Lim na may 52.75 at Lorenzo Layug na may 54.74, pati na rin sa 6x6x6 Cube sa bilis na 1:20.86 at 7x7x7 Cube sa 2:09.44.

Sa iba pang larangan ng speedcubing, nagwagi si Aragon Martin Gonzales sa 2x2x2 Cube sa 1.87 average kontra kina Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes at James Certeza na parehong nagtala ng 1.98 average. Si Certeza ay naghari sa Pyraminx sa 2.40 average, si Kenneth Carlos sa Skewb sa 3.48 average, si Karl Abarquez sa Clock sa 4.30 average, si Nicole Jnus Macalalad sa Megaminx sa 35.93 average, at si Lorenzo Layug sa Square-1 sa 10.53 average.

Sa kategoryang piringan o blindfolded, nagwagi si Jaden Lim sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded tangan ang 49.14 winning average kasunod nina Earl Bien D. Celestino na may 42.83 single at Zaya Qiaolong mula sa China na may 42.86 single. Dinomina naman ni Brian Acuña ang tatlong blindfolded events matapos manalo sa 4x4x4 Blindfolded sa bilis na 5:05.54 single, sa 5x5x5 Blindfolded sa 12:28.00 single, at sa 3x3x3 Multi-Blind kung saan nakakuha siya ng 18/21 sa loob ng 53:40 laban kina Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado na may 10/10 sa 51:56 at Zaya Qiaolong na may 10/11 sa 54:17.

Nagtapos ang GAN Philippine Championship 2026 sa Pavia, Iloilo, Philippines nang may 45 na podium finishes para sa Pilipinas at 3 para sa China. Mula sa matitinding labanan sa mga round hanggang sa mga pambansang talaan, ipinakita ng buong cubing competition ang napakataas na antas ng husay at determinasyon sa pagtatapos ng torneo sa taong 2026.