General Trias Speedcubing Open 2023

A blistering 2.99-second tie at the summit of the 2x2x2 Cube and a sub-seven final average in the classic Rubik's Cube set a frantic pace at Robinsons General Trias. The General Trias Speedcubing Open 2023 brought 85 competitors together on May 28, 2023, for an intense day of high-velocity solving. Staged in General Trias, Cavite City, Philippines, the gathering featured eight distinct events spanning 10 rounds of play, but the spotlight stayed fixed on the short-format sprinters whose lightning-fast hands settled podium spots by razor-thin fractions of a second.

The 2x2x2 Cube showdown delivered drama straight to the timing pads as Aragon Martin Gonzales and Toby Litiatco each posted identical 2.99-second final averages across the one-round sprint. Gonzales earned the top step on countback thanks to a crisp 1.87-second best single, while Litiatco secured second place in the 61-competitor field. Yuji Yoshida hovered right behind them to take third place with a 3.02 average, rounding out a podium separated by mere hundredths. The event showcased the blistering intensity that defines the discipline at this official WCA competition.

Toby Litiatco returned to the stage to command the 3x3x3 Cube, navigating three rounds of play across a field of 83 competitors to capture the premier title. Litiatco logged a 5.98 best single and finished with a winning average of 6.68 seconds in the final round. Brenton Angelo Lo Wong took second place with a 7.23 average, while Aragon Martin Gonzales added another top-three finish by securing third with an 8.29 mark. The final 3x3 results demonstrated remarkable consistency under pressure at the General Trias Speedcubing Open 2023.

Gonzales was not finished making his mark on the tournament ledger. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, he steered through 43 solvers to claim first place with a 13.82-second average and a single of 10.33 seconds. Litiatco chased him to the finish to earn second place on a 14.57 average, while Louie Jay Quibote claimed third place with a 15.10 mark. The result gave Gonzales two outright event victories and three total podium appearances across the weekend schedule.

A significant portion of the weekend narrative belonged to competitors exploring new horizons on the tournament floor. Francesco Martinez took on an ambitious eight-event program, highlighted by a 7th-place finish in 6x6x6 Cube alongside a first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube of 2:09.28, a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 21.67, and a first ever attempt at Skewb of 5.12. Gabriel Lupisan tackled six events, securing 13th in 6x6x6 Cube while logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 20.07, a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 1:42.61, and a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 1:04.39. Diego Basilio Benedetto Ortega registered dramatic drops, notching a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 4.22 that was 41.1 percent faster than their previous mark of 7.16, a Skewb personal best of 6.32 that improved by 55 percent over 14.06, a 16th-place Skewb finish, and a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 6.00.

Other competitors similarly seized their chances to post fresh marks across diverse disciplines during the cubing competition. Faith Sherlyn A. Torres entered five events, recording a best finish of 28th in Skewb while delivering a first ever attempt at Skewb of 14.61, a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 12.82, and a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 9.46. Marian Figueroa Infante contested six events to earn 21st in Skewb with a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 2:19.04, a first ever attempt at Skewb of 11.69, and a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 12.82. Noah So-Tiong took on five events, placing 24th in Skewb while logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 43.03, a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 3:02.07, and a first ever attempt at Skewb of 12.22. Joshua Gabriel N. Reyes entered six categories, placing 21st in Pyraminx with a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 53.96, a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 4.34, and a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 6.41. Thomas Jacob Aldaba contested four events, earning 19th in 2x2x2 Cube alongside a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 10.29, a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 40.22, and a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 4.65.

Beyond the sprint categories, mid-sized and big cubes drew seasoned talent to the tables at the General Trias Speedcubing Open 2023. Brenton Angelo Lo Wong secured victory in 4x4x4 Cube with a 32.90 winning average, finishing ahead of Yoshida at 33.60 and Gonzales at 35.39. In 5x5x5 Cube, Jansen Alvarez captured the title with a 59.24 average, edging Cairon Sumadchat at 1:01.27 and Ayooluwa Samuel Dada of Nigeria at 1:01.60. Louie Jay Quibote claimed the 6x6x6 Cube crown in 1:51.32, holding off Dada at 1:52.91 and Yoshida at 1:59.18.

The side events rounded out an energetic day of speed cubing at the mall venue. Craig Luke Jimeno topped 47 entrants in Pyraminx with a 3.28 winning average, staying ahead of Alvarez at 3.37 and Nikolai Harvey Sy Zipagan at 4.03. Alvarez also shared the top time in Skewb, tying Yuji Yoshida at identical 4.82 averages before Yoshida took the gold, with Francis Yuel B. Merced placing third at 5.84. Across 24 total podium places awarded at the General Trias Speedcubing Open 2023, competitors representing the Philippines earned 22 while Nigeria collected two.

The day concluded with a deep catalog of personal milestones and competitive breakthroughs across all eight events. With full brackets in short puzzles and strong performances in complex multi-layer challenges, the tournament reinforced the lively state of speedcubing across the Cavite region as solvers prepare for their next steps on the competition circuit in 2023.

Nagtala si Toby Litiatco ng kahanga-hangang 6.68 winning average sa 3x3x3 Cube upang angkinin ang unang puwesto sa matinding labanan sa General Trias Speedcubing Open 2023. Sa pagtatapos ng torneo sa Robinsons General Trias, pumangalawa si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na may 7.23 average habang pumangatlo naman si Aragon Martin Gonzales sa bilis na 8.29. Ang naturang tagumpay ang naging pinakatampok na kaganapan sa buong paligsahan na dinaluhan ng walumpu't limang kalahok.

Ginanap noong May 28, 2023 sa General Trias, Cavite City, Philippines ang nasabing WCA competition na nagpakita ng matinding sigla at pagkakaisa ng komunidad. Sa kabuuan ng araw, sumabak ang mga kalahok sa sampung rounds na sumaklaw sa walong magkakaibang events. Bukod sa labanan para sa podium, naging sentro rin ng araw ang mainit na samahan ng mga pamilya at magkakaibigang nagpalitan ng mga paraan ng paglutas sa bawat pagitan ng mga round.

Naging kapansin-pansin ang ipinakitang galing ni Aragon Martin Gonzales matapos magwagi sa dalawang magkahiwalay na kategorya sa General Trias Speedcubing Open 2023. Naungusan niya ang animnapu't isang kalahok sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan nagtala siya ng 2.99 average kapantay ang 2.99 ni Toby Litiatco ngunit nakuha ang panalo sa tulong ng 1.87 best single. Sinundan pa ito ni Gonzales ng tagumpay sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos magtala ng 13.82 average laban sa apatnapu't tatlong katunggali.

Sa iba pang side events, naging mahigpit ang labanan sa Skewb nang makuha ni Yuji Yoshida ang unang puwesto sa pamamagitan ng 4.82 average kung saan pumangalawa si Jansen Alvarez na nagtala rin ng 4.82 habang pumangatlo si Francis Yuel B. Merced sa 5.84. Hindi naman nagpahuli si Craig Luke Jimeno sa Pyraminx nang manguna siya tangan ang 3.28 average kontra sa 3.37 ni Alvarez at 4.03 ni Nikolai Harvey Sy Zipagan sa larangan ng apatnapu't pitong kalahok.

Ang galing sa mas malalaking puzzle ay nasaksihan din sa buong paligsahan. Sa 4x4x4 Cube, nangibabaw si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na may 32.90 average kontra kay Yoshida na may 33.60. Naghari naman si Jansen Alvarez sa 5x5x5 Cube nang magtala ng 59.24 average upang unahan sina Cairon Sumadchat at Ayooluwa Samuel Dada mula Nigeria. Sa 6x6x6 Cube, nasungkit ni Louie Jay Quibote ang gintong puwesto sa bilis na 1:51.32 laban sa labing-apat na manlalaro.

Sa likod ng mga opisyal na podium, maraming manlalaro ang nagtala ng mahahalagang tagumpay sa kani-kanilang sariling mga talaan. Si Gabriel Inrico S. De Belen ay sumabak sa anim na events kung saan nagtala siya ng 7.35 sa Skewb na 33.6 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa dati niyang 11.07, 9.68 sa 3x3x3 Cube mula sa dating 13.53, at nagtala ng kanyang unang subok sa 5x5x5 Cube sa oras na 2:02.56. Si Pedro Karol Fransisco A. Ortega ay lumahok sa apat na events, nagtala ng 9.12 sa Pyraminx na 33.8 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 13.77, 5.03 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at unang subok sa Skewb na 13.61. Malaking pag-unlad din ang ipinamalas ni Angelito Jabez G. Macatulad sa pamamagitan ng 6.69 sa 2x2x2 Cube na 46.8 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 12.57, kasabay ng unang subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa oras na 53.69. Samantala, si Fredrich Ryan Crisostomo ay nagtala ng 30.85 sa 3x3x3 Cube na 24.4 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 40.83 at gumawa ng unang subok sa 2x2x2 Cube sa oras na 11.82.

Naging entablado rin ang General Trias Speedcubing Open 2023 para sa mga bagong manlalaro na sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang opisyal na torneo sa speedcubing. Si June Adrian Ersando ay sumabak agad sa limang events kung saan nakamit niya ang ika-labing-isang puwesto sa Pyraminx tangan ang 5.14, kasama ang unang subok sa 4x4x4 Cube sa 47.26 at Skewb sa 8.36. Si Joaqui Gerard Isip ay lumaban sa limang events at nagtala ng 11.58 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 10.15 sa Pyraminx, at 24.65 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed. Gayundin si Rex David A. Taguinod na nagtapos sa ika-dalawampu't tatlong puwesto sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa oras na 19.87, kasabay ng 10.31 sa 3x3x3 Cube at 5.39 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Lumahok naman si Joaquin Theo Agullo sa tatlong events kung saan nagtala siya ng 13.54 sa Pyraminx, 9.11 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 34.34 sa klasikong Rubik's Cube.

Ang tagumpay ng General Trias Speedcubing Open 2023 ay patunay sa lumalalim na sigla ng komunidad sa lalawigan. Mula sa mga beteranong umakyat sa podium hanggang sa mga baguhang sumubok ng mga bagong kategorya, ang buong cubing competition ay nag-iwan ng magagandang alaala ng pagkakaibigan at pagtutulungan para sa darating na mga panahon.