Grido Cubea Asunción 2024

Seventeen competitors gathered at Grido Loma Pyta on August 31, 2024, creating an electric atmosphere for high-stakes speedcubing in Asunción, Paraguay. The single-day tournament brought together the nation's dedicated puzzle enthusiasts to contest four rounds across two essential disciplines. Performing on familiar ground before local supporters, Kenji Julián Cáceres Matsumoto seized the spotlight immediately. The Paraguayan standout delivered an extraordinary double-victory performance across the entire schedule, sweeping both brackets with rapid times that set the pace for an intense day of competition in the capital city.

The classic 3x3x3 Cube served as the centerpiece of the tournament, drawing all 17 registered participants into two hard-fought rounds. In the final round, Cáceres Matsumoto demonstrated pristine turning control and execution speed, securing first place with a winning average of 8.82 seconds and producing the weekend's best single time of 6.96 seconds. His commanding performance placed him comfortably clear of the field, reinforcing his status as a premier solver on the national stage as spectators followed every move on the classic Rubik's Cube.

Behind the champion, the race for the remaining spots on the podium delivered tight drama in the 3x3 results. Joshua Giesbrecht secured the silver medal with a solid final average of 13.15 seconds, while Oliver Brítez locked down the bronze with a 14.40 average. The second round showcased consistent execution from the finalists, providing a memorable conclusion to the main event as all three medalists represented Paraguay with distinction during the afternoon proceedings in Asunción.

The fast-paced 2x2x2 Cube event presented another showcase of precision across two rounds of rapid solving with 15 competitors taking part. Cáceres Matsumoto maintained his winning momentum, taking first place with an impressive winning average of 2.90 seconds alongside a best single time of 2.65 seconds. His sharp consistency across five solves in the final round held off fierce competition from Fabricio Manuel Pereira Martinez, who took second place with an average of 4.08 seconds, and Joshua Giesbrecht, who captured third place in 4.58 seconds.

The competition featured an exceptional sweep for host nation talent, with all six available podium placements across both events claimed by solvers from Paraguay. The tournament format placed heavy emphasis on short-format mastery, demanding instant focus and steady nerves through every round. Both events pushed contenders to minimize pause times and execute complex layer rotations in mere fractions of a second, demonstrating the refined mechanical skill present throughout this official WCA competition.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their individual campaigns. Leandro Ayala delivered the weekend's most striking progression, slicing his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 45.1 percent to 15.61 seconds compared to his previous best of 28.43 seconds, while also completing his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 5.76 single on his way to a ninth-place finish. Jazmin Florentin made major strides by recording a new 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 46.94 seconds, which was 21.1 percent faster than her previous benchmark of 59.46 seconds across her two events.

Further down the order, progress came steadily through focused preparation. Ricardo Manuel Acuña González improved his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 9.6 percent down to 27.35 seconds, while Pedro Abrahan Ramírez González dropped his best to 19.04 seconds, an improvement of 9.1 percent, to finish in 11th place. Damian Britez Etcheverry earned sixth place in the 3x3x3 Cube after lowering his personal best to 14.65 seconds, a 9.4 percent drop, while also shaving time on the 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.43 single. Silas Núñez Ortiz recorded a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 6.89 seconds while placing seventh in the larger cube, Angel Daniel Gonzalez Gonzalez placed fourth in 3x3x3 Cube across two events, and Gonzalo Ezequiel Rolón Benítez marked his first WCA competition with an impressive first attempt of 19.29 seconds.

With four complete rounds successfully managed in a single day, Grido Cubea Asunción 2024 stands as a testament to the thriving local community and the vibrant spirit of speed cubing in the region. The event provided a platform for both established frontrunners to excel and developing solvers to achieve meaningful personal milestones on official timers. As the 2024 season progresses, the performances logged at Grido Loma Pyta establish strong benchmarks for Paraguayan cubers aiming for future speedcubing success.