Guazapa Open 2023

A blistering 1.56-second 2x2x2 single set the tone as Samuel Cuellar Ramirez claimed a new El Salvador national record and stormed to four event victories on July 8, 2023. Inside the energetic halls of Colegio Lic. Luis Alonso Aparicio, the Guazapa Open 2023 brought together 17 competitors for a packed schedule of speedcubing action. The venue hosted 7 rounds across 5 events, providing the setting for rapid solves and dramatic finishes throughout the one-day gathering in Guazapa, El Salvador.

The venue at Colegio Lic. Luis Alonso Aparicio bustled from the morning matches to the afternoon finals as participants gathered to test their skills in this major cubing competition. With 17 competitors taking their seats at the tables, the room carried the steady rhythm of turning layers and dropping timers. The single-day schedule moved swiftly through multiple formats, giving the local scene a focused showcase for both traditional events and specialty puzzles in the 2023 season.

Samuel Cuellar Ramirez delivered a commanding performance across the board, capturing the 3x3x3 Cube title with a winning average of 12.43 seconds after posting a best single of 10.78. In the 3x3 results, Oscar Armando Anaya Barrera secured second place on the podium with a 13.79 average, while Francisco Javier Velásquez Portillo earned third place with a mark of 13.81. The classic Rubik's Cube final featured 17 competitors battling through two intense rounds to decide the podium.

Beyond the main event, Cuellar Ramirez dominated the smaller and specialty puzzles during the Guazapa Open 2023. He captured the 2x2x2 Cube title with an average of 4.05 seconds, topping Rodrigo Javier Mejía Merino at 5.86 and Oscar Armando Anaya Barrera at 6.17. His standout 1.56 national record single highlighted the event. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Cuellar Ramirez won with a 27.24 average, finishing ahead of Luis Alonso Inestroza Henriquez at 31.30 and Joel Hernández at 42.74.

In the Pyraminx competition, Cuellar Ramirez notched his fourth victory of the day with a 5.07 winning average and a single of 4.40. Henry Mixco claimed second place with an average of 8.41, while Rodrigo Javier Mejía Merino took third on the podium with 9.90. The only event that eluded Cuellar Ramirez was Skewb, where Luis Alonso Inestroza Henriquez seized first place with a 7.88 average. Cuellar Ramirez followed in second with 9.29, and Mejía Merino collected another bronze medal with a 10.85 average.

Behind the medal battles, the event highlighted massive individual breakthroughs and first-time milestones across the board. Axel Orellana produced remarkable time drops, cutting his 2x2x2 Cube mark to a 6.45 personal best, which was 49.1% faster than his previous best of 12.67, alongside a 25.90 in the 3x3x3 Cube that was 39.5% faster than his prior 42.83. Jeremy Mezquita tackled three events, achieving a fourth-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a first ever attempt of 37.72, logging a first Pyraminx attempt of 6.10, and dropping his 3x3x3 personal best to 26.70, an improvement of 27.1% over his previous 36.62. Saul Cuellar Ramirez recorded a fourth-place finish in Pyraminx with a personal best of 6.18, cutting 19.3% off his prior 7.66, and made his first ever attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 50.07. Francisco Javier Sandoval Jaco took on all five events, securing sixth place in Skewb with a personal best of 20.57 that shaved 11.3% off his old 23.18.

Newcomers and multi-event competitors made their presence felt across the stage in Guazapa, El Salvador. Fausto Tomas Avalle-Piber entered his first WCA competition, recording his first ever attempt in 2x2x2 Cube with 4.22, 3x3x3 Cube with 19.31, and Pyraminx with 8.46, which earned him a fifth-place finish. Kenia Marcela Herrera Ibañez completed a five-event slate, highlighted by a seventh-place finish in Skewb where she logged a first ever attempt of 44.03. Yurian Yahir Herrera Zuleta contested three events, finishing ninth in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a first ever attempt of 1:05.10. Juan Martin Peche Reyes took his place in his first WCA competition, recording a first ever attempt of 1:19.04 on the 3x3x3 Cube and 36.55 on the 2x2x2 Cube.

The tournament wrapped up as a complete showcase of local talent, with home competitors from El Salvador securing all 15 available podium positions across the five disciplines. From the precision of speed cubing in one-handed solving to the rapid rotations of the 2x2x2 rounds, the Guazapa Open 2023 delivered a memorable day of official competition. As participants pack up their gear from Colegio Lic. Luis Alonso Aparicio, the performances established a strong foundation for the next chapter of regional speedcubing.

With four gold medals and a national record single, Samuel Cuellar Ramirez stood out as the central figure of the competition in Guazapa, while Luis Alonso Inestroza Henriquez earned top honors in Skewb. The combination of seasoned podium regulars and ambitious first-time competitors generated tight margins across every bracket. As the 2023 calendar progresses, the marks set in Guazapa will serve as the benchmark for everyone returning to the competition tables in future rounds.