IALA Open 2024

Josias Milan Sirpa Pinto delivered a standout performance at the Instituto Adventista Los Andes by securing the main title with a winning average of 8.81 seconds and a best single of 7.69. That sharp execution set the tone for a vibrant day of action in La Paz, Bolivia, on November 24, 2024. Beyond the fastest times, the gathering served as a celebration of shared dedication, where solvers connected over scrambles, exchanged advice between rounds, and supported peers across every stage of the tournament.

A total of 75 competitors came together for the single-day WCA competition, creating an energetic hall filled with camaraderie. The schedule spanned 5 events and 9 rounds, giving participants plenty of opportunities to test their skills and share solutions across different formats. While the race for the podium remained intense, the gathering in La Paz was defined equally by the friendships renewed and forged at the practice tables, illustrating the collaborative culture that defines the modern speedcubing community in the 2024 season.

In the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, Sirpa Pinto navigated through three demanding rounds to capture the top spot. The battle for podium places behind him was fiercely contested, with Luzio Batuani Conde taking second place on a 9.42 average and Matias Franco Echeverria Ramos earning third with an 11.36 average. Across all 74 entrants in the bracket, the classic Rubik's Cube brought competitors together as they traded inspection techniques and analyzed solves, making the 3x3 results a central talking point of the entire afternoon.

The side events brought their own distinct flavor to IALA Open 2024, spotlighting a diverse spectrum of twisty puzzles. In the Megaminx division, Favio Tapia showed remarkable mastery over two rounds, winning the event with a 52.35 average and a best single of 46.85. Matias Raúl Angulo Gutierrez secured second place at 56.99, while Sirpa Pinto added to his medal haul by claiming third place with a 1:03.53 average, highlighting the depth of talent among the 23 competitors tackling the dodecahedral challenge.

Hardware variety was on full display in the Pyraminx and Clock brackets. Henry Ramirez Escobar captured the Pyraminx victory in a single 46-person round with an average of 4.90, edging Jose Mauricio Colque Mamani at 5.00 and Amaru Aloys Ancasi Pevec at 5.18. Meanwhile, the mechanical complexity of Clock saw Martín Rodrigo Calle Quiroz take first place with an 8.66 average and a 7.36 single, finishing ahead of Angulo Gutierrez with 9.04 and Samuel Antonio Cruz Coareti with 9.87. Cruz Coareti also triumphed in Square-1, winning the two-round contest with a 9.88 average.

Beyond the podium standings, the day featured extraordinary personal breakthroughs across the floor. Mateo Alejandro Teran Coca achieved a massive breakthrough in Pyraminx with a personal best of 13.34, cutting 64.5 percent off his previous benchmark, while also registering his first ever attempt at Megaminx with a 3:29.89. Armando Ruben Cantuta Poma delivered a standout Clock personal best of 16.30, which was 50.4 percent faster than before, and made his first ever attempt at Square-1 with a 57.30. Alex Rodrigo Pastrana Maceda shaved 44.4 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to finish on 18.84, while Alexis Raphael Choque Marca improved his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 40 percent to 30.47.

The spirit of improvement continued through several other memorable individual milestones. Leonel Alejandro Averanga Limachi lowered his Megaminx personal best to 2:04.51, representing a 32.7 percent improvement, while tackling 3 events at the venue. Several newcomers stepped onto the official floor for their first WCA competition, embracing the speed cubing atmosphere with poise. Aron Alejandro Escobar Ticona logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Cube with 29.13 and Pyraminx with 8.46, Kamila Alejandra Vargas Aguilar registered initial attempts of 48.06 in 3x3x3 Cube and 17.47 in Pyraminx, and Santiago German Rivero Zambrana posted inaugural marks of 12.33 in Pyraminx and 43.56 in 3x3x3 Cube.

As the final rounds wrapped up, IALA Open 2024 concluded as a resounding showcase of Bolivian cubing talent and mutual encouragement. Every one of the 15 podium positions went to competitors representing Bolivia, underscoring the strength of the local scene. Whether striving for top honors or simply enjoying the company of fellow puzzle enthusiasts, participants left the venue with shared memories and fresh motivation for their next cubing competition.