It's Blind Time Montevideo 2023

Inside the Grupo Altavista Lab & Trend venue, the tables were arranged for a demanding test of focus and memory. Speedcubing in Montevideo, Uruguay, often brings together competitors who relish intricate problem-solving, and on May 14, 2023, the focus shifted entirely toward specialised disciplines. The atmosphere remained calm and deliberate throughout the single-day schedule, giving each competitor room to prepare mentally before touching a puzzle. Ten competitors gathered to test themselves across four dedicated events at It's Blind Time Montevideo 2023, creating an intense, close-knit gathering of puzzle specialists.

Specialist solving disciplines require exceptional discipline, demanding that solvers master finger mechanics, ergonomics, and efficient execution to cut down every fraction of a second. The exactness demanded by specialty formats was on full display as solvers tackled complex routines without visual feedback or navigated unusual puzzle layouts. A total of six rounds across four disciplines challenged the field, proving that speed cubing at this level is as much about pure technical mastery as it is about quick reactions on a standard 3x3 Rubik's Cube.

Argentina's Manuel Gutman delivered the defining performance of It's Blind Time Montevideo 2023, executing an extraordinary sweep of every memory discipline on the schedule. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Gutman claimed first place with a winning single of 17.62 seconds in the final, having already set a South American record single of 15.96 seconds during the tournament. Leonardo Ezequiel Cruz of Argentina secured second place with a mark of 31.73 seconds, while Christian Goñi of Uruguay claimed third with 40.61 seconds in the nine-person field, giving fans remarkable blindfolded 3x3 results to study.

Gutman extended his absolute control over the larger cubes, capturing gold in both 4x4x4 Blindfolded and 5x5x5 Blindfolded against a select field of three competitors. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, Gutman registered a winning single of 1:25.73 to take victory over Cruz, who took second in 5:22.70, and Bruno Lezama of Uruguay, who earned third in 7:11.30. Moving to the 5x5x5 Blindfolded event, Gutman recorded a winning time of 4:55.45, again leading Cruz in second at 12:17.00 and Lezama in third at 16:22.00, ensuring Argentina claimed three top spots on the day.

Beyond the podium battles, the real spirit of the WCA competition was reflected in the personal milestones accomplished by competitors across the board. Brian Hambeck took on two events in Montevideo and achieved a dramatic personal best in Clock, lowering his previous best time of 43.33 seconds down to 19.36 seconds, which represented a 55.3 percent improvement. Sofía Rojo also made a significant breakthrough at It's Blind Time Montevideo 2023, logging her first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a completion time of 5:55.82, alongside a 23.8 percent improvement in Clock where she cut her previous best of 15.20 down to 11.59 seconds to finish seventh.

Continuing through the field, Sebastiano Benato contested two disciplines and earned a fifth-place result in Clock while shaving 12.3 percent off his 3x3x3 Blindfolded benchmark, dropping his best from 3:32.53 down to 3:06.30. Ernesto Cabrera also competed in two events during the weekend, earning a fourth-place finish in Clock and recording a personal best of 8.39 seconds in the puzzle, improving upon his earlier mark of 9.55 seconds by 12.1 percent. These steady individual gains highlighted the depth of commitment present throughout the entire roster.

The Clock event provided a fast-paced contrast to the long memorisation periods of the blindfolded rounds, attracting all ten entrants across two stages of play. Mateo de León of Uruguay captured the Clock title with a winning average of 7.08 seconds in the final round, backed by a tournament-best single solve of 6.15 seconds. His compatriot Víctor Gálvez secured second place with a 7.28 average, while Bruno Lezama rounded out an all-Uruguayan podium in third place with an average of 8.89 seconds.

By the conclusion of It's Blind Time Montevideo 2023, the twelve available podium positions were split evenly between Argentina and Uruguay with six top-three finishes apiece. The single-day cubing competition served as a showcase for high-level blindfolded execution and fast Clock mechanics, closing out a productive day of competitive action in the capital as solvers turn their attention toward the next season of regional speedcubing fixtures.