Johor Cube Open 2024

A nail-biting showdown in the Skewb final went straight down to the wire before Eng Dickson emerged victorious at Beletime Danga Bay. Eng Dickson posted a winning average of 3.05 seconds with a best single of 2.51 to edge past Nigel Phang of Singapore, who finished narrowly behind with a 3.12 average, while Luis Tan Hong Yi secured third place at 3.21. That tight finish set the tone for an intense single-day WCA competition in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on June 22, 2024, featuring four official disciplines and twelve rounds of action across the schedule.

Beyond that photo-finish Skewb final, the story of Johor Cube Open 2024 belonged to Yiheng Wang of China, who swept the titles in three separate events. Yiheng Wang was in untouchable form in the flagship Rubik's Cube category, delivering a blistering 4.91 average in the final round of the classic 3x3x3 Cube to take the title ahead of Malaysia's Tee Kai Yang and China's Kangze Wang. Yiheng Wang recorded the best single of the entire tournament in the 3x3 category at 4.20 seconds, sealing one of the most commanding speedcubing displays of the season.

The 3x3 results capped a tournament-wide field of 82 competitors in the main event, with three rounds of eliminations winnowing down the fastest solvers. Tee Kai Yang took the second spot on the podium with a 6.61 average, holding off Kangze Wang who finished third on a 7.39 mark. The high-calibre showdown in the marquee event illustrated the sheer depth of speed cubing talent present at the venue, drawing contenders from across the region to Johor Bahru for top-tier Rubik's Cube racing.

In the 2x2x2 Cube, Yiheng Wang claimed another victory with an astonishing 1.34 winning average and a best single of 0.94 seconds across three rounds involving 75 competitors. Nigel Phang earned the runner-up spot on the podium with a 1.91 average, while Ng Jia Quan of Malaysia collected third place with 2.21. In Pyraminx, Yiheng Wang completed a hat-trick of tournament victories, taking first place with a 2.49 winning average and a 1.82 single in a 60-person event, finishing ahead of Ng Jia Quan at 2.91 and Ephraim Lim Shao Liang at 4.08.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors delivered massive leaps forward in their personal standings across the day. Kejia Lei entered 3 events and produced huge improvements, dropping their 2x2x2 personal best by 65.2 percent from 41.06 to 14.27, their Pyraminx best by 33.1 percent from 23.14 to 15.48, and their 3x3x3 best by 30.2 percent from 1:16.25 to 53.22. Poh Yun Sheng entered 4 events, taking on a first ever attempt at Skewb with a 7.30 mark, while slashing their 2x2x2 best by 54.2 percent to 4.69 and their 3x3x3 mark by 51.6 percent to 14.83. Ezra Zachary Chou tackled 3 events, slicing their 2x2x2 personal best by 59.5 percent down to 3.20 and their 3x3x3 best by 14.8 percent to 11.29.

First-time event attempts and sharp progress continued across the venue as Don Keh Li Yang contested 4 events, posting a first ever attempt at Skewb of 18.57 alongside a 46.7 percent drop in Pyraminx to 6.06 and a 9.5 percent cut in 3x3x3 to 17.19. Yong Jun Tao tackled 3 events, recording a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 12.53, a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 of 10.60, and a 30.9 percent reduction in 3x3x3 to 30.74. Tan Kang Rui took on 4 events, logging a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 4.35, a first ever attempt at Skewb of 5.86, and a 10.4 percent improvement in 2x2x2 to 2.23. Aisy Aqil Anaqi Bin Hairilhairino took 11th in Pyraminx with a 15.9 percent personal best improvement to 4.50 while adding first attempts in 3x3x3 of 10.04 and 2x2x2 of 4.40. Chin Jun Youth took on 4 events, registering a first ever attempt at Skewb of 22.06, a 25.5 percent personal best improvement in Pyraminx to 8.22, and a 4.1 percent drop in 3x3x3 to 16.67.

Across the 4 events and 12 total rounds, 84 competitors pushed each other to new heights, creating a vibrant atmosphere at Beletime Danga Bay. The overall medal haul reflected the international balance of the podium, with host nation Malaysia taking 5 podium spots, China earning 4, and Singapore securing 3. Every solve contributed to a thrilling day of competition that celebrated both world-class speed at the top and immense personal milestones throughout the entire roster.

The Johor Cube Open 2024 will be remembered for the clutch resolution in the Skewb final and the triple-event mastery shown by Yiheng Wang. As the cubing competition wrapped up in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, competitors celebrated their progression and set their sights on further refinements for the next season of tournament play.

Penyelesaian terpantas di Beletime Danga Bay menyaksikan Yiheng Wang (王艺衡) mencatatkan purata kemenangan luar biasa 4.91 saat dalam acara 3x3x3 Cube, sekali gus menguasai pentas utama pertandingan Rubik's Cube ini. Kejohanan Johor Cube Open 2024 yang berlangsung pada 22 Jun 2024 di Johor Bahru, Malaysia telah mengumpulkan seramai 84 peserta dari pelbagai negara untuk bersaing dalam 4 acara dan 12 pusingan yang penuh dengan debaran serta fokus luar biasa.

Bagi setiap peserta yang beraksi di pentas speedcubing, penumpuan minda dan ingatan yang tajam sentiasa menjadi kunci utama dalam merencana setiap pergerakan jari pada kiub. Keperluan untuk mengekalkan fokus mutlak di hadapan pemasa jelas kelihatan di seluruh dewan pertandingan sepanjang hari kejohanan, di mana setiap milisaat menentukan kedudukan akhir dalam pusingan saringan hingga ke perlawanan penentu kejuaraan.

Dalam acara kemuncak 3x3x3 Cube di Johor Cube Open 2024, Yiheng Wang merangkul gelaran juara dengan purata 4.91 dan catatan terbaik satu pusingan 4.20 saat setelah mengatasi seramai 82 peserta lain. Tee Kai Yang dari Malaysia menamatkan saingan di tangga kedua dengan purata 6.61 saat, manakala Kangze Wang (王康泽) dari China melengkapkan podium di tempat ketiga menerusi purata catatan masa 7.39 saat.

Dominasi Yiheng Wang diteruskan dalam acara 2x2x2 Cube apabila beliau mencatatkan purata kemenangan 1.34 saat dengan catatan masa terbaik 0.94 saat menewaskan seramai 75 peserta. Tempat kedua disandang oleh Nigel Phang dari Singapura dengan purata 1.91 saat, sementara wakil tuan rumah Ng Jia Quan (黄佳铨) berada di kedudukan ketiga dengan purata 2.21 saat dalam acara yang sengit ini.

Kejayaan ketiga Yiheng Wang hadir menerusi acara Pyraminx di mana beliau mencatatkan purata kemenangan 2.49 saat serta catatan terbaik 1.82 saat dalam kalangan 60 peserta. Ng Jia Quan berjaya menduduki tempat kedua dengan purata 2.91 saat, diikuti oleh Ephraim Lim Shao Liang (林绍良) dari Malaysia di tempat ketiga dengan purata 4.08 saat selepas mengharungi 3 pusingan penuh.

Bagi acara Skewb di Johor Cube Open 2024, giliran peserta Malaysia Eng Dickson (黄迪胜) mencipta kegemilangan dengan memenangi tempat pertama menerusi purata 3.05 saat dan catatan terbaik 2.51 saat dalam kalangan 47 peserta. Beliau menewaskan dua wakil Singapura iaitu Nigel Phang yang menduduki tempat kedua dengan purata 3.12 saat dan Luis Tan Hong Yi (陈宏溢) di tangga ketiga dengan purata 3.21 saat.

Di sebalik perebutan podium utama, kejohanan cubing competition ini menjadi medan lonjakan prestasi peribadi yang sangat bermakna buat ramai peserta. Tan Ye Ren memperbaharui rekod peribadi Pyraminx miliknya kepada 4.71 saat iaitu 44 peratus lebih pantas berbanding 8.41 saat sebelum ini serta membaiki masa 3x3x3 Cube kepada 8.97 saat, manakala Chan Yong Kai merekodkan 3.27 saat dalam Skewb iaitu peningkatan 39.4 peratus lebih pantas dan 1.42 saat dalam 2x2x2 Cube. Jarell Leong Yu Zhe mencatatkan masa peribadi terbaik 3.71 saat dalam 2x2x2 Cube yang 35.9 peratus lebih pantas daripada catatan lalu di samping 12.28 saat dalam 3x3x3 Cube, sementara Raffasya Mauza Setiawan dari Indonesia membuat penampilan sulung Skewb dengan 7.43 saat dan mencatat masa peribadi 5.20 saat dalam Pyraminx iaitu 19.6 peratus lebih pantas.

Beberapa peserta lain turut mempamerkan keberanian dan kemahiran dalam pertandingan WCA competition pertama mereka sepanjang hujung minggu ini. Afifah Nurhusna Binti Mohd Sazli menyertai 4 acara dan mencatatkan cubaan rasmi pertamanya dalam 3x3x3 Cube dengan 20.15 saat, Skewb dengan 12.55 saat, dan 2x2x2 Cube dengan 4.52 saat. Areez Sharique Bin Zulkifli menamatkan Skewb di tempat ke-16 dengan cubaan 3.95 saat serta melakukan cubaan pertama 2.34 saat dalam Pyraminx dan 3.33 saat dalam 2x2x2 Cube. Jayden Teo Jie En membuat penampilan rasmi pertama bagi Pyraminx dengan 4.03 saat, 2x2x2 Cube dengan 5.42 saat dan 3x3x3 Cube dengan 24.24 saat, manakala Chua Hong Lin menyempurnakan cubaan pertamanya dalam Pyraminx pada 7.06 saat, Skewb pada 7.05 saat dan 3x3x3 Cube pada 14.70 saat.

Secara keseluruhannya, kutipan podium kejohanan menyaksikan Malaysia mendahului dengan 5 kedudukan podium, diikuti oleh China dengan 4 podium dan Singapura dengan 3 podium. Penganjuran Johor Cube Open 2024 di Beletime Danga Bay telah membuktikan daya saing hebat komuniti penyelesai kiub serantau bagi tahun 2024 dan menandakan satu lagi lembaran sukan kepantasan minda yang cemerlang sebelum ketibaan musim berikutnya.