Laguna Speedcubing Open 2023

Nineteen out of twenty-one available podium positions went to host nation competitors as Robinsons Galleria South hosted a commanding display of local talent. The Laguna Speedcubing Open 2023 brought 77 competitors together in San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines on April 16, 2023, staging 9 rounds across 7 official events. Across a packed single-day schedule, Filipino solvers controlled almost every discipline, asserting their presence from early qualification rounds through to the decisive final solves.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest featured a 75-competitor field navigating three intense rounds of classic speedcubing. Sean Patrick Villanueva secured the championship in a razor-thin final, delivering a 6.51 winning average alongside a best single of 5.50. Toby Litiatco pushed the contest to the wire, finishing second with an average of 6.52, while Aragon Martin Gonzales posted a 7.92 average to complete an all-Philippine podium sweep. The thrilling 3x3 results capped a day of world-class Rubik's Cube solving.

Sean Patrick Villanueva doubled his gold medal haul in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event. Overcoming a field of 40 entrants, Villanueva notched an average of 10.05 and a best single of 9.76. Toby Litiatco followed in second place with an average of 12.94, and Aragon Martin Gonzales secured his second podium finish of the competition by taking third place with a mark of 13.54.

Richmond Mico Rigor produced a formidable showing across the mid-range big cubes, capturing two titles of his own. In the 4x4x4 Cube event featuring 48 solvers, Rigor claimed victory with a 31.09 average and a sharp single of 26.85. He led another clean sweep for the home country, finishing ahead of runner-up Cairon Sumadchat at 34.12 and third-place Aragon Martin Gonzales at 34.28.

Rigor extended his mastery to the 5x5x5 Cube, where he topped a field of 27 competitors with a winning average of 57.02 and a best single of 53.50. Nigeria's Ayooluwa Samuel Dada broke through the host nation dominance to earn second place with an average of 59.14, while Louie Jay Quibote claimed third for the Philippines with a 1:01.27 average.

Away from the championship podiums, several solvers seized the opportunity to test themselves in new arenas and set major personal milestones during the cubing competition. Ivo Daniel Cruz produced a massive 32.9 percent reduction in his 3x3x3 Cube mark down to 41.32 and debuted in Pyraminx with an 8.13 finish for 18th place. Liam Lucas G. Santos lowered his 3x3x3 personal best by 25.7 percent to 21.00 while taking on Pyraminx for the first time with a 9.57 result. Sean Elison Bathan cut his 4x4x4 Cube best by 20.4 percent to 44.07 and made a first Pyraminx attempt of 8.27. Kyle Christian M. Cloma improved his Pyraminx best by 20.6 percent to 7.84, dropped his 3x3x3 best by 16.3 percent to 9.11, and took his first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 23.83.

The depth of progress across the roster remained visible as other solvers tackled diverse schedules. Iñigo Zachary Enrile entered four events, posting first-time marks in Clock at 24.97 for a 13th-place finish and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:01.43, alongside a 7.9 percent 3x3x3 improvement to 21.36. Curt Maxwell L. Soronio took on five events, completing maiden attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 3:01.49 for 26th place, Pyraminx at 9.88, and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:08.86. Adrian Jose Casiño recorded first-time marks of 23.37 in 3x3x3 One-Handed for 31st place and 43.48 in Pyraminx. Dylan Ivan B. Tolin completed initial attempts of 2:16.81 in 4x4x4 Cube and 10.16 in Pyraminx.

Side events brought further excitement to the venue. Psyron Eubert Catral won Pyraminx from a 41-person field, posting a 3.81 average and a 2.22 single to finish ahead of Aragon Martin Gonzales at 4.89 and Yuji Yoshida at 5.39. In Clock, Albert Quiñones earned top honors with a 7.36 average, leading Ryan Francisco at 9.05 and Elijah Francis Jagonio at 9.92 across 15 competitors. The 7x7x7 Cube title went to Louie Jay Quibote with an average of 2:40.32, with Richmond Mico Rigor taking second in 2:46.36 and Ayooluwa Samuel Dada securing third place for Nigeria in 2:56.76.

The Laguna Speedcubing Open 2023 served as an emphatic showcase of speed cubing excellence in San Pedro. Across standard puzzles, big cubes, and specialized side disciplines, the WCA competition delivered world-class execution and meaningful personal progress as the local community looks forward to the next season of tournament play.

May 77 kalahok ang nagtipon sa Robinsons Galleria South upang magpakitang-gilas sa Laguna Speedcubing Open 2023 noong April 16, 2023. Sa kabuuang pitong kategorya at siyam na rounds ng matinding bakbakan, pinatunayan ng mga manlalaro ang kanilang bilis at husay sa speedcubing. Ang lungsod ng San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines ay naging saksi sa mabilisang pag-ikot ng bawat puzzle kung saan ibinuhos ng bawat kalahok ang kanilang paghahanda upang magtala ng mga bagong personal record sa prestihiyosong torneo.

Bumida sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube si Sean Patrick Villanueva na nagkampeon matapos magtala ng winning average na 6.51 laban sa 75 kalahok sa tatlong rounds. Halos dikit ang laban sa pinal na round kung saan pumangalawa si Toby Litiatco na may average na 6.52, habang si Aragon Martin Gonzales naman ang pumangatlo sa kanyang 7.92 average. Naitala rin ni Sean Patrick Villanueva ang pinakamabilis na solong oras sa naturang kategorya sa bilis na 5.50 segundo.

Hindi lamang sa tradisyunal na Rubik's Cube naghari si Sean Patrick Villanueva dahil nasungkit din niya ang unang puwesto sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos magtala ng 10.05 average at pinakamabilis na single na 9.76 segundo. Pumangalawa muli si Toby Litiatco na may 12.94 average, kasunod si Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagtala ng 13.54. Ipinakita ng naturang kategorya ang pambihirang kontrol at koordinasyon gamit lamang ang isang kamay sa harap ng 40 na katunggali sa buong torneo.

Naging maningning din ang paglahok ni Richmond Mico Rigor matapos manguna sa dalawang malalaking kategorya sa Laguna Speedcubing Open 2023. Nagwagi siya sa 4x4x4 Cube na may average na 31.09 laban sa 48 kalahok, kung saan tinalo niya sina Cairon Sumadchat na may 34.12 at Aragon Martin Gonzales na may 34.28. Dinagdagan pa ito ni Richmond Mico Rigor ng tagumpay sa 5x5x5 Cube gamit ang 57.02 average, naungusan sina Ayooluwa Samuel Dada mula Nigeria na nagtala ng 59.14 at Louie Jay Quibote na may 1:01.27.

Sa mas malalaking kategorya at kakaibang hugis, nagwagi si Louie Jay Quibote sa 7x7x7 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 2:40.32 average, kung saan sumunod si Richmond Mico Rigor sa 2:46.36 at Ayooluwa Samuel Dada sa 2:56.76. Sa Pyraminx naman, nakuha ni Psyron Eubert Catral ang gintong puwesto na may 3.81 average, habang pumangalawa si Aragon Martin Gonzales sa 4.89 at pumangatlo si Yuji Yoshida sa 5.39. Sa Clock, naghari si Albert Quiñones sa kanyang 7.36 average laban kina Ryan Francisco na may 9.05 at Elijah Francis Jagonio na may 9.92.

Sa likod ng mga nagwagi sa podium ng Laguna Speedcubing Open 2023, nasaksihan ang kahanga-hangang pagsulong ng mga manlalaro sa kanilang mga sariling rekord. Ipinamalas ni Carlos Rashid Cruz ang pinakamalaking pag-angat nang itala ang 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 26.67 na 19.4 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa kanyang dating marka, kasabay ng kanyang unang subok sa Pyraminx na nagtapos sa 12.87. Si Lorenzo T. Ubongen ay sumabak sa limang events at nagtala ng 12.81 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 10.8 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dati, pati na 9.84 sa 3x3x3 Cube at unang subok sa Clock na 17.07. Pinatunayan din ni Karl Dominic M. Cloma ang kanyang galing nang kumaltas ng 12.7 porsyento sa 3x3x3 One-Handed tungo sa 23.75 kasama ang unang Pyraminx sa 10.78, habang si Liam Xander Castillo ay humugot ng 34.07 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 10.2 porsyentong mas mabilis at nagtala ng 2:13.84 sa unang salang sa one-handed.

Marami ring bagong mukha ang nagpasiklab sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition sa bulwagan. Sumabak si Francesco Martinez sa limang kategorya kung saan nakuha niya ang ika-siyam na puwesto sa 7x7x7 Cube at unang mga marka sa 4x4x4 Cube na 44.61, Pyraminx na 8.05, at 5x5x5 Cube na 1:20.00. Sa kanyang unang torneo, nakuha ni Vince Gabriel S. Agustin ang ika-13 puwesto sa Pyraminx na may 6.89 kasabay ng unang subok sa 3x3x3 Cube sa 16.57 at 4x4x4 Cube sa 1:56.79. Naglista naman si Ryan Balendez ng 24.46 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed para sa ika-22 puwesto, 49.97 sa 4x4x4 Cube, at 9.02 sa 3x3x3 Cube, habang si Israel L. Acebedo ay nagtala ng 14.21 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 1:06.49 sa 4x4x4 Cube, at 24.52 sa One-Handed para magtapos sa ika-21 puwesto.

Naging matagumpay ang buong cubing competition sa pagbibigay ng entablado sa iba't ibang antas ng husay at bilis. Mula sa 19 na podium finishes ng Pilipinas at 2 ng Nigeria, ipinakita ng bawat kalahok ang walang humpay na pagsisikap na mapabuti ang kanilang mga oras. Ang pagtatapos ng Laguna Speedcubing Open 2023 sa taong 2023 ay nag-iwan ng matitibay na personal best at inspirasyon para sa mga susunod pang laban sa larangan.