Laguna Speedcubing Open III 2024

Eighty-five competitors gathered on March 17, 2024, bringing an energetic wave of puzzle solvers to Robinsons Galleria South. The Laguna Speedcubing Open III 2024 served as an expansive stage for both seasoned veterans and fresh faces discovering the rhythm of official tournament play. Hosted in the City of San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines, the gathering brought together speedcubing talent from multiple nations across seven distinct events and nine total rounds.

A massive influx of newer solvers took center stage across the tournament floor, testing their skills in a structured cubing competition setting. Many participants engaged with official timers for the first time across multiple disciplines, expanding their repertoires beyond traditional puzzles. The single-day tournament provided ample room for competitors to explore fresh categories, creating a lively atmosphere where milestone attempts and significant time drops occurred across all nine rounds of scheduled play.

At the front of the pack, Brenton Angelo Lo Wong delivered an extraordinary display of consistency and speed, capturing three individual event titles. Lo Wong headlined the classic 3x3x3 Cube, advancing through three rounds before sealing the championship with a winning average of 6.77 seconds and a best single time of 5.84. In the final 3x3 results, Amey Gaba of India claimed second place with a 7.37 average, while Aragon Martin Gonzales of the Philippines rounded out the podium with a 7.60 average.

The spotlight shone brightly on personal development throughout the venue, where competitors notched crucial career milestones. Vince Gabriel S. Agustin took on six events during the competition, finishing sixth in Clock while registering initial official marks of 4.50 in Skewb, 7.81 in Clock, and 3:44.45 in Megaminx. Leomel Ezekiel II O. Velasco competed in five events, securing 15th in Clock, setting opening marks of 1:42.27 in 4x4x4 Cube and 3:10.36 in Megaminx, and lowering their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 13 percent down to 15.41 seconds. John Christian Timothy D. Rasay made first attempts in 4x4x4 Cube at 2:13.77 and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 51.39, alongside a 14.7 percent improvement in 2x2x2 Cube with a 4.82 mark. Cevero Muji Bermas tackled four events, making a debut Skewb solve of 15.89 while securing a 34.2 percent drop in 4x4x4 Cube to 1:42.52 and a 24.1 percent drop in 2x2x2 Cube to 8.68.

Continuing through the roster of rising talent, Alec Zamiel Cruz took on three disciplines, logging a first 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt of 1:02.94, cutting 36.4 percent from their 2x2x2 Cube best down to 5.69, and improving their 3x3x3 Cube best by 28.3 percent to 19.27. Fredrich Ryan Crisostomo entered three events, placing 17th in Megaminx with a debut time of 2:29.70 while also recording a first 4x4x4 Cube mark of 1:21.46. Arnelio Manaca Mola of Mozambique completed a busy seven-event schedule, finishing 12th in Skewb, logging a first Megaminx solve of 3:00.54, dropping their 4x4x4 Cube best by 20.6 percent to 1:29.42, and posting an 18.07 in the 3x3x3 Cube. Pocholo Comanda contested five events, earning 12th in Clock, posting a first 4x4x4 Cube time of 1:44.31, improving their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 20.5 percent to 14.82, and sharpening their 2x2x2 Cube personal record to 4.34.

Lo Wong extended his dominance beyond the standard Rubik's Cube, capturing two additional titles across short-format and big-cube categories. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Lo Wong secured first place with an average of 1.95 seconds and a single of 1.69, leading Aragon Martin Gonzales who averaged 2.66 and Amey Gaba who averaged 2.90. Moving to the 4x4x4 Cube, Lo Wong again topped the standings with a 27.49 average and a single of 24.58, outpacing Gaba with a 29.76 average and Jhon Leinard M. Agcaoili with a 34.09 average.

Specialized disciplines provided further excitement throughout the afternoon. Crimson Arradaza commanded the 3x3x3 One-Handed contest, finishing first among 41 competitors with a 10.13 average and a 9.56 single. Aragon Martin Gonzales secured the second podium step with an 11.74 average, while Lo Wong added another top-three finish with a 13.07 average. In the Skewb event, Yuji Yoshida captured the title with a 5.31 average, besting Ayooluwa Samuel Dada of Nigeria who took second with 6.89, and Gonzales who finished third with 6.92.

The remaining rotation of mechanical puzzles saw thrilling finishes across Clock and Megaminx. Zian Principe won the Clock division with an average of 6.44 seconds, followed closely by Zoei Principe at 6.69 and Dale Palmares at 6.80. Nicole Jnus Macalalad dominated the Megaminx event, finishing atop the 21-competitor field with a 41.85 average, ahead of Dada at 48.46 and Lo Wong at 58.07. Across all events, the Philippines earned 16 podium places, India collected three, and Nigeria achieved two.

As the day wrapped up, the Laguna Speedcubing Open III 2024 highlighted the rapid expansion and depth of talent across the regional community. With 85 solvers competing side by side, this WCA competition demonstrated how speed cubing continues to flourish through fresh event debuts and fierce podium battles alike, setting an inspiring foundation for the remainder of the 2024 season.

Puno ng sigla at determinasyon ang Robinsons Galleria South sa pagtitipon ng walumpu't limang manlalaro para sa isang matinding araw ng speedcubing. Mula sa mga baguhan hanggang sa mga beterano, bawat isa ay nagpakitang-gilas sa ibabaw ng timer matapos ang mahabang panahon ng pagsasanay. Ang buong bulwagan ay naging saksi sa bilis ng kamay at talas ng isip sa bawat kategorya ng paligsahan. Sa pambihirang araw na ito ng Marso 17, 2024, nagbukas ang Laguna Speedcubing Open III 2024 upang subukin ang galing ng bawat kalahok.

Sa larangan ng mas malalaking puzzle tulad ng 4x4x4 Cube, lumitaw ang tunay na tibay ng konsentrasyon at estratehiya ng mga manlalaro. Hindi biro ang pagbuo ng mas maraming layers habang pinapanatili ang bilis at kaayusan sa bawat pag-ikot. Sa kategoryang ito na nilahukan ng 45 na manlalaro, ipinakita ni Brenton Angelo Lo Wong ang kanyang kahusayan matapos magtala ng winning average na 27.49 at best single na 24.58 upang angkinin ang unang puwesto. Pumangalawa si Amey Gaba ng India sa bilis na 29.76 samantalang pumuwesto sa ikatlo si Jhon Leinard M. Agcaoili na may 34.09.

Hindi nagpaawat si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa kanyang dominasyon sa Laguna Speedcubing Open III 2024 nang sungkitin din niya ang kampeonato sa prestihiyosong 3x3x3 Cube. Sa pangunahing kategoryang ito na dumaan sa tatlong rounds at nilahukan ng 83 kalahok, nagtala si Wong ng winning average na 6.77 kasama ang best single na 5.84. Pumangalawa si Amey Gaba na nagtala ng average na 7.37 habang nakamit ni Aragon Martin Gonzales ang ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 7.60 average. Ipinamalas ng mga manlalaro ang mataas na antas ng paglalaro ng tradisyunal na Rubik's Cube.

Nakuha rin ni Brenton Angelo Lo Wong ang kanyang ikatlong ginto sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan nagtala siya ng winning average na 1.95 at best single na 1.69 sa gitna ng 65 na kalahok. Sumunod sa kanya sa podium sina Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagtala ng 2.66 average at Amey Gaba na may 2.90 average. Sa kabuuan ng torneo, labing-anim na podium finish ang napunta sa Pilipinas, tatlo sa India, at dalawa sa Nigeria, na nagpapatunay sa malawak na kompetisyon sa bulwagan.

Sa iba pang mga laban sa torneo, nagwagi si Crimson Arradaza sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos magtala ng winning average na 10.13 at best single na 9.56 laban sa 41 kalahok, habang pumangalawa si Aragon Martin Gonzales sa 11.74 at pumangatlo si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa 13.07. Sa kategoryang Skewb, nanguna si Yuji Yoshida na nagtala ng winning average na 5.31 laban sa 27 kalahok, kasunod sina Ayooluwa Samuel Dada ng Nigeria na may 6.89 at Aragon Martin Gonzales na may 6.92. Sa Clock, nagwagi si Zian Principe na may 6.44 average, habang si Nicole Jnus Macalalad naman ang nagkampeon sa Megaminx sa pamamagitan ng 41.85 winning average.

Sa likod ng mga nagwagi sa podium, may mga kahanga-hangang kwento ng sariling tagumpay mula sa mga kalahok. Si Ceindreck Wayne Tamayo na sumabak sa tatlong events ay nagtala ng 44.4 porsyentong pagpapabuti sa 4x4x4 Cube na may personal best na 1:12.42 mula sa dating 2:10.33, 21.2 porsyento sa 3x3x3 Cube na may 11.72 mula 14.87, at 10.2 porsyento sa 2x2x2 Cube na may 5.04. Samantala, si Ryan Balendez na lumahok sa limang events ay nagtala ng 2.54 sa 2x2x2 Cube na 19.4 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 3.15, at nagtala ng kanyang pinakaunang opisyal na subok sa Megaminx sa bilis na 1:47.46.

Nagpakita rin ng matinding sigasig si Dwight Anthonie R. Mactal sa kanyang unang subok sa 4x4x4 Cube na nagtala ng 41.42 kasabay ng personal best na 22.71 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 21.9 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa 29.07. Si River Misashi Ornido ay sumubok sa unang pagkakataon sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na may 1:22.56 at nagtala ng personal best na 9.07 sa Skewb na 13.7 porsyentong mas mabilis sa 10.51. Sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition, sumabak si Andrei Abad sa apat na events na may 3.19 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 22.46 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, at 5.31 sa Skewb; si Rodolfo C. Mamagat III ay nagtala ng 6.20 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 12.42 sa Skewb, at 1:56.61 sa 4x4x4 Cube; si Jose Rykiel Hernandez ay nagrehistro ng 36.34 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 2:50.20 sa 4x4x4 Cube, at 8.88 sa 2x2x2 Cube; habang si Nathanielle De Vera ay nagtala ng 8.52 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 38.17 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, at 13.75 sa 3x3x3 Cube.

Nagtapos ang Laguna Speedcubing Open III 2024 sa City of San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines na nag-iwan ng magagandang alaala sa bawat manlalaro at tagasubaybay. Ang matagumpay na cubing competition na ito na sumaklaw sa pitong opisyal na kategorya at siyam na rounds ay nagpatunay sa patuloy na pag-unlad ng komunidad. Bitbit ng bawat kalahok ang mga bagong aral at personal na rekord tungo sa paghahanda para sa mga susunod na yugto ng palakasan.