Let's Cube Laguna 2023

Ninety-four competitors assembled at Victory Central Mall on August 28, 2023, turning Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Philippines into a vibrant stage for speedcubing. The single-day WCA competition brought seven diverse disciplines to the tables, running across 11 intense rounds. While established champions delivered elite standard times throughout the day, the sheer influx of emerging solvers gave the gathering its distinctive energy. For dozens of participants testing their skills across multiple disciplines, the event served as a major proving ground on the 2023 regional circuit.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest stood as the centrepiece of the schedule, drawing 93 solvers through three demanding rounds of action. Brenton Angelo Lo Wong captured the title with a dazzling winning average of 6.50 seconds, supported by a blazing single solve of 6.00 seconds. Jose Polorhenzo Aquino secured second place with an 8.09 average, while Luigi Soriano rounded out the podium in 8.23. The final 3x3 results underlined the exceptional depth present in Philippine speed cubing at the highest competitive tier.

Luigi Soriano produced an extraordinary double-victory performance across the shorter and more technical formats. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Soriano claimed top honours with a blistering 1.65-second average and a 1.17 best single across two rounds featuring 74 entrants. He finished ahead of Brenton Angelo Lo Wong, who averaged 1.85, and Aragon Martin Gonzales, who posted 1.97. Soriano later returned to the podium summit in the Square-1 event, besting a 23-player field with a winning mark of 10.54 seconds, ahead of Keith Liam H. Rasco at 10.97 and Psyron Eubert Catral at 12.52.

Mid-sized twisty puzzles brought intense clashes as well, with Jose Polorhenzo Aquino taking the 4x4x4 Cube crown. Aquino logged a winning average of 27.99 seconds alongside a sharp 25.16 single, topping Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc at 28.97 and Aragon Martin Gonzales at 30.05. Palisoc soon found his own redemption in the 5x5x5 Cube, where he took first place with a 50.64 average and a 46.23 single against 34 challengers. Christian Naguio took second in 51.83, followed by Dale Palmares in 58.74.

The specialty events generated remarkable displays of control and versatility. Sean Patrick Villanueva dominated the 3x3x3 One-Handed division, navigating two rounds against 51 competitors to win with a stellar 9.84 average and an 8.83 single. Aragon Martin Gonzales earned runner-up honours with 11.30, and Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc claimed third with 12.86. In the 47-competitor Pyraminx contest, Psyron Eubert Catral claimed the title in 3.84 seconds, edging Jose Polorhenzo Aquino at 4.07 and Gonzales at 4.10 in a razor-thin single-round decider.

Beyond the podium finishes, Let's Cube Laguna 2023 served as a celebration of personal progression across all skill levels. Ckyle Niko P. Mago recorded a breakthrough in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a personal best of 24.07 seconds, cutting 78.3 percent off an earlier mark of 1:50.77, while also notching a personal best 1:22.51 in Square-1 to finish 22nd. Ceindreck Wayne Tamayo completed a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube in 5.61 seconds and slashed 29.2 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube standard down to 16.37. Ace Vallen Cambel registered a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 54.58 seconds for 33rd place, alongside a 25 percent improvement to 15.70 in 3x3x3 One-Handed and an 11.79 personal record in the 3x3x3 Cube.

The surge of new milestones continued through several multi-event campaigns. Jessie Lecille L. Selda took on four events, logging first attempts in the 2x2x2 Cube at 4.98 seconds, 3x3x3 One-Handed at 48.37, and Pyraminx at 11.68 for a 38th place result. Jedd Ebenezer Perez entered five categories, registering first attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 35.63 and Square-1 at 1:37.96, while dropping his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 11.9 percent to 16.91. Alrios Monte O. Villanueva tackled four events, setting a first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:13.96 while cutting his Pyraminx mark by 22.2 percent to 10.07 for 33rd place and dropping his 2x2x2 Cube time by 9.4 percent to 6.09. Reginhart Waldner B. Fabila took 23rd in Pyraminx on a first attempt of 5.23 seconds, improving his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 25.5 percent to 3.41 and his 3x3x3 Cube time by 17.6 percent to 13.97. JZ Lyle Dexter Wamar took on six events, logging a first attempt in Pyraminx at 12.79 seconds, a 23.1 percent cut in Square-1 down to 39.69 for a 19th place finish, and a 1:02.24 best in 4x4x4 Cube.

By the time the final timers clicked off, the cubing competition demonstrated the thriving state of modern puzzle solving in the region. Between the mastery of classic Rubik's Cube solving and the rapid growth of newcomers expanding their repertoires, Let's Cube Laguna 2023 provided an inspiring showcase. Solvers from across the Philippines and beyond left Victory Central Mall with fresh personal records, invaluable stage experience, and immense momentum for the upcoming tournament calendar.

Siyamnapu't apat na manlalaro ang nagtipon sa loob ng Victory Central Mall upang magpakitang-gilas sa larangan ng speedcubing sa Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Philippines noong August 28, 2023. Ang malawak at maaliwalas na bulwagan ng mall ay napuno ng sunod-sunod na lagitik ng mga puzzle habang sabay-sabay na sumasalang ang mga kalahok sa labing-isang rounds ng paligsahan. Mula sa mga batikang kampeon hanggang sa mga bagong mukha, naging sentro ang venue ng matinding determinasyon sa opisyal na WCA competition na ito sa lalawigan.

Sa pangunahing kategorya ng tradisyunal na 3x3x3 Cube na nilahukan ng 93 competitors sa tatlong rounds, ipinamalas ni Brenton Angelo Lo Wong ang pambihirang bilis para sungkitin ang unang pwesto. Nagtala si Wong ng winning average na 6.50 kalakip ang best single na 6.00 sa finals upang pangunahan ang entablado. Pumangalawa sa kanya si Jose Polorhenzo Aquino na may average na 8.09, habang pumangatlo naman si Luigi Soriano mula sa USA na nagsumite ng 8.23 average sa nasabing tampok na Rubik's Cube event.

Hindi nagpahuli si Luigi Soriano sa iba pang mga laro matapos magwagi ng dalawang kampeonato sa torneo. Sa 2x2x2 Cube na umakit ng 74 competitors sa dalawang rounds, nakuha ni Soriano ang unang pwesto sa pamamagitan ng napakabilis na 1.65 winning average at 1.17 best single, habang sumunod sa podium sina Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na may 1.85 at Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagtala ng 1.97 average. Nakuha rin ni Soriano ang ginto sa Square-1 matapos magtala ng 10.54 average laban kina Keith Liam H. Rasco na may 10.97 at Psyron Eubert Catral na may 12.52.

Naging kapana-panabik din ang labanan sa mas malalaking puzzle kung saan nagpakita ng galing ang mga pambato ng Pilipinas sa harap ng mga manonood sa mall. Sa 4x4x4 Cube na dinaluhan ng 46 na kalahok, nanguna si Jose Polorhenzo Aquino bitbit ang 27.99 average kasunod sina Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc na nagtala ng 28.97 at Aragon Martin Gonzales na may 30.05. Bumawe naman si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc sa 5x5x5 Cube upang angkinin ang tagumpay sa pamamagitan ng 50.64 average, habang pumangalawa si Christian Naguio sa 51.83 at pumangatlo si Dale Palmares sa 58.74.

Sa iba pang mga kategorya ng cubing competition, pinatunayan ni Sean Patrick Villanueva ang kanyang kahusayan sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos magtala ng sub-10 winning average na 9.84 at 8.83 single laban sa 51 kalahok. Sumunod sa kanya sina Aragon Martin Gonzales na may 11.30 at Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc na may 12.86. Samantala, sa Pyraminx na may 47 kalahok, nakuha ni Psyron Eubert Catral ang unang pwesto sa pamamagitan ng 3.84 average, na sinundan nina Jose Polorhenzo Aquino sa 4.07 at Aragon Martin Gonzales sa 4.10.

Sa likod ng mga nagwagi sa podium, maraming manlalaro ang nagtala ng mahahalagang tagumpay sa kani-kanilang mga personal na talaan sa torneo. Si Vince Gabriel S. Agustin ay sumabak sa 4 na kategorya at nagtala ng 40.5 porsyentong bilis sa Pyraminx sa oras na 4.10 mula sa dating 6.89, bukod sa kanyang 1:39.34 sa 4x4x4 Cube na mas mabilis ng 14.9 porsyento kaysa 1:56.79. Si Bryan Daza ay lumahok sa 6 na events kung saan naabot niya ang ikaapat na pwesto sa Square-1 tangan ang 11.43 na 33.2 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 17.12, kasabay ng unang subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 25.21 at 10.09 sa 3x3x3 Cube mula sa 11.95. Si Joshua Gabriel N. Reyes ay nagtala ng 40.08 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed mula sa 53.96 na 25.7 porsyentong pag-angat, 52.45 sa 4x4x4 Cube mula sa 1:05.88, at 5.33 sa Pyraminx mula sa 6.41. Si Maverine Sanchez naman ay sumalang sa 5 laro at nagtala ng 13.85 sa 3x3x3 Cube na 16.6 porsyentong mas mabilis sa 16.61, unang subok sa 4x4x4 Cube sa 59.63, at 49.35 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed.

Naging espesyal din ang paligsahan para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang opisyal na torneo sa Laguna. Si Prince Elidan Delos Santos ay sumabak agad sa 5 events sa kanyang debut kung saan nagtala siya ng 12.96 sa Pyraminx, 4:29.96 sa 5x5x5 Cube, at 3.82 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Si Zeus Kurk H. Fenol ay humarap sa 4 na laro at nagsumite ng 16.07 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 13.06 sa Pyraminx, at 1:11.80 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa kanyang unang laban. Gayundin si Mikhaila Clarity Aguilar na nagtala ng 20.10 sa Pyraminx, 2:02.78 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, at 8.18 sa 2x2x2 Cube sa 4 na sinalihang laro. Samantala, si Narc Adrian Quiñonez ay sumabak sa 3 events at nagtala ng 14.91 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 30.06 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 1:17.76 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed.

Sa kabuuan ng Let's Cube Laguna 2023, umabot sa labing-walong podium finishes ang napanatili ng mga pambato ng Pilipinas kasama ang tatlong pwesto para sa USA sa loob ng pitong iba-ibang kategorya. Ang maayos na pasilidad at masiglang kapaligiran sa Victory Central Mall ay nagbigay-daan sa makasaysayang araw ng paglalaro sa Sta. Rosa bago pormal na nagtapos ang buong programa.