Lisboa Open 2023

Afonso Carapeto delivered the standout performance of the day in the capital, executing a clinical 8.93 winning average in the final round of the 3x3x3 Cube to take the title. The Portuguese standout posted a best single of 8.06 along the way, outlasting an international field of 51 competitors across three rounds. Held on April 22, 2023 at the ES Seomara da Costa Primo venue, the gathering brought together competitors for an intense day of high-level speedcubing in Lisboa, Portugal.

The 3x3 results confirmed Carapeto at the top of the podium, but the chase was fierce right down to the final solves. Luan Philippe Da Silva of the United Kingdom secured the runner-up spot with an average of 9.35, while Afonso Cláudio Machado of Portugal took third place with a 9.79 mark. The contest served as a premier WCA competition for the region, seeing veteran hands demonstrate their seasoned composure across ten total rounds of action in 2023.

In the 4x4x4 Cube, seasoned competitor Pedro Azevedo showcased superb technical command over two rounds of play. Azevedo captured the title with a tournament-best winning average of 40.17 and a single solve of 35.31. Carapeto pushed him closely, finishing in second position with a 40.87 average, while Spain's Alejandro Riveiro Rodríguez earned third place on the podium with an average of 44.11.

Da Silva rebounded in the short-format puzzles, taking victory in the 2x2x2 Cube. Through three demanding rounds featuring 46 competitors, Da Silva produced a 3.09 average alongside a best single of 2.19 to finish atop the standings. Diogo Miguel Alves Guerreiro of Portugal pushed him to the wire with a 3.14 average for second place, narrowly edging Azevedo, who wrapped up third on the podium with a 3.29 average.

Guerreiro proved unstoppable in the Square-1 event, dominating the single-round contest of 18 competitors. His winning average of 17.36 and sharp single of 10.46 placed him clear of the field. Fellow countryman Gonçalo Carrasquinho secured second place with a 22.90 average, while Marcos Ameijeiras Moreno of Spain rounded out the podium positions with a 23.41 mark. The specialty Rubik's Cube category highlighted the depth of technical mastery present throughout the day.

Away from the top steps of the podium, numerous competitors delivered massive breakthroughs that defined the spirit of the speed cubing weekend. Salvador de Sales Gomes e Teixeira Pereira made his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 13.74, alongside shaving 48.9 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to hit 28.85. Jorge Fialho De Jesus took on three events, logging his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:02.32, while lowering his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 40.5 percent to 4.72 and his 3x3x3 Cube best by 36.5 percent to 13.28. Filipe José Miranda Machado also tackled his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 2:21.96, trimming his 3x3x3 Cube time by 38.6 percent to 15.01 and his 2x2x2 Cube time by 31.8 percent to 6.92. Laura Kahle completed a demanding schedule across five events, finishing 7th in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, cutting her Square-1 personal best by 52.7 percent down to 26.49, and setting a 4x4x4 Cube best of 1:20.31.

Progress continued across the rest of the roster as competitors unlocked faster personal marks. Francisco Power entered four events, posting a best finish of 12th in Square-1 and cutting his 4x4x4 Cube best by 23.9 percent to 56.96. Rachael Buchanan improved her 2x2x2 Cube mark by 21 percent down to 8.96 while establishing a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 43.10 across her two events. Owen Orger entered three events and dropped his 2x2x2 Cube record by 38.6 percent to 4.24, and Fernando Martins also contested three disciplines, improving his 2x2x2 Cube best by 3.7 percent to 7.22.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest tested pure memory and execution across a field of 13 solvers. Hugo Laginha took the top prize for Portugal, putting together a winning average of 1:36.61 and a single time of 1:20.75. Simone Santarsiero of Italy finished in the silver position with an average of 1:41.11, while Vasco Vasconcelos took third with a 1:49.36 result.

Overall, host nation competitors secured 10 podium finishes across the five categories, with the United Kingdom and Spain taking two each and Italy earning one. The smoothly run cubing competition showed that whether battling in high-stakes finals or securing individual milestones, Lisboa Open 2023 offered an exceptional display of focus and consistency as the competitive calendar moves forward.

Afonso Carapeto garantiu a vitoria principal no Lisboa Open 2023 com uma media brilhante de 8.93 segundos no cubo magico de 3x3x3, registando ainda a melhor marca isolada da final com 8.06 segundos. O desfecho coroou um dia intenso de speedcubing na capital portuguesa, onde 51 competidores se reuniram na ES Seomara da Costa Primo para disputar dez rondas divididas por cinco modalidades oficiais.

A competicao, realizada em 22 de abril de 2023 em Lisboa, Portugal, desenrolou-se num ritmo dinamico ao longo de todo o sabado. O programa deste torneio oficial da World Cube Association arrancou com as fases de qualificacao dos cubos maiores e eventos paralelos, testando a consistencia dos atletas em multiplos desafios tecnicos e exigindo adaptacao constante a cada bancada.

Na disputa do cubo 4x4x4, Pedro Azevedo alcancou o primeiro lugar da tabela ao assinar uma media vitoriosa de 40.17 segundos e o melhor tempo singular de 35.31 segundos. Afonso Carapeto ficou muito proximo da lideranca, assegurando o segundo lugar com 40.87 segundos de media, enquanto o espanhol Alejandro Riveiro Rodriguez completou o podio com o registo de 44.11 segundos numa decisao bastante renhida.

Nas resolucoes sem inspecao visual direta do 3x3x3 Blindfolded, onde a memorizacao rigorosa dita cada movimento com os olhos vendados, Hugo Laginha conquistou o topo com a media de 1:36.61 e um single de 1:20.75. O italiano Simone Santarsiero alcancou a segunda posicao com 1:41.11, seguido de perto por Vasco Vasconcelos, que garantiu o terceiro lugar do podio com a marca media de 1:49.36.

O torneio ganhou ainda maior velocidade com o cubo 2x2x2, modalidade ganha por Luan Philippe Da Silva, do Reino Unido, gracas a uma media de 3.09 segundos e o melhor tempo da prova de 2.19 segundos. Diogo Miguel Alves Guerreiro ficou com a prata com 3.14 segundos, enquanto Pedro Azevedo somou mais um podio ao terminar em terceiro com 3.29 segundos. No Square-1, Diogo Miguel Alves Guerreiro dominou a prova ao vencer com a media de 17.36 segundos e single de 10.46, superando Goncalo Carrasquinho e Marcos Ameijeiras Moreno.

Para alem das medalhas, o Lisboa Open 2023 destacou-se pela evolucao pessoal de atletas dedicados. David Martins competiu em 5 eventos e obteve o 4.º lugar no 2x2x2 Cube, alcancando um recorde pessoal de 2.40 segundos, 25.9% mais rapido que a sua marca anterior de 3.24, alem de melhorar o seu tempo no 3x3x3 para 11.92 segundos, uma evolucao de 21.7%, e fazer a sua estreia no Square-1 com 35.49. Ines Picado participou em 4 eventos, foi 7.ª classificada no 3x3x3 Blindfolded e reduziu o seu melhor tempo no 4x4x4 Cube em 12.3% para 1:00.90, comparado aos 1:09.45 anteriores. Ja Sam Spendla enfrentou 5 eventos e alcancou o 5.º lugar no 3x3x3 Blindfolded.

A jornada marcou tambem estreias absolutas no circuito da Associacao Mundial de Cubo. Gabriel Barrocas realizou a sua primeira competicao WCA em 4 eventos, obtendo o 18.º posto no Square-1 com 1:12.76, 8.00 no 2x2x2 e 19.13 no 3x3x3. Salvador Duarte Marques da Graca competiu pela primeira vez em 4 provas, alcancando o 9.º lugar no Square-1 com 40.57, alem de 1:56.40 no 4x4x4 e 5.45 no 2x2x2. Tiago Miguel Casimiro Paixao participou pela primeira vez, garantiu o 4.º lugar no 4x4x4 Cube com 50.56, fez 14.90 no 3x3x3 e 4.11 no 2x2x2. Afonso Carvalho estreou-se em 4 frentes, terminando em 14.º no Square-1 e registando 13.01 no 3x3x3, 1:15.91 no 4x4x4 e 2.13 no 2x2x2, enquanto Marisa Aguiar Pereira estreou-se em 3 eventos com 29.13 no 3x3x3, 2:30.00 no 4x4x4 e 8.20 no 2x2x2.

A ronda final do cubo tradicional 3x3x3 encerrou os trabalhos com enorme expectativa entre os finalistas. Afonso Carapeto confirmou a sua superioridade com a media de 8.93 segundos, batendo Luan Philippe Da Silva, que terminou em segundo com 9.35 segundos, e Afonso Claudio Machado, terceiro classificado com 9.79 segundos, fechando uma vibrante celebracao desportiva no Lisboa Open 2023.