Luzon Championship 2026

A blistering 1.14 single and a decisive 1.52 final average from Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes in the 2x2x2 Cube set an electrifying benchmark as competitive speedcubing took over General Trias City, Cavite, Philippines. The three-day tournament ran from January 9 to January 11, 2026, drawing 85 competitors to Robinsons General Trias across 16 official events and 30 rounds of intense, high-speed solving. Magallanes held off a massive field of 64 contenders through three hard-fought rounds to secure the top step of the podium in the fastest category of the weekend.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event proved equally gripping across its three rounds, culminating in a razor-thin title chase among 73 participants. Crimson Arradaza captured first place with an outstanding 6.08 winning average, powered by a best single of 5.65. Arradaza narrowly edged out Brenton Angelo Lo Wong, who claimed second place with an average of 6.12, while Jiayu Wang earned third place on the podium with a 7.20 mark. The elite 3x3 results demonstrated remarkable consistency at the absolute summit of modern speed cubing.

Arradaza extended that winning form into the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, taking a second gold medal of the weekend with an 8.76 average and a top single solve of 7.24 from 48 competitors. Kat Gonzalez secured the runner-up position in one-handed solving with an 11.61 average, followed by Magallanes in third at 12.29. The mastery required to control the classic Rubik's Cube with a single hand served as another highlight during an action-packed schedule at Luzon Championship 2026.

In the big cube categories, Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc staged an extraordinary sweep across four separate puzzles. Palisoc won the 4x4x4 Cube with a 25.47 average ahead of Jiayu Wang at 30.06 and Yuji Yoshida at 35.15. Moving up the layers, Palisoc took first in the 5x5x5 Cube with a 45.20 average over Miguel Gonzaga at 58.47 and Yoshida at 1:02.65. Palisoc completed the dominant run by capturing both the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:20.93 average and the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:07.80 average, delivering one of the most comprehensive showcases of big cube solving seen in any cubing competition this year.

The variety across the tournament schedule also brought dramatic results in specialty and side disciplines. Chris Padua earned two titles, winning Pyraminx with a 2.31 average ahead of Isaiah Benedict S. Feria at 3.61 and Miguel Gonzaga at 3.74, while also taking the Clock title with a 5.40 average. Yuji Yoshida captured the Skewb title with a 3.52 average, finishing ahead of Gabriel Subion at 4.02 and Gonzaga at 4.68, and tied down victory in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a single solve of 20 moves. Nicole Jnus Macalalad took Megaminx with a 37.06 average, Isaiah Benedict S. Feria secured Square-1 in 13.96, and Marc Jason L. Laresma claimed both the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event in 1:00.93 and the 4x4x4 Blindfolded title with a single of 3:36.72. Earl Bien D. Celestino topped 5x5x5 Blindfolded with a 16:28.00 single.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their individual schedules. Kyrie Lorenzo Layco Dela Torre tackled eight events, recording a first ever attempt at Megaminx of 2:01.70, a first ever attempt at Square-1 of 28.54 on the way to an 8th-place finish, and a Pyraminx personal best of 4.27 that was 54.6 percent faster than their previous mark. Rheus Eadric D. Dela Cruz dropped their 2x2x2 personal best to 4.93, an improvement of 57.7 percent, while cutting their 3x3x3 best to 21.73, which was 31.6 percent faster. Clyde Dexter R. Ubaldo took on seven events, cutting their 4x4x4 best by 48.6 percent to 1:10.21, their Square-1 best by 44.3 percent to 33.65, and their 2x2x2 best by 32.8 percent to 2.44. Lyvin Matthew Lim registered a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 of 1:18.44, a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 of 2:31.07, and improved their Pyraminx mark by 42.4 percent to 6.64.

That drive was shared across the floor by others tackling fresh puzzle challenges and earning major personal drops. Lee Nathan V. Dela Cruz logged a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 57.06, a first Skewb attempt of 15.68, and slashed their 3x3x3 personal best by 49.8 percent down to 15.04. Mateo Alessandro Macaspac Gomez cut their 2x2x2 personal best by 52.6 percent to 2.21, reduced their Pyraminx best by 29.5 percent to 8.35, and improved their one-handed mark by 10.8 percent to 29.30. Lukas Alonso B. Opeña entered five events, logging a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 of 1:53.63, a first one-handed attempt of 49.01, and a first Skewb attempt of 11.77. Eric Josiah P. Pasigian achieved a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 of 6.42, a first Skewb attempt of 22.32, and improved their one-handed best by 24.8 percent to 38.03.

The international spread of awards highlighted the depth of the event, with podium places claimed by the Philippines with 39, China with 6, Japan with 2, and Australia with 1. As the final rounds wrapped up at Robinsons General Trias, the Luzon Championship 2026 concluded as a standout WCA competition that balanced elite sprint finals with sweeping big cube dominance and dozens of breakthrough milestones across every bracket.

Pumuno sa Robinsons General Trias ang tunog ng mga umiikot na plastic, pagpindot sa timer, at matinding konsentrasyon ng mga kalahok. Mula Enero 9 hanggang Enero 11 ng taong 2026, naging tahanan ang General Trias City, Cavite, Philippines ng malawak na hanay ng speedcubing. Sa kabuuan ng tatlong araw, 85 na kalahok ang humarap sa 30 rounds ng matinding kompetisyon, kung saan ipinamalas ang galing sa iba-ibang hugis, laki, at uri ng mga puzzle na sumubok sa bawat aspeto ng kanilang bilis at diskarte.

Tampok sa Luzon Championship 2026 ang 16 na opisyal na events, patunay sa malawak na saklaw ng paligsahan. Mula sa maliliit na mekanismo hanggang sa malalaking cubes at kakaibang mga geometry, naging bukas ang entablado para sa lahat ng kategorya. Sa 3x3x3 Cube, naghari si Crimson Arradaza na nagtala ng winning average na 6.08 at best single na 5.65 laban sa 73 na kalahok. Pumangalawa si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa average na 6.12 habang pumangatlo naman si Jiayu Wang sa 7.20 matapos ang tatlong rounds ng labanan.

Nagpakita rin ng pambihirang dominasyon si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc sa malalaking cubes sa paligsahan. Nakamit niya ang unang puwesto sa apat na magkakahiwalay na kategorya: ang 4x4x4 Cube na may winning average na 25.47, ang 5x5x5 Cube sa average na 45.20, ang 6x6x6 Cube na may 1:20.93, at ang 7x7x7 Cube sa average na 2:07.80. Sa 4x4x4 Cube, sumunod sa kanya si Jiayu Wang na may 30.06 at Yuji Yoshida na may 35.15, habang sa 5x5x5 Cube ay pumangalawa si Miguel Gonzaga sa 58.47 at pumangatlo si Yuji Yoshida sa 1:02.65.

Hindi rin nagpahuli ang iba pang mga sangay ng speedcubing sa bilis at kasanayan. Nakuha muli ni Crimson Arradaza ang panalo sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa average na 8.76, kasunod sina Kat Gonzalez na may 11.61 at Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na may 12.29. Sa 2x2x2 Cube, pinangunahan ni Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes ang 64 na kalahok sa pamamagitan ng mabilis na 1.52 winning average. Samantala, nagwagi si Chris Padua sa Pyraminx sa average na 2.31 laban kina Isaiah Benedict S. Feria na nagtala ng 3.61 at Miguel Gonzaga na nagtala ng 3.74.

Sa mga hindi pangkaraniwang hugis at espesyal na kategorya, nagtagumpay si Nicole Jnus Macalalad sa Megaminx matapos magrehistro ng winning average na 37.06, kung saan pumangalawa si Francis Yuel B. Merced sa 50.80 at pumangatlo si Miguel Gonzaga sa 52.87. Si Yuji Yoshida ang nanguna sa Skewb sa pamamagitan ng 3.52 average laban kay Gabriel Subion na may 4.02 at Miguel Gonzaga na may 4.68, bukod pa sa pagkuha ng panalo sa 3x3x3 Fewest Moves gamit ang 20 moves single. Sa Clock, nagwagi muli si Chris Padua sa average na 5.40, at sa Square-1 ay nanguna si Isaiah Benedict S. Feria sa 13.96.

Sa likod ng mga podium finishes sa Luzon Championship 2026, maraming personal na tagumpay ang naitala sa mismong sahig ng paligsahan. Ipinamalas ni Willem James R. Salgado ang pinakamalaking pag-angat matapos putulin ang kanyang personal best sa 2x2x2 Cube tungo sa 6.23 na 53.3 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa dating 13.34, bukod sa pagtala ng 30.26 sa 3x3x3 Cube na 24.5 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 40.07. Malaki rin ang ibinaba ng oras ni Blake Ryu Dela Rosa sa 3x3x3 Cube sa kanyang 26.56 na 23.5 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 34.74, kasabay ng kanyang unang subok sa 2x2x2 Cube sa bilis na 7.04. Sa panig ni Marc Joseph M. Gabia, sumabak siya sa pitong events, kumuha ng ikapitong puwesto sa 3x3x3 Fewest Moves sa kanyang unang pagsubok na may 36 moves, at nagtala ng personal best sa Skewb na 4.86 at Pyraminx na 11.26. Sumabak naman si Tiffany Given Yerro sa apat na kategorya kung saan sinubukan niya sa unang pagkakataon ang Pyraminx sa 10.84 at 2x2x2 Cube sa 6.33, kalakip ang 20.21 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube.

Para sa ilang kalahok, ang cubing competition na ito ang kanilang naging unang opisyal na WCA competition. Sumabak si Joselito Mari Mabanta Ong sa pitong kategorya at nagtala ng 7.31 sa kanyang unang 2x2x2 Cube, 15.04 sa Pyraminx, at 28.95 sa Rubiks Cube. Sa kanyang unang torneo, lumaban si Earl Jgene Conan M. Balani sa tatlong kategorya at nagtala ng 20.79 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 11.31 sa Pyraminx, at 7.65 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Gayundin, sinimulan nina Raylan Aviel C. Orben at Prince Arrhod Victor A. Gutierrez ang kanilang paglalakbay sa tatlong events: nagtala si Raylan Aviel C. Orben ng 8.09 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 14.62 sa Pyraminx, at 35.42 sa 3x3x3 Cube, habang si Prince Arrhod Victor A. Gutierrez ay nagtala ng 10.70 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 15.11 sa Pyraminx, at 45.02 sa 3x3x3 Cube.

Naging kapana-panabik din ang mga kategoryang blindfolded na humingi ng matinding memorya at konsentrasyon. Sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded, nagwagi si Marc Jason L. Laresma sa pamamagitan ng 1:00.93 winning average at 37.39 best single. Siya rin ang nanguna sa 4x4x4 Blindfolded gamit ang 3:36.72 single, kung saan pumangalawa si Takuma Shirahase sa 5:03.93 at pumangatlo si Jiayu Wang sa 6:28.93. Sa pinakamahirap na 5x5x5 Blindfolded, si Earl Bien D. Celestino ang nag-iisang nakapagtala ng tagumpay na may solusyong 16:28.00.

Nagtapos ang Luzon Championship 2026 na nagpakita ng mataas na antas ng husay sa bawat round at bawat kategorya. Sa kabuuang bilang ng mga pwesto sa podium, nakalikom ang Philippines ng 39 na podium finishes, sinundan ng China na may anim, Japan na may dalawa, at Australia na may isa. Mula sa mga beterano sa bilisan hanggang sa mga baguhang sumubok sa kanilang unang paligsahan, naging patunay ang tatlong araw sa Robinsons General Trias sa patuloy na paglawak at sigla ng komunidad bago sumapit ang mga susunod pang labanan sa darating na panahon.