Luzon Championship 2024

A single hundredth of a second decided the premier event at SM City Dasmarinas, delivering one of the closest finishes of the season. In the final round of the 3x3x3 Cube, Brenton Angelo Lo Wong delivered a winning average of 6.50 seconds to edge Sean Patrick Villanueva, who finished right behind at 6.51 seconds. The razor-thin margin capped three tense rounds in the marquee discipline, with Crimson Arradaza securing third place on a 7.46 average. Lo Wong also posted the best single solve of the event at 6.10 seconds.

The drama in the main event anchored the Luzon Championship 2024, held across April 27 and April 28 in Dasmarinas City, Philippines. A field of 84 competitors gathered for the two-day WCA competition, which featured 13 events and 20 rounds of high-stakes speedcubing. From classic three-stage brackets to rapid single-round finals, the gathering brought together elite solvers and passionate newcomers from the Philippines and abroad, with 37 podium places going to Filipino solvers and two to Nigerian competitors.

Beyond the dramatic 3x3 results, the multi-layered schedule saw Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc put together an exceptional weekend across the larger twisty puzzles. Palisoc captured three separate titles, winning the 4x4x4 Cube with a 27.95 average, the 5x5x5 Cube with a 46.45 average, and the 6x6x6 Cube with an average of 1:34.37. His dominance across the big cubes was complemented by a second-place finish in the 7x7x7 Cube, trailing only Dale Palmares, who secured that title with a 2:25.21 average.

Palisoc was not done collecting hardware, also taking second place in the 2x2x2 Cube final with a 2.64 average. That event went to Gabriel Gaza, who took the crown with a crisp 2.21 winning average ahead of Palisoc and third-place Psyron Eubert Catral at 2.70. Gaza also recorded a best single of 2.02 seconds in the final round. Across the earlier stages of the 2x2x2 event, competitors pushed turn speeds to their limits, with Aragon Martin Gonzales logging a rapid 1.05 single.

In the specialized events, Sean Patrick Villanueva took victory in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an 8.89 average and an 8.15 single. Jansen Alvarez enjoyed a double-gold performance, taking first in Pyraminx with a 2.59 average and claiming the Skewb title with a 4.58 mark, barely surpassing Psyron Eubert Catral's 4.59. Zian Principe won Clock with a 6.10 average, while Nicole Jnus Macalalad took Megaminx in 41.38. Psyron Eubert Catral captured Square-1 with an 11.26 average, and Marc Jason L. Laresma won 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 45.70 single.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors made massive strides across the scoresheet. Ollan Licudan Obias tackled six events, dropping his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best down to 20.50 seconds, an improvement of 44.5 percent from his previous mark of 36.93, while also cutting his 4x4x4 Cube best by 9.9 percent to 44.76 and recording his first ever official 5x5x5 Cube attempt at 1:44.76. June Adrian Ersando took on a demanding slate of 12 events, shaving 37.5 percent off his One-Handed best to finish in 26.58 seconds, trimming his 7x7x7 Cube mark by 13.4 percent down to 4:43.09, and logging a first Megaminx time of 1:37.79.

Other solvers expanded their repertoires with an array of first-time event entries. Kim Deniel Feraer competed across six events, posting a best finish of 12th in Pyraminx alongside first-ever attempts in Skewb at 8.10, 2x2x2 at 4.21, and 4x4x4 at 46.48. Gabriel Manapat secured an 11th-place result in Square-1 with an initial mark of 20.86 while debuting in Skewb at 6.34 and 4x4x4 at 44.56. Ceindreck Wayne Tamayo completed first attempts in Megaminx at 2:32.30, One-Handed at 46.86, and Skewb at 10.78. Elron Samuel Madrid improved his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 20.5 percent to 11.71 seconds, and Therease Parra improved her classic Rubik's Cube best by 7.7 percent to 8.05 seconds.

The packed arena showed the remarkable depth of the local speed cubing community as the 2024 calendar moves forward. With tight podium battles, sweeping multi-event campaigns, and dozens of personal milestones achieved across every round, the Luzon Championship 2024 delivered an unforgettable showcase of focus and dexterity. Solvers from across the region now turn their eyes toward training tables and the next major cubing competition.

Sa finals ng 3x3x3 Cube, isang daang bahagi lamang ng isang segundo ang naglayo sa dalawang nangungunang speedcuber, kung saan napatunayan na ang matatag na bilis ang tunay na nagdadala ng tagumpay. Naitala ni Brenton Angelo Lo Wong ang winning average na 6.50 matapos magtala ng best single na 6.10, sapat upang daigin si Sean Patrick Villanueva na nagtala naman ng 6.51 average. Pumangatlo sa nasabing pangunahing kategorya si Crimson Arradaza na nagrehistro ng 7.46 average sa harap ng 83 kalahok na sumabak sa tatlong rounds.

Naganap ang Luzon Championship 2024 sa SM City Dasmariñas sa Dasmariñas City, Philippines mula April 27 hanggang April 28, 2024. Umabot sa 84 competitors ang nagtipon para sa 13 events at 20 rounds ng bakbakan sa ilalim ng World Cube Association. Sa buong weekend, naging malinaw na ang balanseng takbo ng bawat solve sa halip na iisang mabilis na subok lamang ang susi upang makaakyat sa podium, habang humakot ang mga kinatawan ng Pilipinas ng 37 podium finishes at dalawa naman para sa Nigeria.

Bumandera rin ang katatagan sa mas malalaking Rubik's Cube categories sa pangunguna ni Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc na nag-uwi ng tatlong magkakahiwalay na kampeonato. Pinamunuan ni Palisoc ang 4x4x4 Cube tangan ang 27.95 average at 24.60 single, kasunod ang panalo sa 5x5x5 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 46.45 average laban kina Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na may 53.58 at Richmond Mico Rigor na may 54.21. Tinapos din ni Palisoc ang 6x6x6 Cube bitbit ang 1:34.37 average kontra kina Dale Palmares na nagtala ng 1:36.86 at Rigor na pumangatlo sa 1:39.78.

Sa pinakamalaking puzzle ng torneo na 7x7x7 Cube, ipinamalas ni Dale Palmares ang tibay upang makuha ang unang puwesto sa pamamagitan ng 2:25.21 average at 2:18.80 single. Sumunod sa kanya si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc sa oras na 2:32.47, habang pumasok sa ikatlong puwesto si Ayooluwa Samuel Dada ng Nigeria na nagsumite ng 2:36.70. Naging kapana-panabik din ang labanan sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan nangibabaw si Gabriel Gaza na nagtala ng 2.21 winning average laban kina Palisoc na may 2.64 at Psyron Eubert Catral na may 2.70.

Bukod sa mga pamilyar na pangalan sa podium, kapansin-pansin ang malalaking pag-unlad ng mga kalahok sa speedcubing na nagtala ng mga bagong personal bests. Si Maria Nelia Manaca mula Mozambique ay sumabak sa 2 events at nagtala ng 25.98 sa 2x2x2 Cube, na 59.3 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa dati niyang 1:03.84. Pinatunayan din ni Yuan Matalog ang kanyang husay sa 7 events nang maabot ang ika-9 na puwesto sa 3x3x3 Cube, gumawa ng unang subok sa 5x5x5 Cube sa oras na 1:32.85, nagtala ng Pyraminx personal best na 4.05 mula 7.24, at 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best na 16.45 mula 21.37. Si Maverine Sanchez naman ay humarap sa 11 events at nakuha ang ika-5 puwesto sa Pyraminx, bukod sa 1:23.83 sa Megaminx mula 2:27.19, 23.34 sa Clock mula 40.12, at 36.24 sa One-Handed mula 49.35.

Nagpakita rin ng magandang resulta si Joaqui Gerard Isip sa 10 events nang makuha ang ika-7 puwesto sa Square-1, sumubok sa Megaminx sa unang pagkakataon sa oras na 2:00.09, at nagtala ng 7.37 sa Clock mula 9.09 at 14.51 sa Square-1 mula 17.68. Si Karsten Marion C. Ventura ay lumahok sa 4 events, nagtala ng ika-28 puwesto sa 6x6x6 Cube, nagtala ng unang subok sa Skewb sa 12.47, nagtala ng 9.45 sa 2x2x2 mula 13.59, at 22.55 sa 3x3x3 mula 29.18. Para kina Gabriel Amiel N. Pacarro at Rommel Jireh Libarnes, ito ang kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Sumabak si Pacarro sa 5 events kabilang ang Clock sa 2:25.41, Pyraminx sa 23.34, at 3x3x3 sa 15.20, habang si Libarnes ay lumaban din sa 5 events at nagsumite ng 8.68 sa 2x2x2, 9.24 sa Pyraminx, at 1:43.77 sa Square-1 kung saan siya nagtapos sa ika-15 puwesto.

Sa iba pang kategorya, nagwagi si Sean Patrick Villanueva sa 3x3x3 One-Handed gamit ang 8.89 average at 8.15 single sa gitna ng 49 competitors. Dalawang ginto naman ang naiuwi ni Jansen Alvarez matapos dominahin ang Pyraminx sa 2.59 average at ang Skewb sa 4.58 average kung saan tinalo niya nang bahagya si Psyron Eubert Catral na nagtala ng 4.59 at Kenneth Carlos na may 5.03. Sa Clock, nanguna si Zian Principe sa 6.10 average laban kina Dale Palmares na may 6.19 at Zoei Principe na may 6.46.

Nakamit naman ni Nicole Jnus Macalalad ang tagumpay sa Megaminx sa 41.38 average at 38.37 single sa 19 kalahok, habang si Psyron Eubert Catral ang nanguna sa Square-1 sa 11.26 average at 9.58 single laban sa 15 kalahok. Sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded na nangangailangan ng masusing memorya bago ang paglutas habang nakapiring, naitala ni Marc Jason L. Laresma ang pinakamabilis na single sa 45.70 upang daigin sina Christian Lacquio na may 53.75 at Crimson Arradaza na may 54.35.

Ang matagumpay na pagtatapos ng Luzon Championship 2024 sa Dasmariñas ay nagpakita ng malalim na antas ng husay at determinasyon sa bawat round. Mula sa dikitang laban sa 3x3x3 Cube hanggang sa mga bagong personal bests ng mga masisipag na kalahok, muling pinatunayan ng cubing competition na ito ang kahalagahan ng tuloy-tuloy na ensayo at matatag na paglutas sa bawat opisyal na subok.