Makati Speedcubing Open VIII 2026

Inside SM Makati, the steady rhythm of speedcubing timers and rapid plastic turns filled the busy space as competitors gathered across ten intensive rounds of action. With tables arranged for quick turnarounds and judges keeping watchful oversight, Makati Speedcubing Open VIII 2026 got underway on July 19, 2026, bringing together 64 competitors in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The atmosphere proved electric from early morning registration through the final solves of the day.

Across seven different events, the day repeatedly demonstrated that unwavering consistency matters more than a single stroke of luck. While explosive individual solves can ignite excitement in the venue, victory in speed cubing belongs to those who assemble steady, reliable averages under pressure. Solvers who managed their turn rate and maintained calm recognition across entire five-solve sets found themselves climbing the standings as volatility caught up with higher-risk approaches throughout this packed cubing competition.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew all 64 competitors through three structured rounds of play, where poise dictated the final podium. Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes from the Philippines took top honours by putting together a 7.03 winning average, anchored by a best single of 6.43 seconds. Caleb Valenzuela took the second step on the podium with a 7.68 average, while Canada competitor Caleb dela Fuente finished third at 7.93. The decisive 3x3 results proved that dependable composure remained the difference across the final round.

Magallanes maintained his commanding form in the shorter formats as well, picking up two additional titles during the afternoon. In the 2x2x2 Cube, where 51 entrants lined up, Magallanes posted a winning average of 1.72 seconds, keeping ahead of Gabriel Subion at 2.11 and Caleb Valenzuela at 2.13. Magallanes returned to the table in 3x3x3 One-Handed among 27 entrants to claim another gold with an 11.94 average, clear of Yi-Fan Wu at 14.57 and Subion at 14.59.

The big cube categories produced clinical exhibitions of technique from Chinese Taipei competitor Yi-Fan Wu. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Wu captured first place with a 50.49 winning average, outpacing Miguel Gonzaga at 53.59 and Yuji Yoshida at 1:01.12. Wu doubled up in the 7x7x7 Cube over two rounds, putting up a 2:22.93 winning average against Gonzaga, who finished second in 2:29.20, and Yoshida in third at 2:37.82, displaying remarkable patience on the largest Rubik's Cube variant of the program.

The side events delivered equally compelling drama decided by razor-thin margins. Miguel Gonzaga secured a well-earned title in the Pyraminx, logging a winning average of 3.50 seconds ahead of Subion at 3.66 and Magallanes at 4.22. In the Megaminx, Francis Yuel B. Merced emerged victorious with an impressive 49.94 average, narrowly edging Gonzaga at 50.11 and Yoshida at 1:03.41, showing how steady execution across dozens of puzzle faces wins the day.

Beyond the podium battles, significant breakthroughs unfolded down the scorecards as competitors posted major personal bests. Antonio Miguel Q. De Guzman entered two events and slashed his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 52.5 percent down to 3.86 seconds, alongside a 17.79 best on the standard puzzle. Prince Ieuan L. Cuadra took on three events and dropped his Pyraminx single by 48.6 percent to 12.39 seconds, while improving his 3x3x3 Cube best to 35.72. Faye Julianne Casquejo took on all seven events, securing a 13th-place finish in 5x5x5 Cube, a 42.5 percent drop in 2x2x2 Cube down to 4.65, a 2:23.35 in 5x5x5 Cube, and a 40.02 in one-handed solving. Xheenjo Roahan T. Ojena entered two events, delivering an opening 2x2x2 Cube mark of 7.89 and lowering their 3x3x3 Cube standard by 34.5 percent to 20.24.

The debut marks across fresh categories highlighted the ambitious spirit present throughout the WCA competition. Rover Arellano tackled four events, recording a 25.02 debut in one-handed solving while knocking 32 percent off their 3x3x3 Cube best to reach 11.03 and 4.16 on 2x2x2 Cube for 12th place. Kimberly Bautista took on five events to place eighth in Megaminx with an initial 1:19.87 attempt, alongside personal records of 19.36 in one-handed and 6.96 in Pyraminx. Gabriel D. Ayuste entered four events, establishing debut results of 30.15 in one-handed solving, 4.65 in 2x2x2 Cube, and 8.82 in Pyraminx. Zach Gabriel De Rama entered five events, recording initial attempts of 19.20 on Pyraminx and 51.41 in one-handed, along with a 25.1 percent improvement in 2x2x2 Cube to 4.95 seconds.

By the conclusion of the final solves at SM Makati, competitors from the Philippines had collected 17 podium places, joined by three for Chinese Taipei and one for Canada. Makati Speedcubing Open VIII 2026 stood out as a premier showcase of focused dexterity and steady discipline across seven demanding puzzle categories in 2026. As the equipment was packed away, the gathered community celebrated a day of measured execution, clean solves, and earned progress.

Nagtala si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes ng napakabilis na 1.72 winning average sa 2x2x2 Cube upang pangunahan ang listahan ng mga kampeon sa Makati Speedcubing Open VIII 2026. Ang naturang bilis ang nagbigay sa kaniya ng unang pwesto sa 51 kalahok, kung saan naitala rin niya ang pinakamabilis na single solve na 1.30 segundo sa entablado. Sinundan siya ni Gabriel Subion na pumangalawa sa average na 2.11, habang pumangatlo naman si Caleb Valenzuela na nagtala ng 2.13 average.

Hindi nagpaawat si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes sa pinakatampok na 3x3x3 Cube matapos niyang angkinin muli ang gintong medalya sa pamamagitan ng 7.03 average laban sa 64 na kalahok sa loob ng tatlong rounds ng labanan. Naorasan din siya ng pinakamabilis na single time sa kategorya na 6.43 segundo. Pumangalawa sa podium si Caleb Valenzuela mula sa Pilipinas na may 7.68 average, habang napunta ang ikatlong pwesto sa pambato ng Canada na si Caleb dela Fuente na nagsumite ng 7.93 average.

Ginanap ang Makati Speedcubing Open VIII 2026 noong July 19, 2026 sa SM Makati na matatagpuan sa Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Sa kabuuan, umabot sa 64 na manlalaro ang sumabak sa 7 opisyal na kaganapan at 10 rounds ng tagisan. Ang buong torneo ay naging patunay ng lumalakas na komunidad ng speedcubing sa bansa, kung saan nakapagtala ang Pilipinas ng 17 podium finishes, habang ang Chinese Taipei ay may 3 at ang Canada ay may 1.

Naging mabunga rin ang mga laban sa ilalim ng entablado para sa mga kalahok na nagpakita ng malalaking pag-angat sa kanilang mga tala. Si Aaron Ching ay nagtala ng 23.4 porsyentong mas mabilis na personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube sa oras na 12.89 mula sa dating 16.83, bukod sa kaniyang unang opisyal na subok sa 5x5x5 Cube na may 2:21.44 at ika-8 pwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube. Si Karlos Luis R. Gumboc naman ay nagtala ng 8.77 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 5.4 porsyentong bilis mula sa 9.27, kinaltasan ang kaniyang 2x2x2 Cube tungo sa 3.92 na 11.1 porsyentong bawas sa 4.41, sumabak sa 6 na events, at nagtala ng 5:07.49 sa unang subok sa 7x7x7 Cube. Si Chriz Zhaijian C. Carvajal ay nagbawas ng 18.4 porsyento sa 3x3x3 Cube tungo sa 12.84 mula 15.73, gumawa ng personal best na 20.57 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed para sa ika-12 pwesto, at sumalang sa unang pagkakataon sa 2x2x2 Cube sa oras na 6.36. Si Christian Habito ay nagtala ng 15.73 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube mula sa dating 19.64 na 19.9 porsyentong pag-angat, bukod sa unang subok sa Pyraminx na 13.25 para sa ika-26 na pwesto.

Apat na manlalaro naman ang sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition ngayong taon. Si Marcus Tyler Cando ay pumasok sa anim na kategorya kung saan lumapag siya sa ika-14 na pwesto sa Megaminx at nagtala ng mga unang subok sa 3x3x3 Cube sa 20.62, 5x5x5 Cube sa 4:38.48, at Pyraminx sa 16.39. Si Zion Alexander Zoleta ay sumabak sa apat na kategorya at nakuha ang ika-15 pwesto sa 5x5x5 Cube sa oras na 3:57.32, habang may unang marka rin sa Pyraminx na 14.00 at 2x2x2 Cube na 10.91. Si Austin Gyan E. Marbella ay nagtapos sa ika-11 pwesto sa Megaminx sa unang subok na 2:01.01, habang nagtala ng 12.16 sa 3x3x3 Cube at 4.22 sa 2x2x2 Cube sa apat na kategorya. Si Sean Ulrich Ridao ay nakapasok sa ika-10 pwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube sa unang subok na 3.61, bukod sa 8.99 sa Pyraminx at 11.05 sa 3x3x3 Cube.

Sa iba pang maiikling kategorya, pinatunayan ni Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes ang kaniyang dominasyon nang iuwi ang ginto sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa pamamagitan ng 11.94 winning average at pinakamabilis na 10.44 single solve laban sa 27 kalahok. Pumangalawa sa naturang laban si Yi-Fan Wu ng Chinese Taipei sa average na 14.57, habang pumangatlo si Gabriel Subion sa 14.59 average. Samantala, sa Pyraminx na nilahukan ng 37 na manlalaro, nagwagi si Miguel Gonzaga tangan ang 3.50 average at 3.27 best single, sinundan nina Gabriel Subion na may 3.66 at Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na nagtala ng 4.22.

Nangibabaw naman ang dayuhang si Yi-Fan Wu ng Chinese Taipei sa mga malalaking kategorya ng Rubik's Cube. Naghari siya sa 5x5x5 Cube na may 50.49 winning average at 47.61 best single laban sa 17 kalahok, kung saan pumangalawa si Miguel Gonzaga sa 53.59 at pumangatlo si Yuji Yoshida sa 1:01.12. Dinoble ni Yi-Fan Wu ang kaniyang tagumpay sa 7x7x7 Cube sa pagtala ng 2:22.93 winning average at 2:14.66 best single sa dalawang rounds, habang sumunod sina Miguel Gonzaga sa 2:29.20 at Yuji Yoshida sa 2:37.82.

Sa masalimuot na Megaminx puzzle, nagreyna si Francis Yuel B. Merced sa pamamagitan ng 49.94 winning average at 44.63 best single solve laban sa 14 na katunggali sa torneo. Mahigpit niyang naungusan si Miguel Gonzaga na nagtapos sa 50.11 average para sa pilak, samantalang nakuha ni Yuji Yoshida ang tanso sa average na 1:03.41. Ang naturang mga resulta ay nagbigay ng magandang pagtatapos sa masiglang cubing competition sa lungsod.

Nagtapos ang Makati Speedcubing Open VIII 2026 na may mataas na antas ng husay at bilis mula sa lahat ng mga kalahok. Mula sa pambihirang 1.72 average sa 2x2x2 hanggang sa matitinding labanan sa mas malalaking kategorya, ipinamalas ng bawat isa ang kanilang dedikasyon sa bawat ikot ng puzzle. Asahan ang patuloy na pag-angat ng mga manlalaro sa mga susunod pang laban sa kalendaryo.