Metro Speedcubing Open 2023

102 competitors gathered at SM City Masinag for a fast-paced day of action on April 8, 2023, where titles across five disciplines came down to razor-thin margins. The Metro Speedcubing Open 2023 brought speedcubing fans together in Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines, packing 11 rounds into a single, high-stakes schedule. Nowhere was the tension higher than in the classic 3x3x3 Cube final, where Sean Patrick Villanueva delivered an unmatched sequence of solves to finish with a winning average of 6.13 seconds.

The 3x3x3 Cube event drew a massive field of 101 competitors through four intense rounds. Villanueva set the tone with a best single of 4.95 seconds before holding off a determined challenge from Leo Borromeo, who secured second place with a 6.94 average. Toby Litiatco rounded out the podium with a 7.12 average, concluding a thrilling sequence of 3x3 results that tested every finalist on the main stage.

Villanueva doubled his gold tally in 3x3x3 One-Handed, an event featuring 42 competitors across two rounds. Handling the puzzle with a single hand, he posted a winning average of 9.15 seconds along with a blistering best single of 7.42. Brenton Angelo Lo Wong claimed the silver medal with a 12.96 average, while Toby Litiatco collected his second podium of the cubing competition by taking third place with a mark of 14.32 seconds.

The 2x2x2 Cube event saw Brenton Angelo Lo Wong take the top step of the podium among 72 entrants. Lo Wong produced a winning average of 2.43 seconds, anchored by a best single of 1.93. Toby Litiatco earned another silver with a 3.04 average, edging Yuji Yoshida, who claimed bronze at 3.19. The event saw a flurry of personal bests and marks throughout the bracket, showcasing the speed of the short-format puzzle.

Away from the championship podiums, several solvers delivered standout personal milestones across the tournament floor. Chloe Olivia Yuque tackled three events, improving her Pyraminx personal best to 4.89 seconds, which was 54.8 percent faster than her prior mark, alongside cutting her 2x2x2 Cube best to 6.41 and her 3x3x3 Cube best to 16.69. Bryce Zildjian M. Banal took on two events, slashing his 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube best to 9.96 seconds, an improvement of 51.1 percent, and setting a 2x2x2 Cube best of 4.32. Rosette Enoc competed in two events, earning a 6th-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a personal best of 2:59.51 that was 38.4 percent faster than before. Ferdie Buensalida improved his 3x3x3 Cube best by 36.5 percent to 15.97 and lowered his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 5.86.

Other competitors marked memorable debuts and major drops at this WCA competition. Pam Jarina entered four disciplines, taking on her first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 25.43, registering a Pyraminx debut of 10.29, and setting a 2x2x2 Cube best of 4.54. Ryu Riggs Pua Tan entered three events, achieving a 10th-place finish in 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.22 personal best, alongside a Pyraminx mark of 3.79 that was 31.3 percent faster and a 3x3x3 Cube best of 10.36. Ahmad Mendoza recorded a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 1:07.33 while dropping his 3x3x3 Cube best by 22.7 percent to 20.19. Steven Andrei Odulio logged a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 4.84 and improved his 3x3x3 Cube time to 16.48.

In the Pyraminx competition, Justin Andrew Dee captured first place among 43 competitors across two rounds. Dee recorded a winning average of 3.19 seconds and a single of 1.98 to lead the bracket. Craig Luke Jimeno secured second place with an average of 3.76 seconds, followed by Karl Matthew Angeles, who finished third with a 4.10 mark, completing another clean podium sweep for local speed cubing competitors.

Memory and execution were put to the test in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, where competitors memorised the cube before solving it without sight. John Edison Ubaldo won the single round against 13 competitors with an average of 43.97 seconds and a best single of 33.32. Christian Lacquio took second place with a time of 1:00.00, while Rigil Carolino finished third at 1:51.02. Across all five disciplines, competitors from the Philippines took all 15 podium places, putting a fitting seal on the Metro Speedcubing Open 2023.

Umapaw ang sigla at bilis ng kamay sa loob ng SM City Masinag habang nagtatagisan ang mga manlalaro sa ibabaw ng mga opisyal na solving mat. Sa bawat pagpihit ng mga puzzle, ramdam ang bigat ng presyur dahil sa dami ng mga kalahok na nagtipon upang sumubok sa iba't ibang kategorya. Bago pa man lumitaw ang mga unang opisyal na resulta sa talaan, naging malinaw na ang buong bulwagan ay napuno ng matinding konsentrasyon at walang humpay na aksyon mula sa bawat cuber na nagnanais makatuntong sa susunod na yugto.

Naging patunay ang Metro Speedcubing Open 2023 sa lalim at husay ng komunidad sa bansa nang magtala ito ng kabuuang 102 competitors. Sa limang magkakaibang events at 11 rounds na idinaos sa Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines noong April 8, 2023, kinailangan ng bawat isa ang matatag na diskarte para lamang makapasok sa finals. Ang bawat round ay nagmistulang salaang sumubok sa bilis at tibay ng loob ng bawat delegado sa isa sa pinakamalaking pagtitipon ng taon.

Sa pangunahing kategorya ng 3x3x3 Cube, sumabak ang 101 competitors sa apat na mahihirap na rounds bago natukoy ang kampeon. Si Sean Patrick Villanueva ang nanguna sa podium bitbit ang winning average na 6.13 at pinakamabilis na best single na 4.95. Sumunod sa ikalawang puwesto si Leo Borromeo na nagtala ng average na 6.94, habang napunta naman kay Toby Litiatco ang ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 7.12 average sa Rubik's Cube.

Hindi lamang sa tradisyunal na paglutas nagpakitang-gilas si Sean Patrick Villanueva dahil nasungkit din niya ang tagumpay sa 3x3x3 One-Handed laban sa 42 competitors sa pamamagitan ng winning average na 9.15 at best single na 7.42. Pumangalawa sa nasabing event si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na may 12.96 average, habang muling pumangatlo si Toby Litiatco na may 14.32. Ang ganitong antas ng bilis sa iisang kamay lamang ay nagpakita ng mataas na kalidad ng torneo.

Sa kabilang banda, napuno ng mahahalagang personal na tagumpay ang kaganapan para sa mga manlalarong patuloy na umaangat ang antas. Si Iñigo Zachary Enrile ay sumabak sa 3 events at nagtala ng Pyraminx personal best na 8.34 na 25.3 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa dating 11.17, bukod sa 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 23.20. Si Daniel Kenshin Orozco ay nagrehistro ng 19.32 sa 3x3x3 Cube na 25.3 porsyentong bilis mula sa 25.86. Nagpakitang-gilas din si Kevin Divino na may 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best na 18.75 mula 24.40 at nagtapos sa ika-9 na puwesto sa 3x3x3 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 8.70 personal best. Si Juan Miguel F. Mendoza naman ay nagtala ng ika-7 puwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube kasabay ng 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 8.33 at 3x3x3 One-Handed record na 25.23.

Para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition, naging entablado ito ng matatapang na simula sa speedcubing. Si Neo Neal Acdal ay lumaban sa 4 events at nagtala ng first ever attempt sa Pyraminx na 3.57, 3x3x3 Cube na 11.07, at 3x3x3 One-Handed na 18.04 upang makuha ang ika-16 na puwesto. Si John Michael Calicdan ay nagpakitang-gilas sa 4 events bitbit ang first ever attempt na 13.71 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 5.18 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 30.65 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed. Gayundin si Joseph Alonzo Dimitri Y. Nicolas na nagsumite ng first ever attempt na 5.08 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 17.25 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 34.61 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 4 events. Naging abala rin si John Angelo D. Bianzon sa 4 events kung saan nagtala siya ng first ever attempt na 6.86 sa Pyraminx, 25.63 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 53.64 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed.

Nagpatuloy ang bakbakan sa iba pang mga kategorya kung saan naghari si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa 2x2x2 Cube matapos magtala ng winning average na 2.43 at best single na 1.93 laban sa 72 competitors. Pumangalawa sa podium si Toby Litiatco sa kanyang 3.04 average habang pumangatlo si Yuji Yoshida na nagtala ng 3.19 average. Sa Pyraminx naman na dinaluhan ng 43 competitors, si Justin Andrew Dee ang umangkin ng unang puwesto bitbit ang winning average na 3.19 at best single na 1.98, kasunod sina Craig Luke Jimeno na may 3.76 at Karl Matthew Angeles na nagtala ng 4.10.

Sa mas masalimuot na kategorya ng 3x3x3 Blindfolded, kung saan kailangan ang matinding memorya bago simulan ang paglutas habang nakapiring ang mga mata, si John Edison Ubaldo (ᜇ᜔ᜌᜓ︀ᜈ᜔ ᜁᜇᜒᜐᜓ︀ᜈ᜔ ᜂᜊᜎ᜔ᜇᜓ︀) ang nagkampeon mula sa 13 competitors gamit ang winning average na 43.97 at best single na 33.32. Sumunod sa kanya si Christian Lacquio na nagtala ng 1:00.00 average, habang si Rigil Carolino naman ang kumuha ng ikatlong puwesto sa pamamagitan ng 1:51.02 average.

Ang kabuuang 15 podium places ay pawang napunta sa mga kinatawan ng Pilipinas sa pagtatapos ng Metro Speedcubing Open 2023. Mula sa matitinding labanan sa finals hanggang sa mga bagong manlalarong unang sumubok sa entablado, ipinamalas ng buong cubing competition ang lalim ng talento at determinasyon na magpapatuloy sa mga susunod pang laban ng bawat kalahok.