Metropolis Barquisimeto 2023

Rafael Antonio Sanchez delivered a masterclass on the dodecahedral puzzle, capturing the Megaminx title with a winning average of 53.69 seconds and a tournament-best single solve of 49.48 seconds. His command of the twelve-sided challenge set the tone for an intense day of niche-event mastery. Across four distinct events held in Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela on May 28, 2023, the gathering brought together 32 competitors across seven rounds of action, highlighting the technical breadth and dexterity demanded by non-standard puzzles alongside traditional speedcubing staples.

The single-day cubing competition, staged under the banner of Metropolis Barquisimeto 2023 at the Metropolis Barquisimeto venue, placed specialist events front and centre. Bernardo Torres pushed Sanchez in the Megaminx final, securing second place with a 57.33 average, while Carlos Gonzalez claimed third on the podium with a mark of 1:15.90. The precision required for high-piece-count puzzles defined the early schedule, demonstrating the depth of Venezuela’s puzzle-solving talent across complex disciplines.

Torres soon answered with a dominant run of his own on the 4x4x4 Cube. In the direct final for the four-layer puzzle, Torres averaged 32.63 seconds and logged the fastest single of the event at 28.61 to capture the gold. He held off 3x3 specialist Louis Rodriguez Guerrero, who claimed the silver step with a 33.23 average, while Sanchez rounded out a versatile day by securing the bronze with a 49.00 average across the five solves.

The triangular Pyraminx added rapid-fire action to the roster, requiring flawless fingertip execution across two full rounds. Miguel Vidal proved unmatched on the four-sided pyramid, seizing victory with an exceptional 3.93 winning average and a lightning single of 2.89 seconds. Torres secured another podium placement by taking second with a 5.02 average, closely pursued by Sanchez, whose 5.66 average earned him third place in a competitive field of 16 participants.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors achieved striking breakthroughs away from the top steps. Christian Esteban chopped a massive 37.4 percent off his previous benchmark in Pyraminx to record a personal best of 9.71 seconds, while also lowering his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 11.9 percent to 20.86 seconds. Ronald Garcia dropped his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 29.7 percent down to 1:05.12, cut his 3x3x3 Cube time by 10.7 percent to 15.97, and took on Megaminx for the very first time with a 2:30.53 attempt. José Ángel Luyo Santana improved his Megaminx mark by 22.4 percent to 2:48.01 across four entered events.

Further down the lineup, Luis Torrealba registered a 22.1 percent improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 17.74 seconds. Sebastián Andrés González Coronel tackled three events and dropped his 4x4x4 Cube best by 21.2 percent to 48.54 seconds while finishing fourth overall in the 3x3x3 Cube. Jesus Gabriel Ramirez Maita trimmed his Pyraminx best by 10.2 percent to 4.93 seconds on his way to fourth place. Abraham Quintero Vargas took on four events, making his first ever official attempts in both Megaminx with a 2:33.04 and 4x4x4 Cube with a 2:06.31, while also improving his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 8.4 percent to 18.78. Zi Lin Wu made a memorable official debut, recording a first ever 6.52 Pyraminx attempt and reaching fifth place in the main event.

The classic Rubik's Cube concluded the schedule with three hard-fought rounds among 31 entrants. Louis Rodriguez Guerrero emerged victorious in the final round, locking down the gold medal with a composed 9.33 average and posting the weekend's best single of 7.64 seconds. Sanchez took second place with a 9.88 average, while Torres earned third with a 10.20 average, completing a clean sweep of podium positions across every event by Venezuelan solvers in the 2023 contest.

The official 3x3 results capped a busy day of speed cubing where technical specialists and all-around competitors shared the spotlight. Hosting a sanctioned WCA competition at Metropolis Barquisimeto 2023 gave local participants a vital arena to push their boundaries on both classic and alternative puzzles. As the season progresses, the multi-event versatility displayed across Megaminx, Pyraminx, and big cubes sets a high competitive benchmark for Venezuelan cubing in the year ahead.