Minx It Up in Pasig 2024

Inside Robinsons Metro East, the distinct clatter of turning plastic resonated across the floor as judges, runners, and station managers kept the schedule running with crisp efficiency. The dedicated crew behind the tables guided 61 competitors through staging lanes and timing stations across 11 packed rounds of play. Long before any podium placings were decided, the event team set the rhythm for the day, managing everything from scorecard distribution to scramble checks. Their structured setup ensured a smooth day of speedcubing for newcomers and seasoned competitors alike in Pasig City, Philippines on September 21, 2024.

The single-day schedule demanded sharp logistical coordination, balancing six different disciplines in a bustling commercial venue. Hosting Minx It Up in Pasig 2024 required constant rotation between traditional puzzles and side events, with delegates and volunteers maintaining the pace from the morning qualifiers through the afternoon finals. Their work gave every competitor a steady, reliable environment to perform at their absolute best on the WCA competition stage.

Aragon Martin Gonzales took full advantage of the smooth-running floor, securing three gold medals across varied disciplines. In the 3x3x3 Cube, Gonzales led the field of 59 competitors across three rounds, locking in the title with a winning average of 7.66 seconds and a best single of 7.07 seconds. Christian Naguio took second place with a 9.34 average, while Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes finished third at 9.58 seconds. The classic Rubik's Cube final delivered some of the sharpest 3x3 results of the tournament.

Gonzales also captured top honors in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, putting up a winning average of 11.79 seconds and a single of 10.98 seconds among 34 entrants. Naguio followed in second with 13.72 seconds, and Magallanes earned third with 15.66 seconds. Expanding his reach to triangular geometry, Gonzales added a third victory in Pyraminx with a 2.45 average, finishing ahead of Michael Angelo Zafra at 4.08 seconds and Yuji Yoshida at 4.69 seconds across two rounds.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the schedule. Marcus Gumabay entered three events and delivered massive progress, shaving 47.4 percent off his Pyraminx personal best to post a 7.99 single, while also improving his 3x3x3 Cube time by 10.3 percent to 13.87 and his Clock single to 12.39. Red Iñigo J. Cabrera recorded his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 37.23 single, alongside a 39.6 percent improvement on Pyraminx to reach 4.04 seconds, earning an 11th-place finish. Haki Tyler C. Malabanan tackled his first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 56.97 seconds and lowered his Pyraminx personal best by 39.5 percent down to 5.63 seconds. Aike R. Gumela took on four events, logging his first attempts in 2x2x2 Cube with 15.53 seconds and Pyraminx with 13.42 seconds, while cutting his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 39.8 percent to 34.88 seconds.

Other competitors marked important firsts across multiple puzzle types during the busy day. Justin M. Lucasan trimmed 32.7 percent from his Pyraminx mark with a 12.28 single, improved his Megaminx time to 4:47.67, and completed his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube in 3.61 seconds. Bryden Liam Manlapaz Abelita took on four events, registering first attempts in 2x2x2 Cube at 3.64 seconds, Clock at 13.34 seconds, and Pyraminx at 6.66 seconds, finishing 17th in Clock. Neo Vittorio Dalacat completed his first Megaminx attempt with a time of 1:29.38 to secure 12th place, while improving his 3x3x3 One-Handed best by 23.3 percent to 26.01 seconds. Joaquin Yñigo Gonio took on all six disciplines on the schedule, earning his first marks in Pyraminx at 9.28 seconds, Megaminx at 3:30.09, and 2x2x2 Cube at 5.93 seconds.

The 2x2x2 Cube brought fast times across a 47-competitor bracket, where Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes claimed the title with a winning average of 1.84 seconds and a single of 1.39 seconds. Jansen Alvarez secured second place with an average of 2.15 seconds, and Gonzales rounded out the podium in third at 2.36 seconds. The rapid-fire event highlighted the sheer depth of speed cubing talent in the venue.

In the specialty events, Nicole Jnus Macalalad triumphed in the Megaminx after three demanding rounds of twelve-sided solving, recording a winning average of 36.68 seconds and a single of 36.07 seconds. Enika Aubrey Maninang took second place with a 47.69 average, followed by Karl Martin Montealto in third at 51.80 seconds. In Clock, Zoei Principe captured first place among 25 competitors with an average of 3.64 seconds and a best single of 3.23 seconds, while Dimetri De La Rea took second with 5.58 seconds and Nicole Santos claimed third with 6.21 seconds.

By the time the final scores were entered and verified, all 18 podium positions were claimed by competitors from the Philippines. Minx It Up in Pasig 2024 stood as a testament to what an efficient, well-coordinated organizing team can accomplish in a single day of competitive play. Through meticulous planning and constant support from volunteers, the cubing competition provided an exceptional platform for both record-chasing finalists and emerging solvers exploring new events.

Umapaw ang tensyon at sigla sa loob ng Robinsons Metro East habang nakatutok ang lahat sa mga timer at sa mabilis na galaw ng mga kamay. Sa bawat paglapag ng mga puzzle sa solving mat, naging malinaw na bawat milisegundo ay magiging mahalaga sa paligsahan. Sa pagtatapos ng mga round, ang Minx It Up in Pasig 2024 ay naghatid ng matitinding sagupaan na umabot hanggang sa mga pinakahuling solve ng araw.

Naging sentro ng aksyon si Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagpamalas ng pambihirang bilis sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube final. Matapos ang tatlong rounds laban sa limampu't siyam na kalahok, nasungkit ni Gonzales ang unang puwesto na may winning average na 7.66 at pinakamabilis na single na 7.07. Pumangalawa si Christian Naguio na may 9.34 average, habang pumangatlo si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na nagtala ng 9.58 average sa masikip na labanan.

Hindi nagpaawat si Gonzales sa iba pang kategorya sa Pasig City, Philippines ngayong Setyembre 21, 2024. Nakamit din niya ang gintong medalya sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos magtala ng winning average na 11.79 at single na 10.98, kung saan muling sumunod sina Christian Naguio na may 13.72 at Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na may 15.66. Dagdag pa rito, pinangunahan din ni Gonzales ang Pyraminx sa pamamagitan ng 2.45 average, naungusan sina Michael Angelo Zafra na nagtala ng 4.08 at Yuji Yoshida na may 4.69.

Sa 2x2x2 Cube, bumawi si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes sa pamamagitan ng kahanga-hangang bilis upang angkinin ang unang puwesto. Nagtala si Magallanes ng winning average na 1.84 at napakabilis na single na 1.39 sa nag-iisang round ng naturang event. Sumunod sa kanya si Jansen Alvarez na may 2.15 average at 1.65 single, habang pumangatlo si Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagtala ng 2.36 average at 1.67 single para sa isa pang podium finish.

Sa Megaminx, pinatunayan ni Nicole Jnus Macalalad ang kanyang husay sa masalimuot na puzzle matapos magrehistro ng 36.68 winning average at 36.07 best single sa loob ng tatlong rounds laban sa dalawampu't siyam na katunggali. Pumangalawa sa naturang kategorya si Enika Aubrey Maninang na nagtala ng 47.69 average, habang nakuha naman ni Karl Martin Montealto ang ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 51.80 average.

Nagpakitang-gilas din si Zoei Principe sa Clock event matapos magtala ng winning average na 3.64 at best single na 3.23 upang dominahin ang dalawampu't limang kalahok. Pumangalawa sa naturang laban si Dimetri De La Rea na may 5.58 average, habang pumangatlo si Nicole Santos na nagrehistro ng 6.21 average sa nag-iisang round ng paligsahan.

Sa likod ng mga podium finish, nagtala ng malalaking tagumpay ang mga kalahok sa kani-kanilang personal na laban. Naitala ni John Angelo D. Bianzon ang 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 9.06, na 38.9 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa dati niyang 14.83, kasabay ng 3.96 sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan tumapos siya sa ika-26 na puwesto. Pinabilis naman ni Kristelle Marjorie Pascual Milante ang kanyang 2x2x2 Cube personal best sa 3.69 mula 5.81 na 36.5 porsyentong pagbuti, bukod pa sa 2:13.17 sa Megaminx. Ibinaba naman ni Liam Marco A. Morato ang kanyang personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube sa 13.60 mula 19.91 na 31.7 porsyentong bilis, at nagsumite ng 7.00 sa Pyraminx. Samantala, matagumpay na hinarap ni Victor Andrew Antonio ang anim na events kabilang ang kanyang unang pagsubok sa Megaminx na nagbunga ng 2:43.96.

Naging espesyal din ang paligsahan para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition sa Robinsons Metro East. Si Andrew Rojo ay lumahok sa limang events at nagtala ng 4.84 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 13.78 sa Pyraminx, at 15.45 sa 3x3x3 Cube, habang nakuha ang ika-30 puwesto sa 3x3x3 One-Handed. Si Sky Matocyon naman ay sumabak sa limang events kabilang ang unang subok sa Megaminx na 2:51.56, 10.79 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 16.44 sa Clock para sa ika-21 na puwesto. Kumatawan din si Azariah Danielle E. Cruz sa tatlong events na may unang subok na 5.65 sa Pyraminx, 6.87 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 19.46 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Hindi rin nagpahuli si Yllice Grace A. Moreno na nagtala ng unang opisyal na 8.58 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 27.22 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 33.22 sa Pyraminx.

Sa kabuuan, naging matagumpay ang Minx It Up in Pasig 2024 na dinaluhan ng animnapu't isang kalahok sa labing-isang rounds ng anim na opisyal na laro. Ipinamalas ng bawat manlalaro ang dedikasyon at disiplina sa speedcubing mula sa tradisyunal na Rubik's Cube hanggang sa mga espesyal na puzzle. Matagumpay na naisara ang araw ng kompetisyon na nag-iwan ng magagandang alaala at mga bagong personal na tala para sa lahat ng lumahok.