MnM Cube Cup 2024

79 competitors gathered for an intense single-day display of speedcubing excellence as the MnM Cube Cup 2024 delivered high-stakes drama across nine rounds of play. Held at Robinsons Place Malolos in the City of Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines on February 11, 2024, the tournament showcased the vast diversity of competitive formats. Speed disciplines test rapid turning, pattern recognition, and split-second reflexes under the timer, demanding immediate mechanical execution that contrasts completely with measured, methodical disciplines. This WCA competition brought together six official disciplines, challenging players across short sprints, heavy hardware, and memory-intensive solves.

Brenton Angelo Lo Wong stood at the center of the weekend, securing three gold medals and taking multiple podium spots across the lineup. In the standard 3x3x3 Cube event, which brought all 79 entrants to the tables across three rounds, Lo Wong produced the tournament-best single of 5.09 seconds before sealing the title with a winning average of 5.73 seconds. Aragon Martin Gonzales followed in second place with an average of 7.79 seconds, while Stacy Nicole Viray Mabalot earned third place with an 8.45 average. These decisive 3x3 results underlined Lo Wong as the pacesetter in the classic Rubik's Cube category.

Lo Wong carried that momentum straight into the short-format showdown on the 2x2x2 Cube, topping a massive 66-person bracket in a single-round final. He captured gold with an average of 2.09 seconds, accompanied by a single of 1.59 seconds. Gonzales claimed another runner-up finish with a 2.59 average and a 2.18 single, while Bearwin Jairus Jovellanos Cruz completed the podium in third place with an average of 2.67 and a 2.21 single. The event featured strong marks throughout the field, with Yuji Yoshida posting a 3.15 average, Justin Andrew Dee recording a 3.22 average, Denisse Balmeo notching a 3.74, John Michael Chua finishing at 3.96, Dale Palmares at 3.98, Jayden Allen T. Dee at 3.98, and Gabriel Dioquino delivering a 4.04 average.

The 5x5x5 Cube brought heavier mechanical demands, pitting 33 competitors against each other in a test of patience and hardware control. Lo Wong captured his third title of the meet, logging the only sub-minute single at 50.89 seconds alongside a winning average of 54.78 seconds. Dale Palmares took the second podium spot with an average of 59.38 seconds, edging out Cairon Sumadchat, who claimed third place with a solid 59.47 average. Lo Wong concluded his day with four total podiums after adding a third-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a single solve of 1:28.72.

Away from the top steps, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across multiple disciplines during the meet. Jaztine Heicel Baltazar took on four events, securing eighth place in Pyraminx while lowering their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 43.1 percent to 2.86 seconds, shaving their Pyraminx mark by 20.2 percent to 5.26 seconds, and completing a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 1:56.63. Briley C. Fandiñola tackled four categories, achieving a 43.1 percent drop in the 2x2x2 Cube to 3.34 seconds, cutting 30 percent off their Pyraminx best to 8.76 seconds, and making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 32.54 seconds. Edsel Pilobello delivered a 36.5 percent personal best improvement on the 2x2x2 Cube with 4.03 seconds, while recording first attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 27.85 and Pyraminx at 11.21.

James Matthew Sanchez also capitalized on four events, reducing their 2x2x2 Cube mark by 34.4 percent to 4.52 seconds while charting debut attempts in Pyraminx at 7.61 seconds and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 28.25 seconds. Ezekiel L. Inciso trimmed their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 28.3 percent down to 2.99 seconds, improved their Pyraminx record by 21.9 percent to 6.56 seconds, and completed a debut 5x5x5 Cube solve of 1:39.03. Arkin Briel G. Buctuan improved their 3x3x3 Cube best by 26.2 percent to 16.23 seconds alongside debuts in Pyraminx at 11.88 and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 40.97. Simon Jude Tirona posted personal best cuts of 19 percent in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 27.16 and 18.7 percent in 3x3x3 Cube at 13.45, plus a 5x5x5 debut of 2:06.73. Zachary Brayden A. Montero completed a 14.3 percent drop in 3x3x3 Cube to 11.42, adding first-time marks in Pyraminx at 6.21 and 2x2x2 Cube at 4.26.

Specialist categories brought additional excitement to the schedule. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where athletes rely strictly on pre-solve memorisation before masking their eyes, Ian Guevarra Santos secured victory among 10 contenders with a winning single of 18.72 seconds despite a DNF average. John Edison Ubaldo placed second with a successful attempt of 1:06.83, just ahead of Lo Wong. In the single-handed arena, Sean Patrick Villanueva took top honors among 51 competitors in 3x3x3 One-Handed, winning with a 9.39 average and an 8.37 single, holding off Lo Wong at 12.81 and Gonzales at 13.24.

The Pyraminx event featured two rounds of competition for 43 participants, culminating in a win for Aragon Martin Gonzales. Gonzales recorded a winning average of 2.79 seconds and a single of 2.40 to secure first place. Justin Andrew Dee took second on the podium with a 3.05 average, while Michael Angelo Zafra took third with an average of 4.65 seconds. Across all six events, competitors representing the Philippines swept all 18 podium positions available on the day.

The high level of execution seen in speed cubing across every puzzle type highlighted the depth of local talent. The MnM Cube Cup 2024 wrapped up after a full slate of 9 rounds, proving that technical precision and competitive endurance go hand in hand across the community as competitors now look forward to their next season.

Pitumpu't siyam na kalahok ang nagtipon sa Robinsons Place Malolos upang magbahagi ng kanilang talento sa bilis at diskarte. Ang MnM Cube Cup 2024, na ginanap noong February 11, 2024, ay nagdala ng masiglang samahan at matinding kompetisyon sa City of Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines. Sa kabuuan ng siyam na rounds para sa anim na kategorya, ipinamalas ng bawat delegado ang kanilang pagmamahal sa larangan. Sa pagitan ng bawat laban, ramdam ang suporta ng bawat isa sa mga solving stations habang nagpapalitan ng mga paraan ng paglutas at nagtutulungan ang mga manlalaro.

Sa pangunahing kategorya ng 3x3x3 Cube na nilahukan ng 79 competitors sa tatlong rounds, pinangunahan ni Brenton Angelo Lo Wong ang laban matapos magtala ng winning average na 5.73 at pinakamabilis na single na 5.09. Pumangalawa sa podium si Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagtala ng 7.79 average, habang nakuha naman ni Stacy Nicole Viray Mabalot ang ikatlong puwesto tangan ang 8.45 average. Ang pagtatanghal na ito sa klasikong Rubik's Cube ay nagpakita ng mataas na antas ng husay ng mga lokal na pambato sa entablado.

Hindi nagpahuli si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa iba pang mga event matapos masungkit ang unang puwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 2.09 winning average at 1.59 single laban sa 66 na kalahok. Sumunod sa kanya si Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagtala ng 2.59 average, at si Bearwin Jairus Jovellanos Cruz na pumangatlo sa 2.67 average. Sa mas malaking 5x5x5 Cube, nagwagi muli si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na may 54.78 average, habang pumangalawa si Dale Palmares sa 59.38 at pumangatlo si Cairon Sumadchat sa 59.47 mula sa 33 competitors.

Naging kapana-panabik din ang mga side events sa kompetisyon, partikular ang 3x3x3 One-Handed kung saan nagwagi si Sean Patrick Villanueva na may 9.39 average at 8.37 single sa 51 kalahok, kasunod sina Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa 12.81 at Aragon Martin Gonzales sa 13.24. Sa Pyraminx, nanguna si Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagtala ng 2.79 winning average at 2.40 single sa 43 kalahok, habang pumangalawa si Justin Andrew Dee sa 3.05 at pumangatlo si Michael Angelo Zafra sa 4.65. Sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded, nanguna si Ian Guevarra Santos sa kanyang 18.72 single sa 10 competitors, kasunod sina John Edison Ubaldo (ᜇ᜔ᜌᜓ︀ᜈ᜔ ᜁᜇᜒᜐᜓ︀ᜈ᜔ ᜂᜊᜎ᜔ᜇᜓ︀) na may 1:06.83 at Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na nagtala ng 1:28.72.

Sa likod ng mga numero sa podium, nagningning ang dedikasyon ng mga manlalaro sa buong maghapon. Si Alvarez Edel (于璐正) ay sumabak sa limang event at nagtala ng Pyraminx personal best na 2.64 na 35 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa kanyang dating tala, 2x2x2 Cube personal best na 2.04 na 18.4 porsyentong pagbuti, at 5x5x5 Cube personal best na 1:46.93. Nagpamalas din ng husay si Ahmad Mendoza sa tatlong kategorya sa pamamagitan ng kanyang unang opisyal na subok sa Pyraminx na 6.84, kasabay ng 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 16.48 na 18.4 porsyentong mas mabilis at 2x2x2 Cube personal best na 4.40. Samantala, si Reid Gio Aguilar ay sumali sa apat na kategorya kung saan naitala niya ang unang subok sa 5x5x5 Cube sa oras na 3:00.96, Pyraminx personal best na 7.80 na 16.5 porsyentong mas mabilis, at 2x2x2 Cube personal best na 4.92. Sa apat na nilahukang kategorya, naitala naman ni Warren Joseph D. Domingo ang kanyang unang opisyal na subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 24.56 at Pyraminx sa 6.45, habang nakuha ang ikapitong puwesto sa 3x3x3 Cube.

Para sa mga bagong mukha sa komunidad, ang MnM Cube Cup 2024 ang nagsilbing kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Si Denisse Balmeo ay sumabak sa apat na kategorya at nakamit ang ikaanim na puwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube, kasabay ng unang subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 21.96, 3x3x3 Cube sa 8.18, at Pyraminx sa 9.43. Nilahukan din ni Yuan Thirdy Cenon C. Gutierrez ang apat na event kung saan nagtala siya ng unang subok sa Pyraminx na 9.83, 2x2x2 Cube na 7.30, at 5x5x5 Cube na 4:15.21. Ganoon din si Shaun Perea na sumali sa apat na event at nagtala ng unang subok sa 3x3x3 Cube sa 27.16, Pyraminx sa 11.37, at 2x2x2 Cube sa 6.54, habang si M-Jay Mendoza ay sumabak sa tatlong event na may unang subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 26.26, 2x2x2 Cube sa 3.13, at 3x3x3 Cube sa 10.43.

Lahat ng 18 na puwesto sa podium sa buong pagtitipon ay napanalunan ng mga kinatawan mula sa Philippines, na nagpapatunay sa lakas ng lokal na talento sa speedcubing. Mula sa bilis ng kamay sa maliliit na puzzle hanggang sa konsentrasyon at memorya sa blindfolded solving, naipakita ng bawat kalahok ang bunga ng kanilang pagsasanay. Ang bawat round ay nagbigay-daan upang subukin ang kani-kanilang kakayahan sa gitna ng patas at maayos na paligsahan.

Nagtapos ang buong cubing competition sa isang masayang pagtitipon ng mga kalahok, pamilya, at mga tagapanood sa Robinsons Place Malolos. Ang MnM Cube Cup 2024 sa City of Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines para sa taong 2024 ay hindi lamang nag-iwan ng mga bagong rekord at medalya, kundi nagpatibay din ng pagkakaibigan at ugnayan ng buong komunidad para sa mga darating pang pagtitipon ng laro.