Negros Speedcubing Cup 2024

Ace Christian C. Wong delivered the standout performance of the weekend by capturing the premier 3x3x3 Cube title with a blistering 7.77 winning average. The contest at CityMall Mandalagan brought together 50 competitors in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines from January 13 to January 14. Navigating three grueling rounds against 47 rivals, Wong secured victory ahead of Kirby Jay Caragan and Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr., who posted averages of 9.07 and 9.45 respectively. The competition showcased intense battles across every bracket as participants pushed for every fraction of a second.

Across 15 rounds and nine official events, the Negros Speedcubing Cup 2024 tested the resolve of an exceptionally deep roster. Reaching the final stage in any discipline required immense focus, as large fields created tight cutoffs throughout the schedule. This WCA competition saw local talent battle through crowded preliminary heats, proving that securing a spot on the stage demanded peak precision from the opening turn. From standard speedcubing formats to niche puzzles, the standard of play remained consistently high throughout both days of action in 2024.

Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. authored the most prolific campaign of the weekend, securing top honors across four distinct disciplines. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Aguirre topped a 35-competitor bracket with a 2.89 final average, finishing ahead of Wong and Mary Ella Joyce R. Miralles. He also demonstrated remarkable mastery in 3x3x3 One-Handed, recording a 13.49 winning average to edge Kenneth Mathew F. Halago and Wong. His commanding run highlighted the incredible technical breadth present in modern speed cubing.

Aguirre maintained his dominance on the larger hardware, claiming victories in both big cube events. In the 4x4x4 Cube, his 32.52 winning average led the 19-player field, keeping Miguel Gonzaga and Halago at bay. Stepping up to the 5x5x5 Cube, Aguirre registered a sub-minute winning average of 58.33, with Gonzaga taking second at 1:03.60 and Brian Acuña securing third at 1:11.14. These commanding results sealed an extraordinary four-trophy tally across the weekend.

The specialized formats delivered equally captivating drama for the spectators. Mars Daniel Kudemus dominated the Pyraminx final, taking gold with a sharp 2.68 average to beat Gonzaga and Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado. In Skewb, Kirby Jay Caragan stood atop the podium with a 3.80 average, just ahead of Gonzaga and Kudemus. Andrew Thomas Salazar Pacilan captured the Megaminx title with a 48.73 average, while Brian Acuña won the 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline with a best single time of 46.17 seconds.

Away from the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their events. Generoso L. Secreto III took on eight events, setting a Skewb personal best of 8.82 that was 69.9 percent faster than his prior mark, while also completing his first ever official attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 5:25.75 and Megaminx at 4:04.26 to place ninth. Joesef E. Amar tackled five disciplines, recording his first attempts in Pyraminx at 9.49, 3x3x3 One-Handed at 28.89, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:19.76 for a weekend-best 16th place. David Kristoffe R. Dela Peña took tenth in Megaminx with a first attempt of 2:53.52 alongside debuts in Pyraminx at 10.18 and Skewb at 24.65. Mariane Joy A. Gellecanao took 11th in Megaminx with an initial 3:08.40 mark, logging further debuts in Pyraminx at 12.02 and 2x2x2 Cube at 6.35.

Nathan Garrido cut his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal record by 43.8 percent to 50.56 and improved his 2x2x2 Cube best to 4.69, while also notching an 18th-place finish in his 4x4x4 Cube debut at 2:01.17. Angela Vena C. Gelogo achieved substantial leaps across three events, lowering her 2x2x2 Cube mark by 59.5 percent to 10.16, her Pyraminx time by 41.8 percent to 15.47, and her 3x3x3 Cube result by 23.3 percent to 28.33. Prince Stefan Robes earned eighth in 5x5x5 Cube with a debut 4:57.88, alongside a 29.6 percent improvement in 4x4x4 Cube to 2:31.62 and a 24.92 3x3x3 single. Chloe Ysabelle Masanit made her 2x2x2 Cube debut with a 7.68 and improved her 3x3x3 Cube best by 27.9 percent to 23.15.

Every podium spot across all nine events was earned by competitors representing the Philippines, highlighting the incredible concentration of talent in the regional scene. The depth of the preliminary rounds demonstrated that even seasoned solvers had to stay sharp to advance through each stage of the bracket. From the classic Rubik's Cube to intricate multi-layered puzzles, the standard of execution remained exceptionally high from start to finish.

With the official 3x3 results locked into the books, the cubing competition served as a strong benchmark for the regional community. The gathering in Bacolod City proved that enthusiasm for high-level solving continues to expand as new contenders emerge alongside established champions. Solvers now head back to practice tables across the country, carrying fresh personal records and renewed ambitions into the rest of the competitive calendar.

Umapaw ang tensyon sa loob ng CityMall Mandalagan habang nakatutok ang bawat pares ng mata sa timer display sa pagtatapos ng huling round ng 3x3x3 Cube. Sa gitna ng mabilisang pag-ikot ng mga kamay at banayad na bagsak ng mga puzzle sa solving mat, bawat segundo ay naging mahalaga para sa mga kalahok. Sa huling solve ng naturang final round napagdesisyunan ang kampeonato kung saan naungusan ang pinakamahigpit na mga katunggali sa pamamagitan ng matinding konsentrasyon at walang patid na bilis.

Nakamit ni Ace Christian C. Wong ang unang pwesto sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube event sa Negros Speedcubing Cup 2024 matapos magtala ng winning average na 7.77 at best single na 7.00 sa loob ng tatlong rounds laban sa 47 kalahok. Pumangalawa sa podium si Kirby Jay Caragan na nagtala ng average na 9.07, habang pumangatlo naman si Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. na may average na 9.45 sa naturang Rubik's Cube main event.

Naging matagumpay ang buong speedcubing weekend na ginanap sa Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines noong Enero 13 hanggang 14 ng 2024. Umabot sa 50 competitors ang nagharap sa 9 na events at 15 rounds ng naturang cubing competition. Lahat ng 27 podium spots sa buong talaan ng paligsahan ay napasakamay ng mga pambato mula sa Pilipinas na nagpamalas ng pambihirang galing sa iba't ibang kategorya ng bilisan sa paglutas.

Humakot ng apat na kampeonato si Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. sa Negros Speedcubing Cup 2024 matapos dominahin ang apat na magkakahiwalay na kategorya. Nagwagi siya sa 2x2x2 Cube na may 2.89 average laban kay Ace Christian C. Wong na nagtala ng 3.23 at Mary Ella Joyce R. Miralles na may 3.32. Nanguna rin si Aguirre Jr. sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa bilis na 13.49 average laban kina Kenneth Mathew F. Halago na may 15.32 at Wong na may 18.08.

Ipinagpatuloy ni Aguirre Jr. ang kanyang pananalasa sa mas malalaking puzzle kung saan pinangunahan niya ang 4x4x4 Cube na nagtala ng 32.52 average laban kina Miguel Gonzaga na may 37.15 at Kenneth Mathew F. Halago na nagrehistro ng 37.26. Sa 5x5x5 Cube, muling nangibabaw si Aguirre Jr. sa pamamagitan ng 58.33 average, habang pumangalawa si Gonzaga na may 1:03.60 at pumangatlo si Brian Acuña na may 1:11.14 sa iisang round ng labanan.

Sa likod ng mga numero sa podium, nagpamalas ng kahanga-hangang pagsulong ang ilang kalahok sa torneo. Naibaba ni Alquinn John Undar ang kanyang 3x3x3 Cube personal best sa 11.87 mula sa dating 24.96 na 52.4 porsyentong mas mabilis, kasabay ng pagpapababa sa 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best sa 36.41 mula sa 45.49. Ipinakita rin ni Ianne Theodore D. Pastera ang tibay sa pitong events kung saan nagtapos siyang panlima sa Pyraminx, sumabak sa unang attempt sa Megaminx sa bilis na 2:04.40, at nagtala ng bagong 4x4x4 Cube personal best na 56.26 mula sa 1:01.80. Nagtala naman si Angela Nicole Masculino ng bagong 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 24.79 na 7.3 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa dating 26.75, kasabay ng kanyang unang attempt sa 2x2x2 Cube sa bilis na 7.39. Sumabak naman si Aluel Paolo H. Gonzaga sa kanyang unang attempt sa 2x2x2 Cube sa bilis na 14.17 at unang attempt sa Pyraminx na may 8.62.

Naging entablado rin ang torneo para sa mga bagong manlalaro na sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Sa kanyang debut, sumabak si Asher Jess B. Baluya sa tatlong kategorya kung saan nagtala siya ng unang attempt sa 2x2x2 Cube na 7.18, unang attempt sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 51.03, at unang attempt sa 3x3x3 Cube na 23.70. Naging produktibo rin ang debut ni Melo Martin T. Garrido na nagtala ng unang attempt sa Pyraminx na 19.48, unang attempt sa 3x3x3 Cube na 31.49, at unang attempt sa 2x2x2 Cube na 5.44. Sumabak din sa unang pagkakataon si Wynn Carl Delicana na nagrehistro ng unang attempt sa 3x3x3 Cube na 39.08, Pyraminx na 8.55, at 2x2x2 Cube na 13.71, habang si Theodore Benedict M. Corcino ay kumatawan sa tatlong events na may unang attempt sa 3x3x3 Cube na 36.38, 2x2x2 Cube na 9.85, at Pyraminx na 9.04.

Sa iba pang mga kaganapan sa Negros Speedcubing Cup 2024, nagwagi si Kirby Jay Caragan sa Skewb na may average na 3.80 laban kina Miguel Gonzaga na may 4.19 at Mars Daniel Kudemus na may 5.38. Si Mars Daniel Kudemus naman ang umangkin ng unang pwesto sa Pyraminx sa bilis na 2.68 average kontra kina Gonzaga na may 4.54 at Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado na nagtala ng 4.56. Sa kategoryang Megaminx, si Andrew Thomas Salazar Pacilan ang nangibabaw sa pamamagitan ng 48.73 average laban sa 12 katunggali.

Naging kapana-panabik din ang kumpetisyon sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded na sumubok sa memorya at spatial skills ng limang manlalaro sa CityMall Mandalagan. Naungusan ni Brian Acuña ang buong larangan matapos magtala ng winning best single na 46.17 upang masungkit ang kampeonato. Sumunod sa kanya sa podium si Xander Louis Gasparillo na nagtala ng single na 51.17 para sa ikalawang pwesto, habang pumangatlo naman si Bea Alexandra Marie Flores na nagrehistro ng single na 51.84 sa naturang event.

Nagtapos ang dalawang araw ng masiglang paligsahan na nagpakita ng mataas na antas ng husay at disiplina ng komunidad sa Negros Occidental. Mula sa dikitang labanan sa 3x3x3 Cube hanggang sa tagumpay ng mga baguhang kalahok sa kanilang mga debut, naging patunay ang Negros Speedcubing Cup 2024 sa patuloy na pagyabong ng galing ng mga manlalaro sa rehiyon bago ang mga susunod pang kumpetisyon sa kalendaryo.