Pampanga Speedcubing Open 2024

Ian Guevarra Santos delivered a masterclass in memory and tactile precision at the Pampanga Speedcubing Open 2024, securing the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title with a stunning winning average of 18.30 seconds. Solving without sight demands complete mental commitment, relying entirely on spatial memorisation during inspection before executing moves purely by feel. Santos topped the field of eight competitors in the event, posting a sharp best single of 17.50 seconds. Christian Naguio took second place with a time of 1:02.98, while Yuji Yoshida rounded out the podium at 1:49.21.

Held on May 19, 2024, at Robinsons Starmills in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, the single-day WCA competition brought together 66 competitors contesting seven events across nine rounds. The energetic gathering showcased the variety of speedcubing disciplines, ranging from classic Rubik's Cube races to twisty specialties and sightless challenges. Across every bracket, Filipino solvers filled all 21 available podium spots, demonstrating great depth in regional speed cubing.

In the flagship 3x3x3 Cube event, Christian Naguio emerged victorious after three hard-fought rounds among 66 entrants. Naguio sealed the win with a 7.87-second average, having logged a tournament-best single of 6.42 seconds earlier in the event. Crimson Arradaza applied immense pressure, finishing just behind in second place with an average of 7.95 seconds. Xavier De Vera earned the third podium step with an 8.07 average, concluding a tight battle in the 3x3 results.

Naguio carried his momentum into Skewb, where he earned a second championship at the Pampanga Speedcubing Open 2024. Posting a winning average of 4.95 seconds and a best single of 3.29, Naguio narrowly held off Iya Franzene L. Hufancia, who took the runner-up position in 4.99 seconds. Yuji Yoshida earned another podium finish by securing third place with an average of 5.11 seconds in the 25-competitor bracket.

Crimson Arradaza took the spotlight in 3x3x3 One-Handed, claiming first place with a 9.73-second average and a single of 8.98 seconds across a field of 35 competitors. Naguio added to his medal collection with a second-place finish in 15.15 seconds, closely followed by Santos in 15.56 seconds. Meanwhile, Zoei Principe paced the Clock event, capturing the win with a 4.47-second average ahead of Kyle Capiral at 6.11 and Yoshida at 6.17.

Beyond the championship trophies, this cubing competition provided fertile ground for personal breakthroughs and ambitious new ventures. Zachary John P. Ramirez delivered massive time drops across two events, cutting his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 53.2 percent to 4.25 seconds and his 3x3x3 mark down by 31.6 percent to 16.16 seconds. Zareb A. Cruz tackled 3x3x3 One-Handed for the first time with a mark of 26.48 seconds, while improving his Skewb best by 38.2 percent to 6.66 seconds for a 12th-place finish. Briley C. Fandiñola logged a new Skewb attempt of 3.14 seconds to finish 10th, while also lowering his Pyraminx best by 32.6 percent down to 5.90 seconds and his 3x3x3 mark to 15.83 seconds. Miguel Dizon marked his first official attempts in 2x2x2 with 5.55 seconds and Pyraminx with 8.78 seconds, alongside a 23.8 percent improvement on 3x3x3 to 13.99 seconds.

Other solvers expanded their repertoires across multiple disciplines throughout the day. Audrey Jane Palo took on a heavy slate of seven events, finishing 7th in blindfolded while posting first-ever official attempts in Clock at 28.40 seconds, Pyraminx at 9.36 seconds, and one-handed solving at 36.65 seconds. John Miguel C. Sotto competed across six disciplines, achieving a personal best 19th-place finish in Clock and logging initial marks in Clock at 41.78, Skewb at 14.83, and one-handed at 27.20. AJ Vincent Marin Quilang entered six events, reaching 17th in Skewb with a 6.63 first attempt while setting debut times in Clock of 13.05 and one-handed of 41.56. King Harold Garcia added first attempts in one-handed at 42.38 seconds and 2x2x2 at 7.84 seconds.

The 2x2x2 Cube division featured a 54-competitor bracket where Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes took top honours with an average of 2.37 seconds and a best single of 2.16 seconds. Bearwin Jairus Jovellanos Cruz followed in second place with a 2.64 average, while Marc Arvinson J. Padilla took third in 2.79 seconds. In Pyraminx, Sean Zowie Cuaresma led the 41-person field to victory with an average of 4.00 seconds, edging Isaiah Benedict S. Feria at 4.12 and Yoshida at 5.70.

The action at the Pampanga Speedcubing Open 2024 highlighted the technical skill and concentration that define competitive solving. From the silence of the blindfolded event to the high-speed turns of short-format puzzles, the tournament in San Fernando City offered a complete display of Filipino talent as competitors look forward to their next season on the circuit.

Animnapu't anim na kalahok ang nagtipon sa San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines para sa Pampanga Speedcubing Open 2024 noong Mayo 19, 2024. Bagamat walang malalaking puzzle tulad ng 5x5x5, 6x6x6 o 7x7x7 sa opisyal na talaan ng mga laro ngayong edisyon, ang matinding tibay ng isip at bilis ng kamay ay naging sentro pa rin ng labanan sa pitong kaganapan sa buong araw ng paligsahan.

Sa pangunahing kategorya ng tradisyonal na 3x3x3 Cube, ipinamalas ni Christian Naguio ang pambihirang galing matapos niyang masungkit ang unang pwesto sa pamamagitan ng winning average na 7.87 at best single na 6.42 sa tatlong rounds. Pumangalawa sa kanya si Crimson Arradaza na nagtala ng 7.95 average, habang nakuha naman ni Xavier De Vera ang ikatlong pwesto sa kanyang 8.07 average.

Hindi lamang sa 3x3x3 Cube nagningning si Christian Naguio dahil nanguna rin siya sa Skewb event kung saan nagrehistro siya ng 4.95 winning average at 3.29 best single. Tinalo niya sa dikdikang laban si Iya Franzene L. Hufancia na nagtapos na may 4.99 average, kasunod si Yuji Yoshida sa ikatlong pwesto na may 5.11 average.

Sa kategoryang 3x3x3 One-Handed, ipinakita ni Crimson Arradaza ang kanyang husay sa paggamit ng isang kamay upang makuha ang panalo sa pamamagitan ng 9.73 winning average at 8.98 best single. Pumangalawa rito si Christian Naguio na nagtala ng 15.15 average, habang si Ian Guevarra Santos ay pumangatlo bitbit ang 15.56 average.

Sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded, kung saan kailangan ang matinding memorya at konsentrasyon bago paikutin ang Rubik's Cube nang nakapiring, nagwagi si Ian Guevarra Santos gamit ang 18.30 winning average at 17.50 single. Sumunod sa kanya si Christian Naguio sa 1:02.98 at si Yuji Yoshida sa 1:49.21. Samantala, sa Clock event ay naghari si Zoei Principe sa 4.47 winning average, habang sa Pyraminx ay nanguna si Sean Zowie Cuaresma sa 4.00 winning average.

Bukod sa mga nagwagi sa podium, kapansin-pansin din ang mga natatanging tagumpay ng mga kalahok sa Pampanga Speedcubing Open 2024. Si Julian Antonio W. Geronimo ay nagtala ng bagong personal best sa Skewb na 8.30 na mas mabilis nang 29.7 porsyento, kasama ang personal best na 5.93 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 10.34 sa Pyraminx sa apat na kaganapan. Si Jherzy Jhay C. Dela Cruz ay nagtala ng 8.12 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 17 porsyentong mas mabilis, nagrehistro ng 19.73 sa One-Handed, sumubok sa unang pagkakataon sa Pyraminx na may 9.20, at pumwesto sa ika-11 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Si John Carlo D. Garcia ay sumabak sa tatlong kaganapan, umukit ng 2.92 personal best sa 2x2x2 Cube na 19.8 porsyentong mas mabilis, at gumawa ng unang subok sa One-Handed sa bilis na 19.91. Si Francis Hero G. Ancho ay lumahok sa anim na kaganapan, kung saan nagtala siya ng unang subok sa Clock sa 11.27 at unang subok sa Blindfolded sa 4:19.97 para sa ika-5 pwesto.

Naging espesyal din ang paligsahan para sa mga bagong manlalaro sa kanilang unang WCA competition sa Robinsons Starmills. Si Raffael Mateusz M. Malolos ay nagpakitang-gilas sa apat na kaganapan kabilang ang 12.36 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 7.51 sa Pyraminx, at 3.92 sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan siya nagtapos sa ika-18 pwesto. Si Alexis Alarcon ay sumabak sa apat na laban at nagtala ng 38.31 sa One-Handed, 8.52 sa Pyraminx para sa ika-29 na pwesto, at 4.08 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Si Axl Vin Dizon ay nagtala ng 6.98 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 18.42 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 51.30 sa One-Handed. Samantala, si Johnny Danwil Bayugan ay sumabak sa tatlong kaganapan at nagrehistro ng 4.44 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 9.23 sa Pyraminx, at 15.37 sa 3x3x3 Cube sa Pampanga Speedcubing Open 2024.

Sa mabilisang 2x2x2 Cube event, nagkampeon si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes matapos magtala ng winning average na 2.37 at best single na 2.16 sa harap ng limampu't apat na kalahok. Sumunod sa kanya si Bearwin Jairus Jovellanos Cruz na may 2.64 average at si Marc Arvinson J. Padilla na may 2.79 average. Lahat ng dalawampu't isang pwesto sa podium sa pitong events ay napasakamay ng mga pambato ng Pilipinas sa matagumpay na pagtatapos ng speedcubing weekend na ito.