Pinoy Side Events Open 2026

Seventy-four competitors lined up for the flagship event at Pinoy Side Events Open 2026, setting the stage for a weekend of rapid-fire turning and razor-thin margins at SM Makati. Taking place on February 28, 2026, the gathering welcomed 77 total solvers to Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines for an 11-round programme spread across eight disciplines. The focus of the day locked onto the shortest formats, where mere fractions of a second separated the contenders vying for top honors across the tables.

Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes spearheaded the sprint events with an extraordinary performance in the 2x2x2 Cube final. Facing a 59-competitor field in a high-pressure single round, Magallanes clocked a blazing 1.76 average to secure the title, backed by a best single of 1.20. James Certeza pushed hard from the next table to claim the runner-up spot with a 1.79 mark, while Javier Ignacio rounded out the podium positions with a 2.42 average. The breakneck pace on the two-layer puzzle immediately set the benchmark for the rest of the day.

Magallanes sustained that momentum through two rigorous rounds of the classic Rubik's Cube. Navigating the largest draw of the weekend, he delivered the standout 3x3 results by capturing the title with a 6.86 winning average and a single solve of 5.47. The battle for the remaining podium steps ended in a dead heat on average, with Alexander Rey C. Alejandro edging into second place on a 7.88 average alongside Jansen Alvarez, who also posted a 7.88 average to take third in the premier bracket.

Beyond the main event, the single-handed solvers produced another nail-biting showdown. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Alexander Rey C. Alejandro claimed victory with a 12.49 average and a best solve of 11.32. Kat Gonzalez applied relentless pressure throughout the round, taking second place by the slimmest possible margin with a 12.50 average. Magallanes added another top-three finish to his collection by securing third with an average of 13.04 across the 43-entrant field.

A major part of what made this WCA competition memorable took place away from the title races, where competitors delivered huge breakthroughs. Kevin Franco Cual Morales chopped an enormous 71.3 percent off his previous 2x2x2 Cube mark to log an 8.95 personal best, dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best by 14 percent to 36.77, and completed his first official Pyraminx attempt in 9.90. Zachary Justice Ballada slashed 63.1 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best with a 13.56 solve and recorded his first official 2x2x2 Cube solve at 5.22, taking 33rd place. Michael Jendrick V. Solera reduced his Pyraminx best by 60 percent to 2.53, lowered his 2x2x2 Cube best by 22 percent to 2.73, and dropped his Clock mark by 21.3 percent down to 7.85 for a 14th-place result. Jarred Yoseff Sasi carved 43.2 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best to reach 24.97 while notching his first Pyraminx solve of 10.72.

The ambition extended across multiple side puzzles as well. Luis Antonio M. Abad took on five events, earning a 24th-place finish in Clock with an 18.16 debut attempt, posting a first official Skewb try of 10.49, and bettering his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 23.5 percent to 4.69. Karl Bernaldez recorded a 14.2 percent improvement on 3x3x3 Cube with a 10.31 personal best to claim 29th place, alongside debut attempts of 4.63 in 2x2x2 Cube and 10.92 in Pyraminx. Juan Alfonso Magtibay took on eight separate events, claiming ninth in 2x2x2 Cube while posting first-ever official times in Skewb at 12.06, Megaminx at 2:07.49, and Square-1 at 21.26. Quiel Isaac Layco Dela Torre tackled six categories, finishing 18th in Megaminx while recording first attempts in Pyraminx at 11.50, Clock at 31.70, and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 58.95.

The specialised geometric challenges delivered further sharp performances across the floor. In Pyraminx, Jansen Alvarez navigated three rounds of competition among 58 entrants to win with a 2.67 average, overcoming James Certeza on 3.52 and Kat Gonzalez on 4.20. The Skewb bracket saw Ivan Keith Cariaga emerge victorious with a 3.34 average ahead of Karl Abarquez on 3.60 and Gabriel Subion on 3.89. In the mechanical precision of Clock, Abarquez claimed the gold with a fast 2.77 average, holding off Jacob Miko Tan on 5.08 and Keith Liam H. Rasco on 5.55.

The longer and more technical puzzles closed out the schedule in style. Nicole Jnus Macalalad controlled the Megaminx event, winning in a 39.68 average with a best single solve of 34.11, finishing clear of Alvarez on 50.05 and Abarquez on 51.86. Square-1 saw Jose Polorhenzo Aquino capture the championship with a 7.89 average, leading Sean Zowie Cuaresma on 10.67 and Abarquez on 11.36. Across all eight categories, competitors representing the Philippines collected every podium position available, bringing an exciting cubing competition to a triumphant close.

The high level of speed cubing displayed in Makati City highlighted the immense depth of local talent in the 2026 season. Pinoy Side Events Open 2026 delivered an exceptional day of speedcubing across every scale of puzzle, leaving the community ready for the challenges that lie ahead on the national calendar.

Puno ng buhay ang bulwagan sa SM Makati sa Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines kung saan nagtipon ang mga kalahok at tagasubaybay para sa isang kapana-panabik na pagtatanghal ng bilis at talas ng kaisipan. Sa mga cubing competition, madalas nating makita ang magkaibang ritmo ng laro, mula sa masinsinang pagsusuri gamit ang papel at lapis sa Fewest Moves hanggang sa mabilisang pag-ikot ng mga kamay sa mga speed event. Noong Pebrero 28, 2026, ang paligsahang ito ay nagbigay-diin sa kakaibang sining ng paglutas sa ilalim ng matinding oras.

Sa kabuuang 77 kalahok na sumabak sa 8 kaganapan at 11 round, naging sentro ng Pinoy Side Events Open 2026 ang pambihirang husay ng mga Pilipinong speedcuber. Sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube, ipinamalas ni Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes ang kanyang galing matapos manguna laban sa 74 na katunggali. Naitala niya ang winning average na 6.86 at pinakamabilis na single na 5.47, habang pumangalawa si Alexander Rey C. Alejandro sa average na 7.88 at pumangatlo si Jansen Alvarez na nagtala rin ng 7.88.

Hindi roon nagtapos ang dominasyon ni Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes sa Pinoy Side Events Open 2026. Sa 2x2x2 Cube na nilahukan ng 59 na kalahok, muli siyang umakyat sa pinatutuktok ng podium taglay ang winning average na 1.76 at single na 1.20. Kasunod niya sa podium sina James Certeza na may 1.79 average at Javier Ignacio na nagtala naman ng 2.42 average sa isang napakabilis na tapatan.

Nasaksihan din ang matitinding labanan sa iba pang kategorya sa buong araw ng paligsahan sa Makati City. Sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, nagwagi si Alexander Rey C. Alejandro na nagtala ng average na 12.49 at best single na 11.32 laban sa mahigpit na humahabol na si Kat Gonzalez na may 12.50 average at Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na may 13.04. Sa Pyraminx, nanguna si Jansen Alvarez tangan ang 2.67 winning average, habang pumangalawa si James Certeza sa 3.52 at pumangatlo si Kat Gonzalez sa 4.20.

Sa Skewb, napasakamay ni Ivan Keith Cariaga ang tagumpay matapos magtala ng winning average na 3.34 laban kina Karl Abarquez na may 3.60 at Gabriel Subion na may 3.89. Bumawi naman si Karl Abarquez sa Clock nang masungkit ang unang puwesto sa pambihirang 2.77 average laban kina Jacob Miko Tan na may 5.08 at Keith Liam H. Rasco na may 5.55. Sa Megaminx, namayagpag si Nicole Jnus Macalalad sa bilis na 39.68 average, habang sa Square-1 ay naghari si Jose Polorhenzo Aquino sa 7.89 average.

Sa likod ng mga nangungunang talaan sa WCA competition na ito, maraming manlalaro ang nagtala ng mga kahanga-hangang pansariling tagumpay. Si Lucas Gabriel Calibo Manalo ay nagtala ng 2x2x2 Cube personal best na 3.26 na 57.6 porsiyentong mas mabilis kaysa dati, 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best na 39.79 na 41.5 porsiyentong pagbuti, at 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 15.30 sa kanyang limang kategorya. Si Goddrick Maven Frias ay sumabak sa 8 kaganapan at nagtala ng 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best na 34.18 na 52 porsiyentong mas mabilis, Skewb record na 4.79 na 35 porsiyentong bilis, at Megaminx na 2:51.39 na 24.1 porsiyentong pag-unlad.

Marami ring bagong mukha ang nagpakita ng lakas ng loob sa kanilang mga unang pagsubok sa speedcubing. Si Kevin Gempis ay sumabak sa limang dibisyon at gumawa ng unang opisyal na subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 46.04 at Skewb sa 17.68, kasabay ng 3x3x3 Cube personal best na 11.46. Si Earl Jgene Conan M. Balani ay gumawa ng unang subok sa Clock sa 19.94 at nagtala ng 2x2x2 Cube personal best na 5.64 na 26.3 porsiyentong mas mabilis. Sa kanilang unang sabak sa entablado, si Ed Fritz Avila ay nagtala ng 7.99 sa Skewb at 22.44 sa Square-1, si Nathan Ezekiel L. Pamintuan ay nagrehistro ng 11.73 sa Pyraminx at 1:23.19 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, si Zion Laudiangco ay nagtala ng 32.72 sa 3x3x3 Cube at 9.32 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at si Ethan Tyler D. Angeles ay umukit ng 8.65 sa Pyraminx at 4.47 sa 2x2x2 Cube.

Ang kabuuang 24 na puwesto sa podium para sa Pilipinas ay patunay sa lumalalim na galing ng bansa sa larangan ng Rubik's Cube. Matagumpay na naisara ang Pinoy Side Events Open 2026 sa SM Makati na nag-iwan ng magagandang aral, matitinding rekord, at inspirasyon para sa patuloy na pag-unlad ng komunidad patungo sa susunod na yugto ng palakasan.