Quezon City Open II 2024

Inside the bustling corridors of U.P. Town Center, the rhythmic clack of turning plastic echoed across the venue floor as solvers focused intently on their timers. With 121 competitors assembling from May 25 to May 26, the energy in Quezon City, Philippines was palpable from the opening round to the final solves. This major cubing competition brought together seasoned contenders and fresh faces for two full days of high-stakes speedcubing action in 2024.

The centerpiece 3x3x3 Cube final provided the most dramatic finish of the entire weekend, where fractions of a second decided the title. Crimson Arradaza captured first place with an impressive 6.49 winning average, highlighted by a rapid 5.70 single. Toby Litiatco pushed the pace to secure second place with a 6.80 mark, finishing mere tenths behind the lead, while Sean Patrick Villanueva clinched third at 6.94. The intense battle for the podium proved to be the ultimate showcase of elite speed cubing precision.

Arradaza also found himself in a tight duel during the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, though this time Sean Patrick Villanueva took top honors. Villanueva delivered an outstanding 8.09 average with a best single of 6.60 across two rounds to secure victory. Arradaza followed closely on the podium with a 10.13 average for second place, while Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc rounded out the top three by claiming third place with a 12.20 result.

Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc delivered a masterclass across the larger puzzles, walking away with two individual titles at the Quezon City Open II 2024. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Palisoc earned the win with a 26.81 average and a 23.46 single, finishing ahead of Brenton Angelo Lo Wong at 29.37 and Christian Naguio at 33.73. Palisoc repeated his winning form in the 5x5x5 Cube, topping the field with a 49.91 average, while Wong again took silver at 52.73 and Naguio claimed bronze at 53.94.

Brenton Angelo Lo Wong secured a double victory of his own through brilliant performances on diverse puzzles. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Wong captured first place with a blistering 1.93 average and a 1.44 best single, edging out Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes at 2.47 and Toby Litiatco at 2.68. Wong returned to the top step in Square-1, recording a 12.06 average to defeat Jacob Miko Tan, who took second at 14.01, and Yuji Yoshida in third at 14.15.

Beyond the championship podiums, the official WCA competition highlighted remarkable progress throughout the ranks. Amir Ocon Decena made massive strides by dropping his 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 4.25 seconds, which was 42.3 percent faster than his prior mark of 7.36, while also recording his first ever Pyraminx attempt at 7.20 and his first 4x4x4 Cube attempt at 1:19.98. Francisco Jacinto N. Dumpit showed sensational growth in the traditional 3x3 results, registering a personal best of 12.08 that improved upon his previous 18.08 by 33.2 percent, alongside initial official attempts in the 4x4x4 Cube at 1:16.86 and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:14.19.

The depth of the field was equally evident in multi-event campaigns across the weekend. Jaime Vergara tackled seven events, finishing 16th in Clock while logging first official marks in the 2x2x2 Cube at 4.45, Pyraminx at 7.13, and Clock at 15.77. Marcus Gumabay competed in five events, taking 14th in Clock and posting debut results in the 2x2x2 Cube at 5.08, Pyraminx at 15.19, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:18.55. Noah Gabriel Domingo took on six events to finish 6th in 4x4x4 Cube, adding new attempts in the 2x2x2 Cube at 2.96, 5x5x5 Cube at 1:15.51, and Megaminx at 1:36.50. John Michael Repaso Pastor entered six events, finishing 8th in 3x3x3 One-Handed while adding first marks in the 2x2x2 Cube at 3.35, Clock at 12.44, and Megaminx at 1:11.82.

Side events brought additional excitement to the schedule throughout the two days. Nikolai Harvey Sy Zipagan won the Pyraminx event with a 2.70 average and a single of 2.00, besting Jansen Alvarez at 3.12 and Karl Matthew Angeles at 3.75. Kyle Capiral captured the Clock title with a 5.47 average over Zian Principe at 6.19 and Karl Abarquez at 6.26. Ayooluwa Samuel Dada won Megaminx with a 53.56 average, giving Nigeria a podium finish among a field heavily represented by Philippine competitors.

As the final timers were packed away, the Quezon City Open II 2024 concluded having delivered 17 total rounds of classic Rubik's Cube solving and specialty puzzle mastery. From sub-seven-second battles in the main event to personal breakthroughs across the scoreboards, the tournament underlined the vibrant skill of solvers in Quezon City, Philippines.

May kabuuang 121 kalahok ang nagtipon sa U.P. Town Center para sa Quezon City Open II 2024 noong Mayo 25 hanggang 26. Sa loob ng dalawang araw na torneo, sumabak ang mga manlalaro sa 17 rounds sa kabuuang siyam na kategorya. Sa harap ng mga lokal na tagasuporta sa Quezon City, Philippines, naging matindi ang bawat yugto ng paligsahan habang sinusubok ng bawat cuber ang bilis at liksi ng kamay sa iba't ibang uri ng puzzle sa opisyal na WCA competition ngayong 2024.

Sa pangunahing kategorya na 3x3x3 Cube, ipinamalas ng pambato ng bansa na si Crimson Arradaza ang pambihirang galing upang masungkit ang unang pwesto. Sa kabuuang 117 kalahok na sumalang sa apat na rounds ng klasikong Rubik's Cube, nagtala si Arradaza ng winning average na 6.49 at best single na 5.70 sa finals. Sumunod sa kanya sa podium si Toby Litiatco na may average na 6.80 para sa ikalawang pwesto, habang pumuwesto naman sa ikatlong ranggo si Sean Patrick Villanueva na nagrehistro ng 6.94 average.

Hindi rin nagpahuli si Sean Patrick Villanueva sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos niyang dominahin ang naturang event sa pamamagitan ng winning average na 8.09 at best single na 6.60 laban sa 61 na katunggali sa dalawang rounds. Nakuha naman ni Crimson Arradaza ang ikalawang pwesto na may average na 10.13, habang pumasok sa ikatlong pwesto si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc na nagsumite ng 12.20 average sa kapana-panabik na labanan gamit ang isang kamay.

Naging maningning din ang ipinakitang husay ni Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc sa mas malalaking puzzle. Sa 4x4x4 Cube na nilahukan ng 71 competitors sa dalawang rounds, nanguna si Palisoc bitbit ang winning average na 26.81 at best single na 23.46. Sa 5x5x5 Cube naman, muling umangat si Palisoc laban sa 41 kalahok nang itala ang winning average na 49.91 at best single na 42.71. Sa parehong kategorya, pumangalawa si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na may 29.37 sa 4x4x4 at 52.73 sa 5x5x5, habang pumangatlo si Christian Naguio na may 33.73 at 53.94.

Bumawi naman si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa pamamagitan ng dalawang gintong panalo sa magkahiwalay na larangan. Sa 2x2x2 Cube, pinangunahan ni Lo Wong ang 69 kalahok matapos magtala ng winning average na 1.93 at best single na 1.44, kung saan sumunod sa kanya si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na may 2.47 at si Toby Litiatco na may 2.68. Nagwagi rin si Lo Wong sa Square-1 laban sa 13 kalahok tangan ang winning average na 12.06 at best single na 10.88, na sinundan nina Jacob Miko Tan na may 14.01 at Yuji Yoshida na may 14.15.

Sa likod ng mga labanan sa podium ng Quezon City Open II 2024, marami ring manlalaro ang nagtala ng mahahalagang sariling tagumpay. Ibinuhos ni Matt Edrielle T. Barberan ang kanyang lakas sa apat na events, kung saan nagrehistro siya ng 7.88 sa unang subok sa 2x2x2 Cube, 40.68 personal best sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 50.5 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa dating 1:22.20, at 20.57 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 14 porsyentong bawas mula 23.91. Si Arno Avetisyan naman ay sumalang sa apat na events at nakuha ang ika-24 na pwesto sa Pyraminx, bukod sa pagtala ng 6.96 sa unang subok sa Pyraminx, 4.73 sa unang subok sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 1:57.58 personal best sa 4x4x4 Cube na 22.1 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa 2:30.86. Sumabak naman sa limang kategorya si Haoyu Zheng na tumapos sa ika-46 na pwesto sa Pyraminx, nagtala ng 1:19.71 sa unang subok sa 4x4x4 Cube, 11.64 sa unang subok sa Pyraminx, at 26.31 personal best sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 21.6 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa 33.56.

Nagpatuloy ang magagandang indibidwal na marka para sa iba pang kalahok sa torneo. Si Zion Arthur Cendaña ay lumahok sa tatlong events, nagrehistro ng 1:47.09 sa unang subok sa 4x4x4 Cube, 57.72 sa unang subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, at 18.54 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 19.7 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa 23.10. Sa tatlong events na nilahukan ni Karmela Chloe C. Espiritu, nakuha niya ang ika-39 na pwesto sa Pyraminx, nagtala ng 7.51 sa unang subok sa 2x2x2 Cube, 7.92 sa unang subok sa Pyraminx, at 30.99 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 19.7 porsyentong bawas mula 38.57. Samantala, buong siglang sumalang sa anim na events si Ceindreck Wayne Tamayo na naglista ng 4:06.51 sa kanyang unang subok sa 5x5x5 Cube, 2.92 personal best sa 2x2x2 Cube na 39.7 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa 4.84, at 28.40 personal best sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 39.4 porsyentong bilis mula 46.86.

Kabilang din sa mga nagningning sa speedcubing weekend ang panalo ni Nikolai Harvey Sy Zipagan sa Pyraminx matapos magtala ng winning average na 2.70 at best single na 2.00 laban sa 58 kalahok, kung saan pumangalawa si Jansen Alvarez sa 3.12 at pumangatlo si Karl Matthew Angeles sa 3.75. Sa Clock, nagwagi si Kyle Capiral na may 5.47 winning average laban sa 28 kalahok, habang pumangalawa si Zian Principe sa 6.19 at ikatlo si Karl Abarquez sa 6.26. Sa Megaminx naman, nanguna si Ayooluwa Samuel Dada bitbit ang 53.56 winning average sa dalawang rounds.

Nagtapos ang buong pagtitipon sa U.P. Town Center na nag-iwan ng 26 na podium finishes para sa Pilipinas at isa para sa Nigeria. Ang tagumpay ng bawat kalahok sa Quezon City Open II 2024 ay patunay sa lumalawak at tumitinding antas ng husay ng bawat manlalaro sa pambansang entablado ng cubing competition sa pagpasok ng mga susunod pang yugto ng kompetisyon.