Ruta Cubera: Orihuela Open 2025

Forty-three competitors assembled at Colegio Diocesano Santo Domingo on January 18 and 19 for Ruta Cubera: Orihuela Open 2025, where a packed schedule of 20 rounds across 10 events yielded sharp drops in times across the board. Staged in Orihuela, Alicante, Spain, the competition showcased relentless progression from both seasoned contenders and emerging talents. Across the two days, racers pushed through heats with remarkable efficiency, delivering personal breakthroughs and high-pressure podium battles that set a vibrant standard for the 2025 calendar.

Diego Serrano Martínez claimed the signature 3x3x3 Cube crown, leading the field with a winning average of 8.71 seconds after navigating three rigorous rounds. His best single of 8.32 seconds held off a determined charge from Rafael Rodriguez Santana, who took second place with a 9.16 average. Iker Carrasco Ruiz secured third place on the podium with a 9.97 average. The classic 3x3 results underlined the exceptional depth in the classic Rubik's Cube category, setting a blistering pace for the entire tournament.

Rafael Rodriguez Santana put together a commanding weekend across multiple formats. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Rodriguez Santana took first place with a 2.18 winning average and a 2.01 single across three rounds of play, finishing ahead of Josete Sánchez at 2.65 and Marco Criado Gómez at 2.90. Rodriguez Santana then doubled his gold tally in the 4x4x4 Cube, posting a winning average of 33.78 and a top single of 30.78 to lead Josete Sánchez with 37.09 and Diego Serrano Martínez with 38.89.

Pablo Amoraga Velasco proved to be a dominant force across the extended puzzle roster, securing three individual titles. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Amoraga Velasco averaged 17.63 seconds to edge out Diego Serrano Martínez at 17.92 and Iker Carrasco Ruiz at 19.24. He followed that up with a commanding victory in Megaminx, logging a winning average of 35.48 seconds against Jose Sánchez García with 55.14 and Josete Sánchez with 58.73. Amoraga Velasco completed his triple by capturing the 5x5x5 Cube with a 1:05.88 average, prevailing over Josete Sánchez at 1:08.92 and Rafael Rodriguez Santana at 1:09.98.

Away from the top steps, substantial leaps forward defined the rhythm of the weekend. Adrián Camps tackled nine separate events at Ruta Cubera: Orihuela Open 2025, achieving a best finish of 12th in Pyraminx, making his first ever attempts at 5x5x5 Cube with 2:50.34 and 3x3x3 One-Handed with 54.26, and slashing his Clock personal best by 53.1 percent down to 17.59 seconds. Pau Bernat Talaya entered eight events, taking eighth in Skewb, debuting on 5x5x5 Cube with 2:19.85, and improving his Skewb mark by 35.8 percent to 3.83 while trimming his one-handed best by 33.7 percent to 29.47. Vicente Iglesias Rodríguez earned sixth in Pyraminx across nine events, made a one-handed debut at 43.90, improved his Pyraminx single to 3.10 for a 34.5 percent cut, and reduced his Clock mark by 15.6 percent to 12.13. Bruno Carrasco Bustamante took fifth in Clock across six disciplines, logged a first 4x4x4 Cube mark of 1:43.48, cut Clock by 28 percent to 8.06, and lowered Skewb by 7.9 percent to 6.65.

The surge of personal milestones continued throughout the full rotation of puzzles. Patxi Griffiths completed six events, debuting on 4x4x4 Cube with 2:15.22, cutting his Skewb mark by 29.1 percent to 14.08, and reducing his 3x3x3 Cube time by 21.6 percent down to 15.97. Mateo Catalá Devesa competed across nine categories, placing 11th in Pyraminx, logging a first 5x5x5 Cube solve of 2:33.06, and taking 26.9 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to hit 2.75 alongside a 13.1 percent Megaminx drop to 1:39.94. Mario Clemente Serrano made his first attempt at Clock with an 8.96, placed 12th in one-handed, cut his one-handed best by 34.6 percent to 23.88, and lowered his Megaminx mark by 12.4 percent to 2:07.42. Marcos Juan López Barberá achieved fourth in Pyraminx across eight events, registered a first Clock time of 19.78, improved Pyraminx by 36.5 percent to 3.18, and lowered Skewb by 20.9 percent to 3.25.

In the specialized disciplines, Blanca Hidalgo Domingo delivered a pair of victories. Hidalgo Domingo captured the Pyraminx title with an average of 2.95 seconds and a best single of 2.54. She repeated her winning form in the Clock event, securing first place with a 5.55 average ahead of Marco Criado Gómez at 6.03 and Ukraine's Roman Sokolovskyi at 6.63. Sokolovskyi found gold in Skewb, recording a 5.00 winning average and a 3.15 single across two rounds.

The blindfolded discipline provided its signature test of memory and execution, where Iker Carrasco Ruiz earned the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title on the strength of a fast 20.10 single, outlasting Josete Sánchez with 44.50 and Marco Criado Gómez with 1:33.39. Across the full spectrum of speed cubing, Spanish competitors gathered 27 podium finishes while Ukrainian entrants collected three, capping a productive weekend of high-level speedcubing in Orihuela.

As the final rounds wrapped up at Ruta Cubera: Orihuela Open 2025, the gathering at Colegio Diocesano Santo Domingo stood as a benchmark for technical progression. The two-day cubing competition demonstrated the continuing expansion of talent across every category on the schedule. With numerous personal bests established and new puzzle milestones recorded, the competitors leave this official WCA competition with sharp momentum to carry through the remainder of the season.

Apenas 0.29 segundos decidieron el podio en una de las pruebas más vibrantes del fin de semana. La Ruta Cubera: Orihuela Open 2025 congregó a 43 participantes en el Colegio Diocesano Santo Domingo de Orihuela, Alicante, Spain, durante las jornadas del 18 y 19 de enero de 2025. Con un programa de 10 modalidades y 20 rondas en total, el certamen de speedcubing dejó finales decididas por detalles mínimos frente al cronómetro oficial de la World Cube Association.

La pugna más ajustada se vivió en 3x3x3 One-Handed, donde Pablo Amoraga Velasco se llevó la victoria con una media de 17.63, superando por solo 29 centésimas a Diego Serrano Martínez, quien firmó 17.92. El tercer escalón lo ocupó Iker Carrasco Ruiz con un promedio de 19.24. La resolución a una mano exigió la máxima concentración técnica, dejando un duelo directo de alto calibre en la tabla clasificatoria del torneo.

En la categoría reina del cubo de Rubik tradicional de 3x3x3 Cube, Diego Serrano Martínez se alzó con el primer puesto tras completar tres rondas y registrar una media ganadora de 8.71 en la final, acompañada por un mejor tiempo individual de 8.32. Rafael Rodriguez Santana logró la segunda posición con una media de 9.16, mientras que Iker Carrasco Ruiz completó el podio con 9.97, cerrando un podio con marcas por debajo de los diez segundos.

Rafael Rodriguez Santana brilló con luz propia al sumar dos triunfos individuales a lo largo de la competición. En 2x2x2 Cube se coronó con una media de 2.18, superando a Josete Sánchez con 2.65 y a Marco Criado Gómez con 2.90. Más adelante, en 4x4x4 Cube, Rafael Rodriguez Santana dominó con solvencia gracias a un promedio de 33.78 y un single de 30.78, seguido de Josete Sánchez con 37.09 y Diego Serrano Martínez con 38.89.

Pablo Amoraga Velasco completó un triplete dorado en la Ruta Cubera: Orihuela Open 2025. Además de su ajustado triunfo a una mano, conquistó el 5x5x5 Cube con una media de 1:05.88 y un mejor intento de 58.63 frente a Josete Sánchez con 1:08.92 y Rafael Rodriguez Santana con 1:09.98. En Megaminx, Amoraga Velasco volvió a imponerse con una marca media de 35.48, aventajando a Jose Sánchez García con 55.14 y a Josete Sánchez con 58.73.

Más allá de las primeras posiciones, esta cubing competition dejó actuaciones sobresalientes en la tabla general. Víctor Martín Sola compitió en 10 modalidades y firmó un tiempo de 6.42 en Pyraminx, rebajando en un 40% su marca anterior de 10.70, además de un 38.47 en 4x4x4 Cube, un 15% más rápido, y su primer registro en Megaminx con 2:26.91. Carlos Pérez Martínez rebajó su registro en Pyraminx hasta 9.24, un 32.7% más veloz que su anterior 13.73, y marcó 2:12.86 en 4x4x4 Cube. Lorenzo Pérez Garcia mejoró su tiempo en 2x2x2 Cube a 18.31, siendo un 32.5% más rápido, y fijó 1:10.41 en 3x3x3 Cube. Por su parte, Jan Budzowski Perdomo disputó 9 eventos, alcanzando el puesto 12 en Skewb, con marcas personales de 11.20 en Clock, 4.37 en Skewb y 12.24 en 3x3x3 Cube.

El debut en una WCA competition marcó el estreno de varios participantes con progresos inmediatos. Mario López García completó 7 modalidades en su primera cita oficial, logrando 1:21.05 en 4x4x4 Cube, 3:39.21 en Megaminx y 10.53 en Skewb. Javier Gómez Hurtado afrontó 6 eventos y concluyó en el puesto 21 en 5x5x5 Cube, registrando 1:15.26 en 3x3x3 One-Handed, 4:17.35 en 4x4x4 Cube y 11.05 en 2x2x2 Cube. Zhanyuan Hu sumó 6 eventos obteniendo el puesto 25 en 3x3x3 One-Handed, con 2:16.33 en 4x4x4 Cube, 6.25 en 2x2x2 Cube y 11.73 en Pyraminx. Asimismo, Marcos Javier Saiz Paklin afrontó 5 pruebas, firmando 13.40 en Pyraminx, 15.20 en 2x2x2 Cube y 37.19 en Skewb.

Las pruebas de destreza pura añadieron gran espectáculo al evento. En 3x3x3 Blindfolded, modalidad que exige una exhaustiva memorización a ciegas, Iker Carrasco Ruiz triunfó con un registro individual de 20.10, escoltado por Josete Sánchez con 44.50 y Marco Criado Gómez con 1:33.39. En Clock, Blanca Hidalgo Domingo se llevó el oro con una media de 5.55, superando a Marco Criado Gómez con 6.03 y al ucraniano Roman Sokolovskyi con 6.63. Blanca Hidalgo Domingo repitió victoria en Pyraminx con una media de 2.95, mientras que Roman Sokolovskyi ganó en Skewb con un registro medio de 5.00.

La Ruta Cubera: Orihuela Open 2025 cerró su edición con un balance de 27 podios para competidores españoles y 3 para la representación de Ucrania. La gran precisión de los giros y la capacidad de resolución bajo presión caracterizaron un fin de semana repleto de marcas personales y finales apasionantes en territorio alicantino.