SAJ Águas da Prata 2023

Inside the Sociedade dos Amigos da Infância e Juventude de Águas da Prata, the steady rhythm of turning puzzles set the tone across two days of intense action. Tables were lined with timers, mats, and practice cubes as solvers gathered in clusters to share techniques and analyze algorithmic solutions. The gathering brought together 36 competitors in Aguas da Prata, São Paulo, Brazil on May 27 and May 28, 2023. Beyond the race against the clock, the room reflected the shared dedication of the cubing community, where participants balanced side-by-side warmups with the quiet tension of official attempts.

A total of 10 events across 17 rounds filled the weekend schedule, offering a wide display of speed cubing disciplines ranging from standard puzzles to specialized side events. Among the highlights was the classic Rubik's Cube main event, which drew 34 competitors through three tense stages of competition. Across all disciplines, Brazilian competitors claimed 27 podium places while United States entrants took five, showing depth across the scoreboards.

The 3x3 results saw Caio Hideaki Sato deliver an exceptional performance to capture first place with a winning average of 6.16 seconds, bolstered by the round best single solve of 5.48 seconds. Rami Sbahi of the United States secured the runner-up position with a 7.32 average, while Giovane Rubin Fioravanti placed third with an 8.48 average. The victory capped off a remarkable series of runs for Sato, who remained composed through every round of the main event.

Sato continued his dominant run in other events at SAJ Águas da Prata 2023, taking the gold in the 4x4x4 Cube with a winning average of 30.69 seconds and a top single of 28.81. Lucas Ichiro Yunomae followed in second with a 33.00 average, and Sbahi placed third at 33.81. Sato also secured the Pyraminx title with an average of 3.56, outpacing Thiago Han at 4.09 and Felipe Cardim at 4.27. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Iuri Grangeiro Carvalho edged out Sato in a tight contest, winning with an 11.98 average against Sato's 12.01, while Sbahi finished third at 14.26.

The specialized events delivered dramatic outcomes as well. Tiago Akihiro Fujita won the Clock division with a 6.99 average ahead of Renan da Cunha Santos and Roberto Caldas, and also topped the 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.07 average. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Frederico Canal Gomes claimed victory with an average of 1:02.21, followed by Adriano Matoba Lipski and Yunomae. Canal Gomes also took the top spot in Square-1 with an 11.64 average. Meanwhile, the blindfolded events required pure memorization and focus, with Thiago Han winning the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title in 28.18 seconds ahead of Marcos Ferreira Semolini and Canal Gomes, before standing as the sole finisher in the 5x5x5 Blindfolded with an 8:12.98 single.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several participants made substantial progress across their events during the WCA competition. Luca Almeida Istvan delivered a massive 55.7 percent improvement on his 3x3x3 Cube personal best with a 9.25 single while also attempting 2x2x2 Cube for the first time with a 3.94 single. Otavio José Silveira tackled nine different events, slashing his Square-1 personal best by 50.2 percent to 29.66, cutting his 5x5x5 Cube time by 12.3 percent to 2:44.28, and recording a Clock best of 22.66. Murilo da Silva Banin earned personal bests across three disciplines, improving his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 38.5 percent to 19.98, dropping his 4x4x4 Cube time by 35.5 percent to 43.67, and lowering his Square-1 best to 22.82.

Other solvers took on new challenges and achieved major personal milestones throughout the rounds. Roberta Vaz Gomes shaved 36.2 percent off her 3x3x3 Cube best to reach 19.12 seconds, while logging her first official attempts in Pyraminx at 11.70 and One-Handed at 1:01.04. Rodrigo Perez Oliveira Pineda registered his first 5x5x5 Cube solve at 2:25.59 alongside improvements in Clock to 13.09 and 3x3x3 Cube to 8.18. Gustavo Fonseca da Silva took on his first 5x5x5 Cube attempt with a 1:22.57 mark, improving his 3x3x3 Cube best by 17.1 percent to 8.99 and Pyraminx to 7.99. Gustavo Micher Santana achieved his first 3x3x3 Blindfolded success at 4:05.72, Clock at 18.09, and One-Handed at 33.44, while Samuel Roveran Esteves Teixeira completed his first official solves in 4x4x4 Cube at 1:15.19, Clock at 14.79, and One-Handed at 36.81 across six events.

The competitive atmosphere throughout SAJ Águas da Prata 2023 demonstrated the depth of the local speedcubing scene, offering an engaging environment for both seasoned competitors and those pushing their own limits in new events. As the venue packed down and competitors compared their score sheets, the weekend in Aguas da Prata concluded as a comprehensive celebration of focus, technical skill, and community spirit across all ten disciplines.

55 segundos e 8 centésimos foi a marca isolada mais veloz registrada no cubo 5x5x5 durante o torneio no interior paulista. As categorias de cubos grandes e desafios de resistência exigiram paciência e precisão extrema dos competidores, transformando a mesa principal em um teste de concentração prolongada ao longo de várias etapas de resolução complexas.

Realizado na Sociedade dos Amigos da Infância e Juventude de Águas da Prata, o evento reuniu 36 competidores em Aguas da Prata, São Paulo, Brazil, entre 27 e 28 de maio de 2023. Ao longo de 17 rodadas distribuídas em dez modalidades do speedcubing internacional, o SAJ Águas da Prata 2023 consolidou grandes apresentações de alto nível técnico.

Na disputa do 5x5x5 Cube, Frederico Canal Gomes garantiu a vitória ao fechar a média com o tempo de 1:02.21, sustentado por aquele melhor single de 55.08. A segunda colocação ficou com Adriano Matoba Lipski com média de 1:04.29, enquanto Lucas Ichiro Yunomae completou o pódio ao marcar 1:05.03. Gomes também conquistou o topo no Square-1, registrando média final de 11.64.

O teste máximo de memória e resistência veio com a prova de 5x5x5 Blindfolded, onde Thiago Han foi o único participante a concluir uma resolução válida, vencendo com a marca de 8:12.98. Os demais competidores da modalidade, Rami Sbahi, Sávio Alves Cabelo Pereira, Marcos Ferreira Semolini e Renan da Cunha Santos, não conseguiram tempos válidos. Han também venceu o 3x3x3 Blindfolded com single de 28.18, superando Marcos Ferreira Semolini com 30.85 e Frederico Canal Gomes com 1:23.16.

Nas categorias clássicas, Caio Hideaki Sato teve atuação dominante ao vencer o 3x3x3 Cube com média de 6.16 e melhor tempo de 5.48, à frente de Rami Sbahi com 7.32 e Giovane Rubin Fioravanti com 8.48. Sato também triunfou no 4x4x4 Cube marcando média de 30.69 contra 33.00 de Lucas Ichiro Yunomae e 33.81 de Sbahi, além de assegurar o ouro no Pyraminx com média de 3.56. No 3x3x3 One-Handed, Iuri Grangeiro Carvalho faturou o título com média de 11.98 contra 12.01 de Sato.

A competição também abriu espaço para avanços significativos de competidores dedicados. Gabriel Alejandro Gómez Aguilar disputou 8 eventos, alcançando o sexto lugar no Clock com recorde pessoal de 8.00 e melhorando seu tempo no 5x5x5 Cube em 27 por cento para 1:25.11, além de registrar 42.99 no 4x4x4 Cube, 9.4 por cento mais rápido. Luana Tonki disputou 6 eventos, garantindo o 11º lugar no 3x3x3 Blindfolded e evoluções expressivas: 5.55 no 2x2x2 Cube, 23.3 por cento mais veloz, 2:00.69 no 4x4x4 Cube, 15.3 por cento mais rápida, e 13.90 no 3x3x3 Cube. Lucas de Almeida Moraes competiu em 5 modalidades, ficando em quarto no Clock com 7.46, melhora de 14.5 por cento, e fez 22.52 no 3x3x3 One-Handed. Já Júlio César de Oliveira Borges cravou recordes pessoais de 28.78 no cubo tradicional e 10.07 no 2x2x2.

Estreando em uma WCA competition oficial, Gabriel Rodrigues Costa participou de 5 eventos, conquistando o 13º lugar no Square-1 com tempo de 53.76 em sua primeira tentativa, além de estrear no 3x3x3 Cube com 21.62 e no 4x4x4 Cube com 1:30.51. Outros três competidores fizeram seus primeiros tempos oficiais no clássico cubo mágico: Luis Guilherme Viana Teodoro registrou 10.80 em sua única prova, Lucas Andrade de Oliveira marcou 12.73, e Eduardo Henrique Nascimento de Lima completou tentativas de 36.84 no 3x3x3 Cube e 9.67 no 2x2x2 Cube.

Completando as disputas de agilidade, Tiago Akihiro Fujita venceu o 2x2x2 Cube com média de 2.07 e faturou o Clock com média de 6.99, superando Renan da Cunha Santos com 7.34 e Roberto Caldas com 7.46. No quadro geral de premiações, o Brasil acumulou 27 presenças no pódio contra 5 dos Estados Unidos. As disputas intensas encerraram a programação do SAJ Águas da Prata 2023, marcando um fim de semana memorável para o speedcubing nacional.

A variedade de modalidades e o rigor técnico demonstrados ao longo das dez categorias consolidaram o sucesso do SAJ Águas da Prata 2023, que reforçou a força dos atletas nas provas de montagem rápida e nos desafios de pura resistência mental.