San Mateo Speedcubing Open 2024

Fifty-three competitors assembled at SM City San Mateo for the San Mateo Speedcubing Open 2024, creating an intense atmosphere across 16 rounds of competition. Staged across August 3 and August 4, the tournament brought together seasoned solvers and emerging talents in San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines. The weekend featured seven official disciplines, demanding sharp tactical versatility across puzzles ranging from quick turners to heavy mechanical challenges. As rounds progressed through the schedule, established competitors demonstrated composure and precision on every solve, proving their capability under standard tournament conditions.

Veteran contender Jansen Alvarez delivered an outstanding masterclass throughout the weekend, securing victories across three separate disciplines. In the premier 3x3x3 Cube, Alvarez captured first place with an average of 7.52 seconds after recording the weekend's best single of 6.69. The final round saw Aragon Martin Gonzales take second place with an 8.46 average, while Christian Naguio took third with a mark of 9.18. These 3x3 results highlighted the consistency required to navigate through three full elimination rounds against a crowded field of 52 entrants.

Alvarez continued his command of the tables by claiming top honours in Pyraminx and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. In the Pyraminx final, his 2.52 winning average edged out Gonzales, who finished second with 2.66, and Justin Andrew Dee, who captured third with 3.86. Alvarez also topped the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves table with an efficient single solve of 30 moves, finishing ahead of Gonzales on 33 and Naguio on 37. His steady execution across vastly different formats showed the depth of his experience.

Aragon Martin Gonzales collected a title of his own in the 2x2x2 Cube, prevailing over 45 rivals across three rounds. Gonzales locked in a winning average of 2.12 seconds, backed by a best single of 1.13. The podium featured Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes in second place with an average of 2.75, followed closely by Alvarez in third place at 2.80. The fast-paced category provided some of the sharpest turn counts of the entire speedcubing competition in 2024.

The larger puzzles and memory events pushed solver stamina to the limit. Dale Palmares won the 7x7x7 Cube with a commanding 2:26.41 average, posting a single of 2:22.79. Naguio followed in second with 2:29.59, and Ayooluwa Samuel Dada took third with 2:39.80. In Megaminx, Nicole Jnus Macalalad sealed victory with an average of 40.71 seconds, while Daryl Aliben took second with 48.56 and Enika Aubrey Maninang earned third with 48.76. Ian Guevarra Santos conquered the 3x3x3 Blindfolded division, logging a winning single solve of 17.34 seconds.

Beyond the championship podiums, several solvers delivered standout personal milestones in San Mateo. Franco Ethan Royce R. Campos entered three events, logging a first ever attempt in the 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 6.03 and a first ever Megaminx mark of 1:32.72, while dropping his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 11.49, an improvement of 19.8 percent. Yan-Chen Wu registered a first ever 2x2x2 Cube mark of 2.68 and lowered his Rubik's Cube best to 11.76, shaving 33.4 percent off his previous standard. Neil Joseph D. Prudencio tackled six events, securing a 5th place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a personal best of 2:39.65, which was 48.8 percent faster, alongside a 1:20.41 Megaminx personal best and a 3:34.61 mark in the 7x7x7 Cube. Liam Marco A. Morato improved his 2x2x2 Cube best to 3.51, an improvement of 46 percent, while trimming his 3x3 personal record down to 19.91.

The surge of individual progress continued across multiple puzzle categories. Angelo Lenard Herrera took on four events, earning a 4th place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a debut attempt of 38 moves, entering Megaminx for the first time with 2:15.38, and setting a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 2.33, which was 24.4 percent faster. Haki Tyler C. Malabanan dropped his Pyraminx record to 9.30, marking a 36.8 percent advance, while improving his 2x2x2 Cube standard to 4.28. Joakim Hendrich Victorino achieved an 8th place finish in Megaminx behind a personal best of 58.00 seconds, an improvement of 37.8 percent. Jhazmine Lacsamana rounded out the notable achievements with a 4th place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves on a first ever attempt of 38 moves, cutting her 2x2x2 Cube best to 2.67 and her Pyraminx best to 7.72.

The diverse schedule underscored the enduring appeal of competitive speed cubing, balancing quick-fire sprints with complex calculations. Solvers from the Philippines captured 20 podium places across the weekend, with Nigeria securing one podium spot. Each WCA competition provides a testing ground for both seasoned veterans and rising contenders to refine their solve mechanics under standard tournament regulations.

As the San Mateo Speedcubing Open 2024 concluded at SM City San Mateo, the tournament left a clear record of sharp execution and widespread personal progress. The event served as another successful chapter for the community in Rizal, setting benchmarks for upcoming competitions in the region.

53 na kalahok ang nagtipon sa SM City San Mateo para sa isang maaksyong weekend ng speedcubing. Mula Agosto 3 hanggang Agosto 4, naging sentro ng mabilisang paglutas ang San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines kung saan 7 magkakaibang kaganapan at 16 na rounds ang pinaglabanan. Sa pagbabalik ng mga subok na manlalaro sa entablado, ipinamalas ng mga beterano ang kanilang matatag na porma laban sa mahigpit na kompetisyon sa taong 2024. Naging patunay ang paligsahan sa patuloy na pag-angat ng antas ng laro sa buong bansa.

Bumandera si Jansen Alvarez matapos magtala ng panalo sa tatlong magkakahiwalay na kategorya sa San Mateo Speedcubing Open 2024. Sa paboritong 3x3x3 Cube, nakuha ni Alvarez ang unang puwesto gamit ang winning average na 7.52 at best single na 6.69 sa harap ng 52 kalahok sa loob ng tatlong rounds. Sumunod sa kaniya si Aragon Martin Gonzales na may average na 8.46 para sa ikalawang puwesto, habang pumangatlo naman si Christian Naguio na nagtala ng 9.18 sa finals ng klasikong Rubik's Cube.

Hindi nagpaawat si Alvarez nang dominahin din niya ang Pyraminx at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Sa Pyraminx, nagrehistro siya ng winning average na 2.52 laban sa 34 na katunggali, kung saan pumangalawa si Aragon Martin Gonzales na may 2.66 at pumangatlo si Justin Andrew Dee na may 3.86. Sa 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, nanguna muli si Alvarez matapos makuha ang pinakamababang bilang na 30 moves, habang pumangalawa si Gonzales na may 33 moves at pumangatlo si Christian Naguio na may 37 moves.

Bumawi naman si Aragon Martin Gonzales sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan nasungkit niya ang kampeonato tangan ang 2.12 winning average at 1.13 best single sa 45 kalahok. Pumangalawa si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na may 2.75 average, habang si Alvarez ay pumuwesto sa ikatlo na may 2.80 average. Sa Megaminx na nilahukan ng 23 speedcubers, si Nicole Jnus Macalalad ang nagwagi sa pamamagitan ng 40.71 winning average, habang pumangalawa si Daryl Aliben na nagtala ng 48.56 at pumangatlo si Enika Aubrey Maninang sa oras na 48.76.

Sa pinakamalaking puzzle ng torneo, ang 7x7x7 Cube, naghari si Dale Palmares na nagtala ng 2:26.41 winning average at 2:22.79 best single sa 15 kalahok. Pumangalawa sa kaniya si Christian Naguio sa oras na 2:29.59, habang ang kinatawan ng Nigeria na si Ayooluwa Samuel Dada ang pumangatlo sa 2:39.80. Sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded, kung saan matinding memorya ang kailangan bago piringan ang mata, nagwagi si Ian Guevarra Santos sa pamamagitan ng 17.34 single, kasunod si Jolo Endona na may 28.50 at Naguio na may 1:23.16.

Sa likod ng mga nagwagi sa podium, kapansin-pansin ang malalaking hakbang ng mga pursigidong manlalaro na nagpakita ng personal na pag-unlad. Si Juan Miguel C. Manalo, na sumabak sa 6 na kategorya sa kaniyang ika-30 laban, ay nagtala ng 2.61 sa 2x2x2 Cube na 49.8 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa dating 5.20, bukod sa 2:23.61 sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded na 33.7 porsyentong bawas mula 3:36.75, 1:41.33 sa Megaminx, at ika-4 na puwesto sa blindfolded. Si Lorenzo T. Ubongen ay sumali sa 6 na events, tumapos sa ika-7 puwesto sa Megaminx, at sumubok sa unang pagkakataon sa Pyraminx na may 9.16. Nagtala naman si Matinjuha Jang ng 7.92 sa 2x2x2 Cube na 18.4 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 9.70 sa 2 kategoryang sinalihan. Si Jayden Allen T. Dee ay lumaban sa 3 events, nagtala ng 11.07 sa 3x3x3 Cube, ika-6 na puwesto sa Pyraminx, at 2.09 sa 2x2x2 Cube na 38 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 3.37.

Naging mahalagang simula rin ang weekend para sa mga bagong mukha na sumabak sa kanilang unang WCA competition. Si Enrick Michael G. Raborar ay lumaban sa 3 kategorya kung saan nakuha niya ang ika-11 puwesto sa 3x3x3 Fewest Moves na may 45 moves, kasabay ng unang subok sa 2x2x2 Cube na 2.57 at 3x3x3 Cube na 9.18. Si Cedrick Mathew G. Garcia ay sumabak sa 3 events at nagtala ng 14.87 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 3.60 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 12.96 sa Pyraminx. Si Von Jacob Bernardino ay pumasok sa 3 kategorya, tumapos sa ika-6 na puwesto sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded sa unang subok na 5:48.16, kasabay ng 11.71 sa 3x3x3 Cube at 4.70 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Si Red Iñigo J. Cabrera naman ay nagtala ng 11.06 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 3.97 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 6.69 sa Pyraminx sa kaniyang tatlong events.

Nagtapos ang San Mateo Speedcubing Open 2024 na nag-iwan ng 20 podium finishes para sa Pilipinas at isa para sa Nigeria mula sa 7 opisyal na dibisyon. Sa pagitan ng dominasyon ng mga beterano at ang sigasig ng mga bagong kalahok, napatunayan ng bawat manlalaro ang kanilang dedikasyon sa bawat solve. Ang tagumpay ng buong weekend sa Rizal ay nagbibigay ng matibay na pundasyon para sa mas matitinding labanan sa mga susunod pang cubing competition.