Side Fest in Smile City 2023

The floor of CityMall Goldenfields hummed with focused energy on August 12, 2023, as timers started and puzzle faces turned at high speed throughout the single-day gathering. Competitors from near and far settled into their stations, setting down their mats and testing inspection routines before the opening calls echoed across the hall. The gathering brought 37 competitors together for 10 rounds of high-tempo action across eight official disciplines, turning the Negros Occidental venue into a center of regional speedcubing excellence.

The tournament served as a sweeping display of dominance for local contenders, with solvers representing the host nation capturing 23 of the 24 available podium spots. Across every category, the Philippine contingent set the standard and controlled the upper ranks of the standings. Only a single medal slipped beyond their grasp over the entire weekend, turning Side Fest in Smile City 2023 into an extraordinary celebration of domestic talent in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines.

Michael Mirasol emerged as the central figure of the meet, securing two championship victories with clinical precision. In the classic 3x3x3 Cube, Mirasol topped a field of 37 entrants across two rounds, delivering the winning average of 8.68 seconds and setting the best single of the event at 7.88 seconds. Miguel Gonzaga followed in second with a 9.23 average, while Kenneth Mathew F. Halago earned third place with a mark of 9.39, completing a fiercely contested battle in the primary 3x3 results.

Mirasol repeated his title-winning form in the 2x2x2 Cube, outpacing 31 competitors in a single decisive round. He locked down the gold with an average of 3.73 seconds and an event-best single of 3.49 seconds. Halago earned the silver medal right behind him at 3.84 seconds, while Mary Ella Joyce R. Miralles completed the Philippine sweep of the podium with a 3.89 average. The tight margins at the top underlined the depth of talent competing in the short-format event.

Beyond the standard Rubik's Cube formats, Miguel Gonzaga put on a commanding multi-discipline performance by capturing two separate gold medals. Gonzaga won the Pyraminx title ahead of 18 other entrants, logging a 3.99 winning average and a 3.26 best single across two rounds, finishing ahead of Mars Daniel Kudemus and Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado. Gonzaga then added the Square-1 championship to his haul, posting a 21.09 average and a 15.60 single, with Kirby Jay Caragan and Hilado joining him on the podium.

The remaining categories produced an array of sharp finishes and varied winners. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Kenneth Mathew F. Halago took first place with a 15.05 average, finishing ahead of Gonzaga and John Gratian Magbanua. Mary Ella Joyce R. Miralles topped Clock with an 8.56 average, while United Kingdom competitor Daniel Hussain Mohammadi took third place behind Halago. Andrew Thomas Salazar Pacilan won Megaminx with a 55.45 average, and Kirby Jay Caragan took the Skewb title averaging 4.77 seconds.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several solvers logged massive improvements across the board. Bella Shanell Clementir Frial delivered huge personal bests, cutting her Pyraminx mark by 77.3 percent to 5.69 seconds and trimming her 3x3x3 Cube time by 50.8 percent down to 13.04 seconds, while also making her first career attempt at Skewb with a 13.79 single. Noel A. Caduhada Jr. dropped his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 38.3 percent to 9.57 seconds, lowered his one-handed mark by 32.4 percent to 23.05 seconds, and recorded his first official Megaminx attempt at 4:19.99. Endre Calvin Tan took on three events, improving his Pyraminx time by 38.1 percent to 12.90 seconds and his 2x2x2 mark by 30.2 percent to 6.06 seconds. Jastene Mark Alito dropped his 3x3x3 Cube time by 30.2 percent to 18.14 seconds and made his first official 2x2x2 Cube attempt, finishing at 4.19 seconds.

Other competitors took on ambitious programs and explored new puzzles with equal determination during the meet. Jiro D. Ueno entered all eight events, earning a 4th-place finish in Square-1, achieving a 32.7 percent improvement on 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.78 single, and logging debut attempts in Megaminx at 1:46.21 and Square-1 at 26.67 seconds. Ianne Theodore D. Pastera competed across six events, claiming 5th in Skewb, lowering his Pyraminx best by 26.9 percent to 4.34 seconds, and logging his first Clock attempt at 12.64 seconds. Elizer James G. Buro improved his 3x3x3 mark by 19 percent to 18.28 seconds while making first attempts in Pyraminx at 7.10 seconds and 2x2x2 at 3.87 seconds. Jericho Reid De la Paz tackled four events, recording first-time marks in one-handed solving at 29.44 seconds, Pyraminx at 8.69 seconds, and 2x2x2 Cube at 4.21 seconds.

The successful completion of the schedule highlighted the steady growth of speed cubing in the region throughout 2023. From the opening heats to the final showdowns, this WCA competition offered a comprehensive test of dexterity across twisting puzzles of all shapes and sizes. As Side Fest in Smile City 2023 drew to a close, the assembled solvers left Bacolod City with fresh records and benchmark marks to build upon for the next season of cubing competition.

Nagtala si Michael Mirasol ng pambihirang 8.68 winning average sa 3x3x3 Cube upang pangunahan ang talaan ng mga kampeon sa CityMall Goldenfields. Nagtagisan ang tatlumput pitong kalahok sa Side Fest in Smile City 2023, kung saan naglakbay ang mga manlalaro mula sa ibat ibang panig ng bansa at maging mula sa United Kingdom upang makarating sa Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. Ang torneo na ginanap noong August 12, 2023 ay nagbigay-daan sa walong magkakahiwalay na kategorya at sampung round ng matinding bibilisan ng kamay sa Rubik's Cube.

Hindi nagpahuli si Michael Mirasol sa iba pang kategorya matapos ding maiuwi ang unang puwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube tangan ang 3.73 average laban sa tatlumput isang katunggali. Pumangalawa sa naturang kategorya si Kenneth Mathew F. Halago na nagrehistro ng 3.84 average, habang pumangatlo naman si Mary Ella Joyce R. Miralles na nagtala ng 3.89 average. Sa kabuuan ng araw, dalawamput tatlong podium finishes ang napanatili ng mga lokal na kalahok mula sa Pilipinas habang isa naman ang nakuha ng dayuhang kinatawan.

Sa pangunahing kategorya ng 3x3x3 Cube, naging mahigpit ang labanan sa huling round kung saan pumangalawa si Miguel Gonzaga na may 9.23 average at sumunod si Kenneth Mathew F. Halago na may 9.39 average. Nagpakitang-gilas din si Kenneth Mathew F. Halago sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos masungkit ang kampeonato sa pamamagitan ng 15.05 average, kasunod sina Miguel Gonzaga na may 17.10 at John Gratian Magbanua na may 17.87. Ipinamalas ng bawat kalahok ang mataas na antas ng husay sa speedcubing sa kabila ng mahabang biyahe patungo sa venue.

Bumandera si Miguel Gonzaga sa Pyraminx nang makuha ang panalo sa pamamagitan ng 3.99 average laban kay Mars Daniel Kudemus na may 4.37 at Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado na may 5.45. Nagwagi rin si Miguel Gonzaga sa Square-1 na may 21.09 average laban kina Kirby Jay Caragan na may 34.20 at Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado na may 35.29. Ang tagumpay na ito ay nagpatunay sa kanyang kahusayan sa mga side event sa buong araw ng paligsahan.

Sa Clock event, nanguna si Mary Ella Joyce R. Miralles na nagtala ng 8.56 winning average. Pumangalawa si Kenneth Mathew F. Halago na nagsumite ng 10.56 habang pumangatlo si Daniel Hussain Mohammadi mula sa United Kingdom na nagtala ng 10.89 average. Samantala, pinangunahan ni Andrew Thomas Salazar Pacilan ang Megaminx sa pamamagitan ng 55.45 average, habang si Kirby Jay Caragan naman ang naghari sa Skewb na may 4.77 average sa pagtatapos ng torneo.

Sa likod ng mga pangunahing podium, marami ring magagandang kwento ng pagsusumikap at pag-unlad ang nasaksihan sa Side Fest in Smile City 2023. Ipinamalas ni Savion Romeo Matula ang pinakamalaking pag-angat sa Square-1 kung saan naitala niya ang bagong personal best na 22.08, na 44 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa sa kanyang dating 39.46, bukod pa sa 11.28 sa 3x3x3 Cube na 5.4 porsyentong mas mabilis sa 11.92. Naitala rin ni Andre Miguel Benares Leeping ang kanyang unang subok sa 2x2x2 Cube na may 3.95, kasabay ng 21.60 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube na 16.8 porsyentong mas mabilis sa dating 25.97. Nagtala naman si Xander Louis Gasparillo ng personal best na 16.90 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed mula sa dating 17.44, habang si Xhein Arsenio ay sumabak sa unang pagkakataon sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na nagbunga ng 24.06.

Naging makabuluhan din ang araw para sa mga bagong manlalaro na sumabak sa kanilang unang WCA competition sa lungsod. Lumahok si Jan Dru F. Abanilla sa apat na events kabilang ang unang subok sa Megaminx na 3:35.46, 3x3x3 Cube na 34.28, at 2x2x2 Cube na 11.69 kung saan nagtapos siya sa ikawalong puwesto sa Megaminx. Si Thobey Brian T. Sison ay sumubok sa Skewb sa unang pagkakataon na may 10.97 kasama ang 4.72 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 13.07 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Unang beses ding sumalang si Aquilles Dean Soligo sa Pyraminx na may 6.70, 2x2x2 Cube na 8.31, at 3x3x3 Cube na 24.19, habang si Pio Nathaniel Perez ay nagtala ng 10.86 sa Skewb, 4.75 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 15.92 sa 3x3x3 Cube.

Naging matagumpay ang buong cubing competition sa pagtitipon ng mga pinakamahuhusay na manlalaro mula sa ibat ibang lugar sa taong 2023. Ang Side Fest in Smile City 2023 ay nagsilbing patunay sa patuloy na paglago ng komunidad ng mga manlalaro na handang maglakbay nang malayo upang magtagisan ng galing sa bawat round ng kompetisyon.