South Park Center Muntinlupa Speedcubing Open 2025

Four podium appearances across six disciplines told the story of an uncompromising campaign in the City of Muntinlupa, Philippines. At the South Park Center Muntinlupa Speedcubing Open 2025, held on May 18, 2025, at the South Park Center by Ayala Malls, 54 competitors gathered across 10 rounds of high-pressure puzzle solving. Aragon Martin Gonzales emerged as the standout performer of the weekend, stamping his authority on the headline event while constantly challenging for top honors throughout the entire schedule.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube competition drew 50 entrants across three intense rounds, where Gonzales delivered consistent execution under the timer. Capturing the crown with a winning average of 6.98 seconds and delivering the event's best single solve of 5.95 seconds, Gonzales kept his closest rivals at bay. Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes took second place in the 3x3 results with an average of 7.60 seconds, while Jansen Alvarez secured third place with an average of 7.68 seconds to complete an all-Filipino podium.

Beyond his main victory, Gonzales factored into the decisive stages of three other puzzles on the schedule. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Magallanes turned the tables to win with a blistering 1.77-second average ahead of Gonzales, who took second at 1.83 seconds, and James Certeza in third at 2.00 seconds. Gonzales was back on the podium in Pyraminx, taking runner-up honors with a 2.89 average behind winner Jansen Alvarez, who clocked a 2.69 average. Gonzales then added third place in Skewb with a 4.64 average to seal a remarkable display of versatility.

The Pyraminx event saw Alvarez dominate 30 contenders with a best single solve of 1.80 on his way to gold, with Certeza joining Alvarez and Gonzales on the podium with a 3.72 average. In the Skewb bracket, international standout Hui Chun Pong of Hong Kong took top honors among 25 competitors with an average of 3.81 seconds and a best single solve of 2.75 seconds. Isaiah Benedict S. Feria took second place in Skewb with a 4.57 average, edging out Gonzales by just seven hundredths of a second.

Specialist disciplines also provided sharp contests inside the Ayala Malls venue. Nicole Jnus Macalalad claimed the Megaminx title from a field of 20 competitors, setting the standard with a 38.53-second winning average and a single solve of 34.27 seconds. Francis Yuel B. Merced secured second in Megaminx with 50.65 seconds, followed by Alvarez in third at 51.58 seconds. Merced was back at the top in Square-1, winning the 17-person event with an average of 12.49 seconds ahead of Feria at 13.61 seconds and Jacob Miko Tan at 13.82 seconds.

Away from the championship hardware, the South Park Center Muntinlupa Speedcubing Open 2025 served as a proving ground for competitors making massive leaps on the official timer. Mark Marquez took on five events and achieved a 10th-place finish in Pyraminx with a personal best of 3.25 seconds, which was 38.9 percent faster than his previous mark, along with a Megaminx personal best of 1:18.18 that cut 17.4 percent and a first official Skewb attempt of 6.71 seconds. Lloyd Heramis improved his Pyraminx personal best by 28.1 percent down to 9.61 seconds, dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best by 14.2 percent to 18.73 seconds, and recorded his first Skewb attempt at 12.59 seconds across four events.

Goddrick Maven Frias competed in four events and logged a 30.7 percent improvement in the classic Rubik's Cube with a personal best of 17.64 seconds, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 6.09 seconds and a first Skewb attempt of 7.37 seconds. Juan Paolo Magallanes made his debut attempts in both the 2x2x2 Cube at 16.29 seconds and the 3x3x3 Cube at 1:25.59. Alfonso Luis M. Bautista posted a first 2x2x2 Cube mark of 7.46 seconds while trimming 8 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube time to 21.54 seconds. Luis Gabriel Cueto Pahati tackled six events, placing 9th in Skewb with a 4.47 personal best and improving his Pyraminx best by 32 percent to 10.85 seconds. Rachel Tatad contested six events, setting personal bests in Megaminx at 2:30.33, Pyraminx at 5.08, and Square-1 at 37.80. Joaqui Gerard Isip also took on six disciplines, finishing 8th in Square-1 while setting personal bests in Skewb at 4.32, 2x2x2 Cube at 2.63, and Megaminx at 1:30.20.

The overall medal count highlighted a commanding home showing, with competitors representing the Philippines capturing 17 of the 18 available podium spots, alongside a single gold going to Hong Kong. From high-speed rotations in short-format rounds to the intricate algorithms of the Megaminx and Square-1, every round tested mechanical precision and poise. The smooth execution of all 10 scheduled rounds proved once again how vibrant the speed cubing scene remains across the region.

When the final timers reset at the South Park Center Muntinlupa Speedcubing Open 2025, the tournament stood as a testament to both top-tier mastery and broad community progression. Gonzales set the benchmark with his four podium finishes and 3x3x3 Cube victory, yet dozens of competitors left the WCA competition with breakthrough personal milestones. As another successful cubing competition closes its books in 2025, local contenders turn their attention to training for the next challenge on the calendar.

Umapaw ang sigla sa bulwagan ng South Park Center by Ayala Malls sa City of Muntinlupa, Philippines nitong Mayo 18, 2025. Mula sa maagang pagpaparehistro hanggang sa mga huling sandali ng torneo, naging abala ang 54 na kalahok sa pag-init ng kanilang mga daliri at pagsubok sa iba-ibang puzzle. Bawat mesa ay napuno ng mabilisang pag-ikot ng mga piyesa at pagbagsak sa timer. Ang nasabing speedcubing kaganapan ay nagdala ng matinding kompetisyon sa buong anim na kategorya.

Sa kabuuan ng South Park Center Muntinlupa Speedcubing Open 2025, lumitaw ang galing ng mga manlalaro na nagpakita ng malalaking pag-unlad sa kani-kanilang mga personal best. Ang 3x3x3 Cube ay pinangunahan ni Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagtala ng winning average na 6.98 sa finals matapos ang tatlong round at 50 kalahok. Pumangalawa si Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes na may 7.60 average, habang pumangatlo si Jansen Alvarez na may 7.68. Ang pinakamabilis na single time sa kategorya ay naitala rin ni Gonzales sa bilis na 5.95.

Nagpatuloy ang mahigpit na tunggalian sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan nagbago ang liderato sa podium. Nakuha ni Juan Miguel Y. Magallanes ang unang puwesto gamit ang winning average na 1.77 laban sa 45 kalahok. Sumunod sa kanya si Aragon Martin Gonzales na nagrehistro ng 1.83 para sa ikalawang puwesto, samantalang pumangatlo naman si James Certeza na may average na 2.00. Ang pinakamabilis na single sa buong kategorya ay 1.24 na nagbigay ng karagdagang bilis sa labanan.

Sa mga hindi pangkaraniwang puzzle, nagpamalas ng husay ang mga kalahok sa Pyraminx at Skewb. Sa Pyraminx, nanguna si Jansen Alvarez na may winning average na 2.69 at best single na 1.80 laban sa 30 katunggali. Pumangalawa si Aragon Martin Gonzales sa 2.89 at pumangatlo si James Certeza sa 3.72. Samantala, sa Skewb ay nagwagi ang dayuhang kalahok na si Hui Chun Pong mula Hong Kong na nagtala ng 3.81 winning average at 2.75 single, kasunod sina Isaiah Benedict S. Feria na may 4.57 at Aragon Martin Gonzales na may 4.64.

Bukod sa mga regular na nagwawagi sa podium, marami sa mga kalahok ang nagtala ng malalaking pagpapabuti sa kanilang sariling mga talaan. Si Wolfgang Wilk na sumabak sa tatlong kategorya ay nagtala ng personal best sa Skewb na 7.10 na mas mabilis nang 28.6 porsyento kaysa sa kanyang dating 9.95, bukod pa sa 11.30 sa 3x3x3 Cube na 10.4 porsyento ang ibinaba mula sa 12.61. Si Jon Donzel S. Labrador ay nagtala ng 5.98 sa 2x2x2 Cube na 28.3 porsyento ang naging pagbuti mula 8.34, kasama ang 26.67 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Si Matthew R. Reyes ay nagtala naman ng Skewb personal best na 6.10 na 25.1 porsyento ang bilis mula 8.14, at 8.84 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Samantala, si Zhian Anthony S. Chen ay sumubok sa unang pagkakataon sa Square-1 kung saan nakapagtala siya ng 1:05.56, bukod sa personal best na 12.61 sa 3x3x3 Cube at pagtatapos sa ika-16 na puwesto.

Naging espesyal din ang paligsahan para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang unang opisyal na WCA competition. Si Rayven Diaz ay lumaban sa apat na kategorya at nagtala ng kanyang mga unang opisyal na oras sa Pyraminx na 10.82, 3x3x3 Cube na 13.82, at Megaminx na 2:38.96 kung saan nakuha niya ang ika-19 na puwesto. Si Ivan Cuadra ay sumabak din sa apat na laban at nagtala ng unang subok sa Pyraminx sa 11.01, 2x2x2 Cube sa 4.79, at 3x3x3 Cube sa 15.15. Si Deene Alex Yumi Mackay ay nakapagtala ng unang marka sa Pyraminx na 10.48, 3x3x3 Cube na 11.15, at 2x2x2 Cube na 5.03. Para naman kay Emjulnir B. Galang, naitala niya ang kanyang mga unang opisyal na subok sa 2x2x2 Cube na 5.18, 3x3x3 Cube na 11.92, at Megaminx na 1:56.75 na naglagay sa kanya sa ika-16 na puwesto.

Sa mas komplikadong kategorya ng Megaminx, naging dominanteng kampeon si Nicole Jnus Macalalad laban sa 20 kalahok matapos magsumite ng winning average na 38.53 at best single na 34.27. Pumangalawa si Francis Yuel B. Merced sa average na 50.65, habang pumangatlo si Jansen Alvarez na nagtala ng 51.58. Naging mabilis din ang pag-ikot ng bawat bahagi ng dodecahedron sa kaganapang ito.

Sa Square-1, ipinamalas ni Francis Yuel B. Merced ang kanyang galing matapos makuha ang unang puwesto na may winning average na 12.49 at best single na 8.26 sa 17 kalahok. Sumunod sa kanya si Isaiah Benedict S. Feria sa 13.61 average, at pumangatlo si Jacob Miko Tan sa 13.82. Sa pangkalahatan, 17 podium finishes ang naiuwi ng Pilipinas at isa naman ang nakuha ng Hong Kong.

Nagtapos ang South Park Center Muntinlupa Speedcubing Open 2025 nang may 10 kabuuang round na matagumpay na naisagawa. Ang bawat Rubiks Cube at iba pang puzzle na pinaikot sa entablado ay nagpatunay sa patuloy na pagtaas ng antas ng mga kalahok sa buong bansa. Naging patunay ang isang araw na cubing competition na ito na ang determinasyon at tuloy-tuloy na ensayo ay nagbubunga ng mga bagong personal best at kapana-panabik na mga laban sa hinaharap.