Surabaya Open 2023

The lively setting of Glück Kaffee & Bäckerei in Surabaya, Indonesia, was filled with focused intensity on July 16, 2023. Cubers huddled around the timing stations, methodically inspecting puzzles under the cafe lights before launching into rapid turn sequences. With 49 competitors gathering for a compact one-day schedule, the atmosphere across the tournament floor was electric. Every solve carried immense weight as participants battled through 12 rounds of action across seven different disciplines, each chasing personal milestones and podium honours in this World Cube Association sanctioned meet.

The 2x2x2 Cube final delivered the narrowest margin of victory across the entire schedule, coming down to mere fractions of a second between the top contenders. Denzel A. J. Wahyudi claimed the title with a winning average of 3.20 seconds, edging out Pedro Leonard Benedict who took second place at 3.52 seconds. Just behind them, Muhammad Fitzal Ashfa Muzakfar finished third with a 3.63 average, leaving only 0.43 seconds separating first from third. Wahyudi also set the event standard with a blistering single of 2.31 seconds during the rapid-fire single-round contest.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event proved just as thrilling, drawing a tournament-high 48 competitors across three rounds of intense speedcubing. Pedro Leonard Benedict secured the championship trophy by assembling a 9.02-second average in the final round, highlighted by a best single solve of 8.14 seconds. Muhammad Zhafran Al-Allam followed in second place with a 9.42 average, while Denzel A. J. Wahyudi capped off a dual-podium day by taking third at 9.62. The final 3x3 results demonstrated remarkable consistency from all three medalists, who each maintained sub-10 averages.

Muhammad Zhafran Al-Allam enjoyed an outstanding campaign at Surabaya Open 2023, capturing two gold medals across the day. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Al-Allam dominated the 32-competitor field over two rounds, winning with an average of 34.36 seconds and posting the best single at 32.56. Muhammad Fitzal Ashfa Muzakfar took second with a 39.53 average, and Muhammad Adib took third at 42.43. Al-Allam struck gold again in 3x3x3 One-Handed, recording a 16.48 average and a best single of 13.70 to finish ahead of Wahyudi at 17.85 and Jaka Nur Fuad at 18.70.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones that highlighted the depth of progress at this WCA competition. Marvelle Leonard Juanda entered four events, posting an 11th-place finish in 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 1.91 seconds, which was 54 percent faster than their previous best, while also logging a 47.94 personal best in 4x4x4 Cube and tackling their first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 6.32 seconds. James Erik Haryanto tackled six disciplines and took 12th in 3x3x3 One-Handed, dropping their Pyraminx personal best by 47.6 percent to 6.52 seconds, their one-handed best by 43.8 percent to 20.43, and their Skewb mark by 28.7 percent to 11.74.

Other dedicated speed cubing contenders made major personal strides throughout the single-day gathering. Miftah Zachri Nugraha entered two events, logging a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 5.75 single and improving their classic Rubik's Cube best by 39.6 percent down to 11.25 seconds. Frederick Rahmanto competed in three events, recording their first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube at 1:48.70 while cutting their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 31.2 percent to 3.89 seconds and registering a 16.96 in 3x3x3 Cube. Arie Bima Aryanata took 24th in 3x3x3 One-Handed, lowering their Pyraminx best by 37.6 percent to 6.94 seconds, their one-handed mark by 20.6 percent to 31.78, and their 3x3x3 time to 11.25.

The progress continued across the venue as Dhanika Jethro took on four events, securing an 18th-place finish in 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.66 personal best, posting a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 35.24 seconds, and dropping their 3x3x3 best to 13.90. Jermia Edonie contested six events, finishing 5th in 4x4x4 Cube while logging first attempts in Pyraminx at 10.10 and Skewb at 7.51, alongside an 8.47 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube. David Vincent rounded out the achievements by cutting their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 31.7 percent to 11.24 seconds across two entered events at the cubing competition.

Side events brought further excitement to the schedule at Surabaya Open 2023. Elliott Yahya Sugondo claimed the Pyraminx crown over two rounds with a 4.30 winning average and a 3.08 single, finishing ahead of Hiroshi Yumeda at 6.22 and Agnes Maxelino at 6.61. In the Skewb event, Muhammad Fahri Rahman earned the title with a 3.72 average, narrowly edging Fauzan Rafi Amrullah at 3.96, while Ahmad Aqbil Na'im took third with 6.40. Meanwhile, Muhammad Farhan Ardiapratama dominated Square-1 with a 12.23 average and a 9.06 single, leading Muhammad Adib and Fauzan Rafi Amrullah.

As the final timers stopped, Indonesian competitors had collected all 21 available podium places across the seven events. Surabaya Open 2023 demonstrated the exceptional skill present across East Java, from top-flight speed solving to personal breakthroughs on the tournament floor. Competitors packed away their puzzles after an exhausting day of competition, already setting their sights on refining their algorithms and techniques for the next season of competitive cubing.

Pedro Leonard Benedict mengunci kemenangan prestisius pada nomor 3x3x3 Cube di Glück Kaffee & Bäckerei setelah membukukan rata-rata 9.02 pada babak final. Penampilan tenang di partai puncak tersebut membawanya berdiri di puncak podium, mengungguli perlawanan sengit dari lawan-lawannya. Kejuaraan Surabaya Open 2023 yang bergulir pada 16 Juli 2023 di Surabaya, Indonesia ini menjadi ajang unjuk kebolehan para veteran dan pemegang rekor berpengalaman dalam kalender speedcubing nasional.

Kompetisi rubik resmi ini menghadirkan total 49 peserta yang bersaing dalam 7 cabang dan 12 babak lomba. Selain nomor utama Rubik 3x3x3, akhir pekan tersebut menjadi panggung bagi para atlet berpengalaman untuk menegaskan kembali dominasi mereka. Atmosfer kompetitif terasa sangat ketat sejak babak penyisihan hingga babak akhir, dengan seluruh 21 tempat di podium akhirnya diamankan sepenuhnya oleh wakil-wakil tuan rumah Indonesia dalam berbagai nomor yang dipertandingkan.

Pada kategori 3x3x3 Cube yang diikuti oleh 48 peserta dalam tiga putaran penuh, Pedro Leonard Benedict mencatatkan single terbaik 8.14 untuk meraih kemenangan. Posisi kedua ditempati oleh Muhammad Zhafran Al-Allam dengan rata-rata 9.42, sementara Denzel A. J. Wahyudi menyusul di peringkat ketiga dengan raihan 9.62. Ketiganya menunjukkan kematangan strategi dan kecepatan eksekusi yang hanya bisa lahir dari jam terbang tinggi di berbagai kejuaraan resmi.

Muhammad Zhafran Al-Allam tampil luar biasa dengan mengawinkan dua gelar juara sekaligus di kompetisi ini. Ia memenangi nomor 4x4x4 Cube lewat rata-rata 34.36 dan single 32.56, mengungguli Muhammad Fitzal Ashfa Muzakfar yang mencatat 39.53 serta Muhammad Adib dengan 42.43. Muhammad Zhafran Al-Allam kemudian melengkapi pencapaiannya dengan menyabet gelar 3x3x3 One-Handed melalui rata-rata 16.48, menempatkan Denzel A. J. Wahyudi di posisi kedua dengan 17.85 dan Jaka Nur Fuad di urutan ketiga dengan 18.70.

Nomor 2x2x2 Cube menyajikan persaingan sengit yang dimenangi oleh Denzel A. J. Wahyudi dengan rata-rata 3.20 dan catatan single 2.31. Pedro Leonard Benedict mengamankan peringkat kedua dengan rata-rata 3.52, diikuti oleh Muhammad Fitzal Ashfa Muzakfar di peringkat ketiga dengan torehan 3.63. Pertarungan di nomor cepat ini berlangsung sangat ketat di antara para finalis papan atas yang sudah saling mengenal gaya permainan masing-masing.

Di luar perebutan gelar utama, gelaran Surabaya Open 2023 juga menjadi panggung pembuktian bagi sederet nama yang mencatatkan lonjakan performa signifikan. Prasetiono berhasil mempertajam catatan pribadinya di tiga nomor sekaligus, memangkas waktu 3x3x3 Cube menjadi 9.73 atau 19.8 persen lebih cepat, nomor 4x4x4 Cube menjadi 43.42 atau 14.8 persen lebih cepat, serta 2x2x2 Cube menjadi 5.27. Muhammad Sandi Rizqi Ramadhan melonjak drastis di nomor 4x4x4 Cube dengan rekor pribadi 29.92 yang 28.8 persen lebih cepat, mencatat 5.62 pada Pyraminx yang 15.6 persen lebih baik, dan mengukir single 7.79 pada 3x3x3 Cube. Sandy Putra Andhika memangkas waktu 4x4x4 Cube menjadi 1:11.35 atau 7.5 persen lebih cepat serta mencatat 5.31 di Pyraminx, sedangkan Azzam Alfaizan Bestari sukses menyelesaikan penampilan perdananya di Skewb dengan raihan 7.46.

Bagi sejumlah peserta, akhir pekan di Surabaya ini merupakan pengalaman pertama mereka mengikuti WCA competition. Delbert Wijono turun di lima nomor berbeda dan menorehkan catatan perdana 1:16.12 pada 4x4x4 Cube, 15.95 pada 3x3x3 Cube, serta 10.67 pada Pyraminx. Timothy Eugene menyelesaikan babak 2x2x2 Cube dengan 6.09 dan Pyraminx dengan 15.19 di ajang debutnya. Marvelio Jonathan Wijaya mencatatkan waktu 1:08.84 pada 4x4x4 Cube dan 30.28 pada 3x3x3 One-Handed, sementara Raffasya Mauza Setiawan mengawali perjalanannya dengan catatan 5.33 pada 2x2x2 Cube dan 23.97 pada 3x3x3 Cube.

Persaingan nomor sampingan lainnya turut memunculkan para jawara tangguh. Elliott Yahya Sugondo memenangi Pyraminx dengan rata-rata 4.30 di depan Hiroshi Yumeda yang mencatat 6.22 dan Agnes Maxelino dengan 6.61. Muhammad Fahri Rahman keluar sebagai yang tercepat di Skewb dengan rata-rata 3.72, mengatasi perlawanan Fauzan Rafi Amrullah dengan 3.96 dan Ahmad Aqbil Na'im dengan 6.40. Sementara itu, Muhammad Farhan Ardiapratama memuncaki Square-1 dengan rata-rata 12.23, mengungguli Muhammad Adib dengan 15.18 dan Fauzan Rafi Amrullah dengan 16.24.

Seluruh rangkaian 12 babak yang tuntas di Glück Kaffee & Bäckerei memperlihatkan kualitas tinggi dari komunitas cubing competition di tanah air. Dominasi para atlet berpengalaman berpadu harmonis dengan hadirnya bakat-bakat baru yang menandai langkah awal mereka. Keberhasilan pelaksanaan turnamen di kota pahlawan ini menjadi modal berharga bagi para peserta untuk terus mengasah ketangkasan mereka menyongsong musim kompetisi berikutnya.