Tagum Speedcubing Masters 2023

Seven distinct events brought a whirlwind of mechanical variety to the tables at Robinsons Place Tagum on March 5, 2023. A total of 96 competitors gathered in Tagum City, Philippines, testing their fingers on everything from standard cubes to multifaceted dodecahedrons. Across nine rounds of intense action, the Tagum Speedcubing Masters 2023 celebrated every corner of speedcubing discipline, pairing the classic hunt for fast times with an expansive look at modern puzzle variety.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest stood as the centerpiece, featuring 92 competitors across three rounds of play. When the final round wrapped up, Leo Borromeo secured the victory with a world-class winning average of 6.05 seconds, backed by a best single solve of 5.41 seconds. Sean Patrick Villanueva pressed closely in second place with an average of 6.60 seconds, while Lance Bastien Loy locked in third place on an 8.61 average. The premier 3x3 results demonstrated peak precision on the traditional Rubik's Cube layout.

Borromeo doubled his title count in the big cube department, capturing first place in the 4x4x4 Cube event. Moving past 47 competitors in a direct final, he produced a winning average of 26.29 seconds alongside a tournament-best single of 24.13 seconds. Albert Philip Bulao claimed second place with an average of 38.87 seconds, and Russel Manlupig rounded out the podium steps in third with a 40.42 average, completing an impressive display of multi-layer cube mastery.

Sean Patrick Villanueva reversed the top order in 3x3x3 One-Handed, claiming victory across a field of 45 entrants with an average of 10.70 seconds and a round-best 8.40 single. Lance Bastien Loy secured the second podium position with an average of 12.51 seconds, while Borromeo followed in third at 13.35. The event highlighted the technical dexterity required to control and solve the puzzle with a single hand under competition time pressure.

Non-cubic puzzles brought completely different solving geometry to this WCA competition. In the twelve-sided Megaminx event, Clyde Dencer Tutor dominated the 14-person field with a winning average of 38.14 seconds and a single of 34.51. Ralph Justine Villarico took second at 58.47, and Kirby Jay Caragan finished third at 1:06.63. Over in Pyraminx, Oliver IV D. Perez captured the title on a 6.37 average, barely edging Chris Alden P. Carreon at 6.42 and Earl Joven Suyo at 6.62 among 35 competitors.

The sprint puzzles produced similarly frantic turn rates at the Tagum Speedcubing Masters 2023. In the 2x2x2 Cube event, Khayll Paolo Sandukan took the crown among 67 participants with a 3.20 winning average and a 2.11 single. Kirby Jay Caragan secured second place at 3.75, while Ricmar Leo P. Salar followed right behind in third at 3.79. In Skewb, Elmer Joseph Cutin won the 21-person event with an average of 4.02 seconds, joined on the podium by Caragan in second at 5.19 and Seath Margatinez in third at 7.73.

Away from the top steps, several dedicated solvers posted enormous personal breakthroughs across full schedules. Christian Jay Cadorna entered four events and delivered major personal bests, cutting his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 67.6 percent to 25.65 seconds, his 3x3x3 time by 46.7 percent to 11.71, and his Pyraminx single by 44.9 percent to 9.54, alongside a 16th-place finish in 2x2x2. Julian Paolo Trinidad took on three events, taking 9th in 2x2x2 with a 2.26 personal best that was 46.2 percent faster, cutting his 3x3x3 best to 10.40, and completing his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 58.91 seconds. Eaia Xundroa Ching tackled five events, finishing 18th in Pyraminx, setting a 2x2x2 personal best of 3.46 that was 38.1 percent faster, and making first attempts in 4x4x4 at 2:01.59 and one-handed at 40.82. John Ray Tambolero competed in six events, placing 10th in Megaminx, improving his 3x3x3 best by 32.9 percent to 11.01, and recording debut attempts of 1:03.57 in 4x4x4 and 1:48.78 in Megaminx.

The trend of stepping into unfamiliar territory continued with Brandon Christian Caballo, who took on five events, placed 27th in Pyraminx, cut his 3x3x3 best by 28.8 percent to 11.74, and marked first attempts of 1:23.32 in 4x4x4 and 47.71 in one-handed. King Christopherson E. Sabas entered three disciplines, finishing 26th in Pyraminx while lowering his personal best by 28.4 percent to 11.06 and logging debut attempts in 2x2x2 at 11.47 and one-handed at 59.67. Calvin Job Alejandro S. Dominguez competed in six events, securing 8th place in Skewb while registering first-time marks in one-handed at 38.78, Skewb at 6.42, and 4x4x4 at 49.51. Joseph Darsie I. R. Sapalaran also managed a six-event workload, finishing 11th in Pyraminx and making inaugural tournament attempts in 4x4x4 at 56.38, Skewb at 8.68, and Pyraminx at 7.49.

Every podium place throughout the single-day gathering went to competitors representing the Philippines, highlighting the depth of the national talent pool across varied disciplines. From two-layer sprints to twelve-sided endurance challenges, this speed cubing festival delivered nonstop excitement. The Tagum Speedcubing Masters 2023 wrapped up having offered every competitor a broad platform to test their skills and push their personal limits.

Nagtala si Leo Borromeo ng pambihirang 6.05 average upang dominahin ang pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube sa ginanap na Tagum Speedcubing Masters 2023. Sa entablado ng Robinsons Place Tagum noong Marso 5, 2023, ipinamalas ng mga kalahok ang matinding bilis sa paglutas ng kilalang Rubik's Cube. Umani ng matinding pansin ang main event kung saan naabot din ni Borromeo ang pinakamabilis na single time na 5.41 sa tatlong rounds ng bakbakan laban sa 92 iba pang speedcubers mula sa iba't ibang panig ng bansa.

Hindi nagpahuli ang bilis sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan nangibabaw si Khayll Paolo Sandukan na nagtala ng winning average na 3.20 at best single na 2.11. Sa kabuuang 67 kalahok sa naturang mabilisang dibisyon, nakamit ni Kirby Jay Caragan ang ikalawang puwesto sa average na 3.75 habang pumangatlo naman si Ricmar Leo P. Salar na nagtala ng 3.79 average. Ang bilis ng mga kamay sa pinakamaliliit na puzzle ang naging isa sa mga tampok na sandali sa lungsod ng Tagum City, Philippines.

Sa kabuuan, umabot sa 96 na kalahok ang nagtagisan sa 7 events at 9 na rounds sa buong araw ng paligsahan. Sa main event na 3x3x3 Cube, pumangalawa sa likod ni Borromeo si Sean Patrick Villanueva na may 6.60 average habang pumangatlo si Lance Bastien Loy sa kanyang 8.61 average. Ang tagumpay na ito ay nagpatunay sa mataas na antas ng husay sa bawat cubing competition na inilulunsad sa rehiyon sa taong 2023.

Bumawi naman si Sean Patrick Villanueva sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos masungkit ang unang puwesto gamit ang 10.70 winning average at 8.40 single sa 45 kalahok. Pumangalawa sa naturang single-hand category si Lance Bastien Loy na may 12.51 average habang pumangatlo si Leo Borromeo na nagtala ng 13.35 average. Nagpatuloy ang galing ni Borromeo sa mas malaking puzzle matapos niyang pagharian ang 4x4x4 Cube na may 26.29 average at 24.13 single, na sinundan nina Albert Philip Bulao na may 38.87 at Russel Manlupig na nagtala ng 40.42.

Sa likod ng mga pangunahing podium, nasaksihan din sa Tagum Speedcubing Masters 2023 ang malalaking pag-unlad ng mga manlalaro. Naibaba ni Jimmie Rey Lorono ang kanyang 4x4x4 Cube personal best sa 1:02.79 mula 2:04.20 na 49.4 porsyentong mas mabilis at tumapos sa ika-38 puwesto sa kanyang 4 na sinalihang events. Pinabilis naman ni Chris Geomar Ulangkaya ang kanyang 3x3x3 Cube best sa 14.26 mula 26.72 na 46.6 porsyentong paghusay sa kanyang 2 events. Naitala rin ni Shane Melody Duque ang personal best sa Skewb na 5.72 mula 8.65 kasama ang 5.01 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 10.21 sa 3x3x3 Cube sa 3 events, habang si John Wayne Garnica ay nagsumite ng 9.72 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube, 7.12 sa Pyraminx, at 20.60 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 6 na events.

Naging espesyal din ang paligsahan para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Si Darios James Rigor R. Ojeda ay sumabak sa 6 na events kabilang ang unang subok sa Megaminx na nagtala ng 3:20.65, Pyraminx na may 9.67, at 2x2x2 Cube na 5.67. Sa kanyang 5 events, nagtala si Jaden Tabitha C. Luz Roque ng 11.46 sa Skewb, 9.40 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 19.92 sa 3x3x3 Cube sa mga unang subok. Gayundin si Heaven Ronelle A. Fernandez na naglista ng 5.33 sa 2x2x2 Cube, 10.06 sa Pyraminx, at 11.80 sa 3x3x3 Cube sa 5 events, habang si Blessie Jeanian L. Escodo ay nagtala ng 9.26 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 50.87 sa 4x4x4 Cube, at 20.53 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed at nagtapos sa ika-12 puwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube.

Sa iba pang larangan, naghari si Clyde Dencer Tutor sa Megaminx matapos magtala ng winning average na 38.14 at single na 34.51 sa 14 na kalahok, habang sumunod sa kanya sina Ralph Justine Villarico na may 58.47 at Kirby Jay Caragan na may 1:06.63. Sa Pyraminx, naging mahigpit ang laban kung saan nagwagi si Oliver IV D. Perez sa average na 6.37 laban sa 6.42 ni Chris Alden P. Carreon at 6.62 ni Earl Joven Suyo sa hanay ng 35 kalahok.

Nakuha naman ni Elmer Joseph Cutin ang tagumpay sa Skewb matapos magtala ng 4.02 winning average at 3.12 single laban sa 21 kalahok, habang pumangalawa si Kirby Jay Caragan sa 5.19 at pumangatlo si Seath Margatinez sa 7.73. Lahat ng 21 podium finish ay napanatili ng mga pambato ng Pilipinas sa buong kompetisyon.

Ang matagumpay na pagtatapos ng Tagum Speedcubing Masters 2023 ay nagpakita ng patuloy na paglago at sigla ng speedcubing sa Mindanao. Mula sa bilis ng 2x2x2 Cube hanggang sa mga kumplikadong rotation ng Megaminx, naging patunay ang araw na ito sa galing ng bawat manlalaro sa pagsulong ng kanilang mga personal na rekord at kasanayan.