Talatona Speedcubing Open 2025

Thirty competitors gathered at NCR Talatona on July 19, 2025, turning a single Saturday into a bustling festival of puzzle solving. For several participants in Luanda, Angola, the Talatona Speedcubing Open 2025 marked the very first time stepping up to an official tournament table. Walking into an inaugural cubing competition carries a distinct rhythm, from learning the timing equipment to managing the steady focus needed across five scheduled rounds of play.

The 2025 tournament delivered a full day of speed cubing action across three diverse events, drawing both seasoned solvers and fresh faces. Across the venue, newcomers discovered what official tournament play feels like under real judging conditions. The presence of first-timers added genuine excitement to the room as athletes completed their initial solves, set benchmark marks, and experienced the unique atmosphere of a live WCA competition.

Leading the 3x3 results was José Francisco Manuel, who captured first place on the classic Rubik's Cube with a decisive final average of 11.43 seconds. Manuel also posted the best single of the event at 10.50 seconds among a field of 29 competitors across two rounds. Belarmino Eusébio Chalale secured second place with an average of 12.50 seconds, while Roger Nataniel Issassa dos Santos took third with an average of 12.56 seconds.

Beyond the main event, the Talatona Speedcubing Open 2025 featured thrilling action on the smaller 2x2x2 Cube. Carlos Junior de Carvalho Correia claimed the title with a winning average of 4.31 seconds and a best single solve of 3.72 seconds. Kevin Rafael da Silva Sirgado followed closely in second place with an average of 4.93 seconds, edging out Valentino Chalale, who completed the podium in third place with an average of 4.99 seconds.

Twelve-sided puzzles brought high complexity to the tables in the Megaminx event, where Roger Nataniel Issassa dos Santos earned top honours with a winning average of 1:12.45 and a single of 1:08.25. André Firmino Tchivango finished in the runner-up spot recording a 1:30.41 average, and Belarmino Eusébio Chalale rounded out the podium positions with a 1:48.05 average across nine competitors in the single-round showdown.

The heart of any speedcubing gathering often lies in the major breakthroughs made away from the top step. Mirian Ediane Dias Manuel delivered a massive drop in the 2x2x2 Cube, recording a personal best of 10.17 seconds to improve by 59.3 percent while also taking 15th place and lowering her 3x3x3 Cube mark to 56.96 seconds. Reynold Filipe Moniz Buila tackled two events, producing a first ever attempt of 25.43 seconds in the 2x2x2 Cube and slashing his 3x3x3 Cube best by 45.1 percent to 46.62 seconds. Ariela Isabel Camuege Chalale dropped her 3x3x3 Cube best to 31.48 seconds for a 41 percent improvement, while Emídio Manuel Dala cut 33 percent to achieve a personal best of 1:04.84.

Fresh debuts brought equally exciting moments throughout the Talatona Speedcubing Open 2025. Ibrahim Cemal Metin entered his very first official tournament across two events, logging a first ever attempt of 1:09.07 on the 3x3x3 Cube and 24.12 seconds on the 2x2x2 Cube. Telmo dos Santos and Wilton dos Santos each took on their debut competition, recording first ever attempts of 1:19.15 and 1:07.91 respectively in the 3x3x3 Cube. Meanwhile, Fatih Arda Ayhan marked his debut tournament by registering a first ever attempt of 30.02 seconds in the 2x2x2 Cube.

All nine podium positions across the three featured disciplines were claimed by solvers representing Angola, highlighting the depth of local talent. The day also saw numerous personal benchmark times registered across the board, setting a strong foundation for future competition. As the equipment was packed away at NCR Talatona, the Talatona Speedcubing Open 2025 concluded having welcomed a new wave of passionate competitors into the regional community.