Tanza Speedcubing Open 2023

The competition floor inside SM City Tanza hummed with steady activity on September 10, 2023, as timers started and puzzle faces aligned across seven different disciplines. A field of 48 competitors gathered in Tanza, Cavite, Philippines, to test their speed, consistency, and precision across nine scheduled rounds. With official tables arranged beneath the shopping center lights, the single-day WCA competition showcased both sprint specialists tackling short rotations and marathon solvers managing massive multi-layered puzzles.

Fast times came quickly during the premier 3x3x3 Cube contest, where three full rounds pushed competitors to register standout single solves and averages. Brenton Angelo Lo Wong delivered an exceptional run to capture first place in the final, finishing with an official winning average of 6.81 seconds alongside a best single of 6.28. Throughout the 3x3 results tracking, Lo Wong logged marks including a 6.66 single and a 6.92 average, while runner-up Yi-Fan Wu of Taiwan kept the pressure on with a 6.64 single and an 8.04 average before taking second place with a final 7.88 average. Moses Elijah San Pascual earned third on the podium at 9.90 after posting an 8.21 single and 9.21 average earlier in the day.

Taiwan standout Yi-Fan Wu proved utterly dominant across the large Rubik's Cube variants, sweeping four consecutive titles across the day. In the 4x4x4 Cube event, Wu topped a 32-player bracket with a winning average of 27.98 seconds and a swift 22.61 single, leaving Lo Wong in second at 32.24 and Yuji Yoshida in third at 34.59. Wu carried that exact form into the 5x5x5 Cube, clocking a winning 47.58 average and a 45.08 best single to lead Cairon Sumadchat, who posted 56.29, and Lo Wong, who secured third at 57.47.

The marathon events belonged entirely to Wu as well, demonstrating extraordinary stamina on the biggest cubes. In 6x6x6 Cube, Wu recorded a winning average of 1:39.67 and a best effort of 1:32.48, beating Sumadchat at 1:54.92 and Niño Francis S. Reyes at 1:59.49. Moving to the 7x7x7 Cube, Wu concluded the sweep by producing a winning average of 2:20.85 with a top single of 2:16.85, while Sumadchat again earned second at 2:51.08 and Yoshida claimed third place on the podium with a 2:59.91 average.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors made substantial strides across multiple brackets. Lawrence Benedict Sayson completed three events, achieving a 16th place finish in Skewb with a first ever attempt of 7.79, logging a first ever attempt of 52.39 in 4x4x4 Cube, and dropping his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 10.42, which was 66.1 percent faster than his prior mark of 30.74. Mc Lein Lubiano contested six events, finishing 10th in 7x7x7 Cube with a debut attempt of 4:37.11, while also logging initial attempts in 6x6x6 Cube at 3:09.57 and Skewb at 13.09. Keith Harley Pallana Abonita took 7th in Skewb with a debut 9.54 and improved his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 24.1 percent down to 53.51. Carlos Joseph Ong entered five events, placing 6th in 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 7.82, an improvement of 12.1 percent, alongside debut marks of 2:54.32 in 6x6x6 Cube and 5:11.36 in 7x7x7 Cube.

Other dedicated solvers added further depth to the weekend through steady personal progress. Serji S. Mariano placed 10th in Skewb with a first attempt of 10.50 and cut 13.6 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube mark to record a 14.59 personal best. Quiel Antonio C. Valera took 14th in Skewb behind a debut 12.77 single and shaved 8.2 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube record to register 15.17. PJ Nathaniel R. De Guzman secured 6th place in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, cutting his personal best down by 35.8 percent to 3:25.55 compared to his previous 5:20.08 benchmark. Gabriel Lupisan took on four events, achieving 12th in 6x6x6 Cube with a 3:22.65 personal best that was 14 percent faster, and improved his 4x4x4 Cube best by 27.8 percent to 46.46.

Alternative puzzle formats provided plenty of variety on the schedule, starting with an intense 19-player Skewb bracket. Yuji Yoshida captured the title with a composed 5.63 winning average and a round-best 3.85 single solve, holding off Elijah Francis Jagonio at 5.98 and Lo Wong at 7.20. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline, where competitors must commit the puzzle scramble entirely to memory before executing blind turns, Angelo Sarinas finished first with a winning single of 1:21.07. Sumadchat placed second in 1:22.72, and Lo Wong collected another podium finish in third place with 1:27.93.

The action at the Tanza Speedcubing Open 2023 illustrated the vibrant health of local speed cubing, with Filipino solvers earning 16 podium positions while Taiwan secured five. From standard three-layer races to complex memory challenges, the cubing competition delivered sharp execution across every round. As the equipment was packed away in Cavite, the impressive benchmarks established by champions and progressing contenders set a high competitive standard for the rest of the 2023 speedcubing calendar.

Napuno ng matinding sigla at bilis ang SM City Tanza habang nagtitipon ang mga manlalaro mula sa iba't ibang dako para sa isang araw ng mabilisang paglutas. Sa loob ng bulwagan, umalingawngaw ang sunod-sunod na lagitik ng mga umiikot na mekanismo at paglapag ng mga kamay sa timer mats sa bawat round. Naging sentro ng galing at determinasyon ang Tanza Speedcubing Open 2023 kung saan nagkaharap ang apatnapu't walong kalahok sa pitong opisyal na kategorya.

Nangibabaw ang mga pambato ng Pilipinas matapos nilang masungkit ang labing-anim sa kabuuang dalawampu't isang podium places sa buong paligsahan. Sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube na kinabilangan ng apatnapu't anim na kalahok sa tatlong rounds, itinanghal na kampeon si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong matapos magtala ng winning average na 6.81 at best single na 6.28. Pumangalawa si Yi-Fan Wu ng Taiwan na may 7.88 average, habang nakuha naman ni Moses Elijah San Pascual ng Pilipinas ang ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 9.90 average.

Ipinamalas din ng mga Pilipino ang kanilang husay sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded kung saan sinakop nila ang buong podium sa iisang round ng labanan. Naangkin ni Angelo Sarinas ang unang puwesto gamit ang panalong single na 1:21.07 sa kabila ng DNF average. Sumunod sa kanya si Cairon Sumadchat na nagtala ng 1:22.72 para sa ikalawang puwesto, samantalang nakuha muli ni Brenton Angelo Lo Wong ang ikatlong puwesto sa bilis na 1:27.93 sa naturang kategoryang nangangailangan ng matinding memorya at konsentrasyon bago piringan ang mga mata.

Sa event na Skewb, muling umangat ang Pilipinas nang magtagumpay si Yuji Yoshida na nagtala ng winning average na 5.63 at best single na 3.85 laban sa labing-siyam na katunggali. Sumegunda sa kanya ang kababayang si Elijah Francis Jagonio na nagsumite ng 5.98 average, habang si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong ay muling umakyat sa entablado matapos masungkit ang ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 7.20 average sa Tanza Speedcubing Open 2023.

Kabilang sa mga nagpakitang-gilas sa mga big cubes ang kinatawan ng Taiwan na si Yi-Fan Wu na humakot ng apat na gintong medalya. Nagwagi si Yi-Fan Wu sa 4x4x4 Cube na may winning average na 27.98 at best single na 22.61, kung saan pumangalawa si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong sa 32.24 at pumangatlo si Yuji Yoshida sa 34.59. Sa 5x5x5 Cube, nanguna rin si Wu sa average na 47.58, kasunod sina Cairon Sumadchat na may 56.29 at Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na may 57.47.

Ipinagpatuloy ni Yi-Fan Wu ang kanyang pamamayani sa pinakamalalaking puzzle sa pamamagitan ng panalo sa 6x6x6 Cube na may winning average na 1:39.67 at single na 1:32.48, kung saan pumangalawa si Cairon Sumadchat sa 1:54.92 at pumangatlo si Niño Francis S. Reyes sa 1:59.49. Sa 7x7x7 Cube, nagwagi muli si Wu sa average na 2:20.85, habang pumangalawa si Cairon Sumadchat sa 2:51.08 at pumangatlo si Yuji Yoshida sa 2:59.91 sa naturang torneo.

Sa likod ng mga labanan para sa podium, naging saksi ang speedcubing komunidad sa mahahalagang tagumpay ng ilang kalahok. Sa kanyang ika-pitong kumpetisyon, lumahok si Junielle Kyzen Tablan sa dalawang events at nakamit ang personal best na 13.46 sa 3x3x3 Cube bukod sa kanyang unang pagsubok sa Skewb na 10.25 at ika-15 puwesto. Sumabak naman si Mark Joseph C. Ramos sa apat na events kung saan nagtala siya ng 6.64 sa unang pagsubok sa Skewb at ika-8 puwesto sa 4x4x4 Cube. Ganoon din si Jairo Daniel Importante na pumasok sa tatlong events at nagrehistro ng 9.56 sa unang pagsubok sa Skewb tungo sa ika-8 puwesto, habang si Joakim Hendrich Victorino ay lumaban sa dalawang events at nagtala ng 1:38.26 sa unang pagsubok sa 4x4x4 Cube para sa ika-28 puwesto.

Nagpakita rin ng determinasyon ang mga bagong mukha sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Sumabak agad si Miguel Alexander Alejo Ang sa apat na events at nagtala ng 2:34.58 sa 5x5x5 Cube, 8.84 sa Skewb, at 1:08.71 sa 4x4x4 Cube na nagbigay sa kanya ng ika-17 puwesto sa Skewb. Sa kanyang unang torneo, lumaban si Raphael T. Villar sa dalawang events at nagtala ng 1:13.41 sa 4x4x4 Cube para sa ika-24 puwesto at 15.77 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Si Bernadette P. Langit ay nagsumite ng 1:42.64 sa 4x4x4 Cube tungo sa ika-29 puwesto at 12.57 sa 3x3x3 Cube, habang si Jan Maica D. Ordoñez ay nagtala ng 15.49 sa 3x3x3 Cube at 5.81 sa Skewb para masungkit ang ika-12 puwesto.

Ang nag-iisang araw ng bakbakan noong September 10, 2023 sa Tanza, Cavite, Philippines ay nagpatunay sa lumalalim na galing ng mga manlalaro sa buong kapuluan. Sa pagsasara ng Tanza Speedcubing Open 2023 matapos ang siyam na rounds ng matinding kompetisyon sa Rubik's Cube at iba't ibang puzzle, matagumpay na naipakita ang dedikasyon ng bawat delegado sa masining at mabilisang paglutas bago sumapit ang susunod na yugto ng paligsahan.