Turn 'N Solve Bataan 2024

Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc delivered a masterclass on home soil, securing the premier 3x3x3 Cube title with a scorching 7.26 winning average. The performance capped a remarkable weekend of speedcubing excellence in Balanga Bataan, Philippines. Held at the Vista Mall Bataan across October 19 to October 20, 2024, the two-day gathering drew 32 competitors contesting 12 distinct events over 21 rounds. Palisoc set the benchmark early, posting a 6.82 single in the final round of the main event to fend off an international field and claim the top step on the podium.

The 3x3 results formed only a portion of Palisoc's commanding showcase at Turn 'N Solve Bataan 2024. Across the weekend, the local standout captured four distinct event victories, demonstrating remarkable versatility across various formats. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, he locked down gold with a 2.26 winning average and an event-leading 1.81 single. He then carried that sharp execution over to 3x3x3 One-Handed, claiming victory with a 12.65 average, before conquering the 5x5x5 Cube courtesy of a 47.27 average and a best single time of 44.02 seconds.

Taiwan's Ping-Yueh Huang provided fierce competition across multiple finals, highlighted by a victory in the 4x4x4 Cube. Huang posted a 28.03 average and a 24.46 single to edge Palisoc's 28.50 average in a tightly contested round. Huang also took silver in the 3x3x3 Cube with a 7.69 average, second place in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 13.07, runner-up in 5x5x5 Cube at 49.94, and second place in the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:19.73 average. The overall medal count reflected this international duel, with competitors from the Philippines claiming 23 podium spots, Taiwan taking 11, and Nigeria securing two.

The big cubes featured exceptional consistency from Dale Palmares, who secured two titles during the competition. Palmares won the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:30.46 mean, holding off Palisoc's 1:34.89 and Huang's 1:41.59. Palmares repeated his winning ways in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a 2:18.59 mean to beat Huang's 2:19.73 and Ayooluwa Samuel Dada of Nigeria, who took third with 2:26.60. Palmares also added bronze medals in both the 3x3x3 Cube and the 4x4x4 Cube to cap a prolific weekend.

Yuji Yoshida proved unstoppable in the specialty disciplines, claiming three tournament victories. Yoshida took top honours in Pyraminx with a 4.08 average, Skewb with a 4.79 average, and Clock with a 5.39 average. Elsewhere, Nicole Jnus Macalalad conquered the Megaminx with a 36.91 average, while Sean Zowie Cuaresma earned the Square-1 title with a 12.23 average, highlighted by an 8.91 single. Cuaresma also claimed second place in the 2x2x2 Cube and bronze in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

Beyond the championship battles, Turn 'N Solve Bataan 2024 provided a stage for several developing competitors to establish significant career milestones. Lia Makhaila B. De Guzman tackled three events and achieved massive progress, cutting her 2x2x2 personal best by 43.7 percent to 6.19 seconds, improving her 4x4x4 mark by 25.9 percent to 1:40.88, and dropping her 3x3x3 best to 25.76. Lord Nicholson M. Odtohan entered seven events, slashing his 2x2x2 best by 35.1 percent to 3.26 to take sixth place, improving his Skewb best by 16.2 percent to 10.88, and posting his first ever 5x5x5 Cube mark of 2:58.81. Marcus Ishan De La Paz lowered his 3x3x3 best by 14.8 percent to 13.72, dropped his 4x4x4 best by 13.8 percent to 1:02.19, and recorded his first Skewb attempt at 7.66 on his way to a seventh-place finish in Pyraminx.

New event debuts continued to highlight the depth of the field throughout the weekend. Azael Vhyenn Labrador entered five events, recording his first official 2x2x2 attempt of 2.94 and first one-handed time of 31.58 on his way to 10th place, alongside a 12.4 percent 4x4x4 improvement to 58.02. Raver Carlos entered five disciplines, securing an eighth-place finish in Pyraminx with a debut 8.82, while also taking his first ever attempts in one-handed at 27.92 and Skewb at 20.18. Adrian Louis Binauhan placed ninth in 2x2x2, logged his first 4x4x4 attempt at 1:19.28, and cut his 3x3x3 best by 13 percent to 13.33. Zachary John P. Ramirez took fourth place in Square-1 in his first attempt at the puzzle with 1:21.19, while Davey Antonio B. Mateo took on five events, completing first attempts in 4x4x4 at 2:05.79 and one-handed at 1:05.67.

The diverse schedule of puzzles ensured every competitor found an outlet for their speed cubing ambitions, from classic Rubik's Cube solving to complex large-cube puzzles. As another official WCA competition drew to a close in Bataan, the local community celebrated both the dominance of elite champions and the hard-earned personal milestones achieved across the board. The weekend proved to be an inspiring showcase of talent that sets a strong foundation for the upcoming speedcubing calendar.

Sa huling yugto ng finals sa 3x3x3 Cube, nagtagisan ang pinakamahuhusay na kalahok bago tuluyang nasungkit ni Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc ang tagumpay sa pamamagitan ng 7.26 average laban sa 7.69 average ni Ping-Yueh Huang (黃品越). Ang dikit na labanang ito ang naging tampok sa Turn 'N Solve Bataan 2024, kung saan ang bawat galaw sa huling solve ang nagtakda ng kampeon sa paboritong kategorya. Sa 31 na lumahok sa tatlong rounds, ipinamalas ni Palisoc ang kanyang bilis upang makuha ang unang puwesto.

Ginanap ang nasabing cubing competition noong ika-19 hanggang ika-20 ng Oktubre sa Vista Mall Bataan sa Balanga Bataan, Philippines. May kabuuang 32 kalahok ang nagtipon para magpaligsahan sa 12 events na umabot sa 21 rounds. Naging masigla ang paligsahan sa Rubik's Cube at iba pang uri ng puzzle dahil sa pagsasama-sama ng mga lokal na manlalaro at mga dayuhang pambato sa entablado ng speedcubing ngayong 2024.

Bukod sa pangunahing kategorya, naghari rin si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc sa tatlo pang larangan. Nakamit niya ang unang puwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube na may 2.26 average, 3x3x3 One-Handed na may 12.65 average, at 5x5x5 Cube na may 47.27 average. Sa 2x2x2 Cube, sumunod sa kanya si Sean Zowie Cuaresma na may 2.97 average habang pumangatlo si Yuji Yoshida sa 3.02 average sa nag-iisang round ng naturang dibisyon.

Hindi rin nagpahuli si Ping-Yueh Huang (黃品越) ng Taiwan na nanguna sa 4x4x4 Cube matapos magtala ng 28.03 winning average kontra sa 28.50 average ni Palisoc sa dalawang rounds. Samantala, ipinakita ni Dale Palmares ang kanyang husay sa malalaking puzzle matapos magwagi sa dalawang dibisyon. Naangkin ni Palmares ang kampeonato sa 6x6x6 Cube sa bilis na 1:30.46 average at sa 7x7x7 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 2:18.59 winning average laban sa mga katunggali.

Tatlong panalo naman ang naiuwi ni Yuji Yoshida sa buong weekend. Nagwagi si Yoshida sa Pyraminx taglay ang 4.08 winning average laban sa 16 na kalahok, at nanguna sa Skewb sa bilis na 4.79 average. Tinapos din niya ang Clock event sa unang puwesto na may 5.39 average. Sa iba pang dibisyon, nakuha ni Nicole Jnus Macalalad ang tagumpay sa Megaminx sa 36.91 average, habang pinangunahan ni Sean Zowie Cuaresma ang Square-1 sa 12.23 average.

Sa likod ng mga nagwagi sa podium, nagpakitang-gilas din ang iba pang kalahok na nagtala ng mahahalagang marka sa paligsahan. Sa kanilang unang WCA competition, sumabak si Ryan McRey Lozañes sa limang events at nagtala ng unang opisyal na subok sa Pyraminx na 10.42, 3x3x3 Cube na 12.44, at Skewb na 21.82. Unang paligsahan din ito para kay Chlyde Chua na lumaban sa limang kategorya, tampok ang unang subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 20.16, Pyraminx na 6.71, at 2x2x2 Cube na 4.35.

Nagsimula rin ng kanilang kampanya sina Glenn Asuncion na may unang subok sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 16.73, 2x2x2 Cube na 3.59, at 4x4x4 Cube na 40.45 sa apat na kinalimutang dibisyon. Gayundin si Liam Eve A. Dimaculangan na sumubok sa 2x2x2 Cube sa 4.01, 4x4x4 Cube sa 1:35.29, at 3x3x3 Cube sa 15.98. Lumahok din si Kenneth Doroin sa dalawang events kung saan nagtala siya ng 3.26 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 15.52 sa 3x3x3 Cube sa kanyang unang sabak.

Nagpakita rin ng dedikasyon ang mga beteranong manlalaro sa torneo. Sumabak si Glen Goh Wee Zhuan (吴洧全) sa anim na kategorya kung saan nagtala siya ng Clock personal best na 11.58 at tumapos sa ikalimang puwesto sa Square-1. Si Niño Francis S. Reyes naman ay lumaban sa walong kategorya at nakapagtala ng 7x7x7 Cube personal best na 2:36.71 at ikaapat na puwesto sa Skewb, habang si Louie Jay Quibote ay sumabak sa anim na events at nakamit ang ikalimang puwesto sa Megaminx.

Nagtapos ang Turn 'N Solve Bataan 2024 na may 23 na podium finishes para sa Pilipinas, 11 para sa Taiwan, at dalawa para sa Nigeria. Ang tagumpay ng bawat manlalaro sa iba't ibang kategorya ay nagpatunay sa lumalawak na galing ng komunidad sa lalawigan ng Bataan.