UPDS Open 2023

Sixty-nine competitors gathered under one roof as the Auditorio de la Universidad Privada Domingo Savio hosted high-stakes Rubik's Cube action. The UPDS Open 2023 took over La Paz, Bolivia on April 1, 2023, delivering eleven packed rounds of competition across four diverse events. From early qualifying heats to tense head-to-head finals, local standout Alejandro Marze Rossel gave the home fans plenty to cheer for throughout a breathless day of speedcubing. His commanding form across multiple disciplines set a high standard from the opening scramble to the last timer reset.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a massive field of 66 competitors through three demanding rounds of action. Marze Rossel proved untouchable over the final five solves, logging a winning average of 9.09 seconds and a standout single of 8.92. Fellow Bolivian competitor Josias Milan Sirpa Pinto pushed hard in the championship round, securing the runner-up spot with a 9.61 average. Luzio Batuani Conde took third place with a 9.96 mark, locking in an all-Bolivian podium and delivering world-class 3x3 results on the La Paz stage.

Marze Rossel was far from finished after his signature triumph in the main event. In the 4x4x4 Cube competition, which featured 24 competitors across two rounds, he captured his second title of the weekend in dominant fashion. He posted an event-winning average of 33.66 seconds alongside a blistering 26.78 single solve. Sirpa Pinto once again secured second place with a 36.27 average, while Batuani Conde claimed third with a mark of 40.51, completing an identical top-three finish for the two larger cube disciplines.

The smaller puzzles brought their own brand of rapid-fire excitement to the Auditorio. In the 2x2x2 Cube division, 46 contenders navigated three rounds of quick turnarounds. Henry Ramirez Escobar captured the top step of the podium with a winning average of 4.40 seconds, backed by a best single of 3.72. Xavier Antonio Balderrama finished right on his heels in second place with a 4.61 average, while Marze Rossel added to his medal haul by taking third place with a 5.05 average.

Pyraminx action also delivered sharp competition across three rounds featuring 34 competitors. Jose Mauricio Colque Mamani claimed victory with a balanced winning average of 5.13 seconds and a best single of 3.73. Jhersson Cabezas Luizaga took second place with an average of 5.48, while Nahuel Obando Boller rounded out the podium in third at 5.85. Across every event staged during the weekend, Bolivian competitors swept all twelve available podium positions in a remarkable display of domestic depth.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors reached significant individual milestones throughout the cubing competition. Antonella Rodriguez produced one of the sharpest drops of the entire meet, cutting her Pyraminx personal best down to 11.79 seconds, an improvement of 81.2 percent over her prior mark. Brenda Sarai Bravo Vargas took on two events, lowering her 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 38.27 seconds, which was 55.9 percent faster than before, while also making her first ever attempt at the 2x2x2 Cube with a 13.28 single. Danna Velasco cut her 3x3x3 Cube best by 54.5 percent to 28.83 seconds, and Gael Osvaldo Villarroel Torrez dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best by 50.2 percent to 28.78 seconds alongside a first 2x2x2 Cube attempt of 7.61.

The weekend also served as an exciting launchpad for new puzzle formats and tournament debuts. Salvador Asbel Aguirre Zabaleta set a personal best of 22.64 seconds in the 3x3x3 Cube, an improvement of 37.5 percent, and completed his first official Pyraminx solve in 12.61 seconds. Leonardo Fabricio Plata Terrazas recorded a 32 percent improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube with an 18.33 single, shaved his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 5.25 seconds, and logged a first Pyraminx attempt of 8.44 seconds. Nilo Erick Huanca Hilario entered his first official WCA competition, tackling four events with first attempts of 8.33 on 2x2x2, 8.37 on Pyraminx, and 1:35.79 on 4x4x4. Carlos Daniel Mamani Venegas also made his debut, posting opening marks of 41.94 on 3x3x3 and 21.88 on 2x2x2.

The 2023 edition of the tournament demonstrated the continuous growth of speed cubing across the region. With intense rivalries at the front of the pack and personal breakthroughs across every round, UPDS Open 2023 offered a comprehensive showcase of talent in La Paz. Competitors now head back to practice tables with fresh personal bests and new ambitions as the local scene looks ahead to the next season of competitive solving.