UTN Ibarra Open 2024

Seventy-one competitors converged on the Universidad Técnica del Norte on July 13, 2024, setting the stage for a high-tempo day of speedcubing in Ibarra, Ecuador. The UTN Ibarra Open 2024 packed six different events across nine intense rounds into a single, action-packed Saturday. From the very first solves of the morning, the venue buzzed with focus as participants from around the region took to their stations to test their technique against the official clock in front of fellow enthusiasts and judges.

The morning schedule opened with early-round heats that filtered contenders across both small and large puzzles. In the 2x2x2 Cube event, which drew a field of 24 starters over two rounds, Anthony Gerard Álvarez Ludeña made an immediate statement. He delivered an exceptional national record average of 2.02 seconds during the early stages, setting an electrifying benchmark for the entire cubing competition before later securing first place in the finals with a winning average of 2.50 seconds and a best single of 2.04.

As the day advanced into the afternoon, Álvarez Ludeña extended his control across nearly every format on the schedule. He captured the 4x4x4 Cube title with an average of 36.49 seconds, backed by a quick 32.61 single, holding off Luis Fernando Aldás Cuestas who took second with 47.76 and Jhonatan Caicedo in third at 50.82. Demonstrating remarkable versatility, Álvarez Ludeña then prevailed in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a winning average of 1:19.44 and a best single of 1:14.66, finishing ahead of Aldás Cuestas and Lady Mikaela Tapie Meneses.

The lone event of the weekend to elude Álvarez Ludeña was the Pyraminx, which featured 22 competitors in a direct final round. Ivan Alexander Bonilla Morales navigated the triangular puzzle with supreme efficiency, taking the victory with an average of 5.98 seconds and a best single of 4.55 seconds. Juan Andrés Reyes Espinoza followed closely in second place with an average of 6.76 seconds, while Sebastián Joel Herrera Manangon claimed the bronze step on the podium with a 6.91 average.

Beyond the championship battles, the tournament floor was full of meaningful milestones that captured the broader spirit of speed cubing. Sebastian Emiliano Briones Suarez delivered a dramatic breakthrough on the Pyraminx, cutting his personal best to 10.74 seconds, a remarkable 56.5 percent improvement over his previous mark. Alan Ismael Chandi Jara took on four events, securing a sixth-place best finish in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.70 personal best that improved his previous standard by 47.8 percent, alongside tackling his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 48.25. Diego Damián De La Cruz Córdova trimmed his 3x3x3 Cube best by 47.2 percent down to 28.73 seconds, while Joaquín Nicolás Cuenca Orbea dropped his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 16.24 seconds, 40.3 percent faster than before.

Other competitors embraced new challenges and recorded major progress across multiple disciplines. Marco Fabián Yepez Lima contested three events, posting a personal best of 17.11 seconds in the 3x3x3 Cube, an improvement of 38.5 percent, and registering his first ever attempt at Pyraminx with a time of 15.29. Jordan Zuña entered four events and earned a fourth-place best finish in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 51.82 personal record, while also completing his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 24.75 seconds. Matias Quilumba competed across four disciplines, achieving a seventh-place best finish in One-Handed and logging his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with 1:21.36. Making his official debut, Juandiego Calderón Freire embraced his first WCA competition by entering four events, securing a 12th-place best finish in the 4x4x4 Cube and notching his first official attempts in Pyraminx, 2x2x2, and the traditional 3x3x3.

Late in the afternoon, the one-handed variant of the classic Rubik's Cube brought a focused lineup of 13 participants to the tables. Álvarez Ludeña once again rose to the top of the standings, locking in the victory with an average of 17.48 seconds and a best single of 16.52 seconds. Aldás Cuestas secured his third runner-up position of the competition with a 24.65 average, edging Marcelo Martínez who rounded out the podium positions with an average of 24.69.

The culminating event of the tournament was the premier 3x3x3 Cube, which stood as the largest event of the day with 66 competitors battling through three full rounds. As the field narrowed to the final group, Álvarez Ludeña capped off his remarkable showing by taking first place with a 9.06 winning average and a single of 6.70. Herrera Manangon earned second place with an average of 10.80, while Aldás Cuestas finished third at 11.73, bringing a definitive close to the official 3x3 results.

The UTN Ibarra Open 2024 concluded having awarded 18 podium positions across its six disciplines, with Ecuadorian solvers sweeping every top-three spot. As the equipment was packed away at Universidad Técnica del Norte, the single-day gathering in Ibarra stood as a showcase of individual progression, record-setting precision, and vibrant competition that sets a solid foundation for the community heading into the next competitive season.