Valenzuela Cubing Open 2023

Ninety-one competitors took their stations at Valenzuela City People's Park on July 2, 2023, turning a packed one-day schedule into a masterclass in personal progression and high-speed solving. Valenzuela Cubing Open 2023 packed eight events across twelve rounds of play, drawing talent from across the region to test their preparation on the tournament stage. The atmosphere throughout the venue was defined by athletes continually outpacing their previous marks, resetting personal baselines from the opening rounds through the evening finals in Valenzuela City, Philippines.

Brenton Angelo Lo Wong produced the defining performance of the tournament, capturing top honours across three separate disciplines. In the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, Lo Wong secured victory in the final with a blistering 6.55 winning average, backed by a tournament-best single of 6.05 across three grueling rounds featuring 89 competitors. His clinical consistency kept him clear of Sean Patrick Villanueva, who finished second with a 7.14 average, and Karl Matthew Angeles, who earned third place with a 7.89 mark. The final 3x3 results capped a dominant showing that set the standard for the entire meet.

Lo Wong extended his dominance to the shorter formats and big cubes alike, winning both the 2x2x2 Cube and 4x4x4 Cube competitions. On the 2x2x2 Cube, Lo Wong delivered an extraordinary 2.10 average and an event-leading 1.14 single to lead a 68-competitor field, besting Yuji Yoshida at 3.03 and Jacob Miko Tan at 3.07. He then transitioned seamlessly to the 4x4x4 Cube, posting a 27.29 average alongside a 24.60 single. Ethan Gabriel R. Lao took second place with a 35.65 average, while Fergus Matthew Austria earned third with 36.61 in a competitive single-round contest.

Sean Patrick Villanueva delivered his own standout moments across the schedule, claiming two gold medals and a silver. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed final, Villanueva claimed victory with an 11.28 average and an 8.55 single, staying ahead of runner-up Jaybee Montecillo at 13.23 and Lo Wong at 13.53. Villanueva returned to top the podium in Megaminx, navigating the twelve-sided puzzle with a winning mark of 50.74. Nigeria's Ayooluwa Samuel Dada took second place in Megaminx with a 54.40 average, representing the sole international podium finish of the day, while Lo Wong added another podium placing with 56.98.

Beyond the championship trophies, this WCA competition served as a breakthrough platform for numerous competitors who saw months of dedicated practice yield massive time drops. Hans Vincent C. Cruz showcased remarkable progress across his four events, cutting his 2x2x2 personal best by 52.1 percent down to 1.68 seconds and dropping his one-handed mark by 37.7 percent to 15.75, while also improving his 3x3x3 single to 8.88 on his way to 13th in 2x2x2. Hiroyuki Iriyama tackled six disciplines, slicing his 2x2x2 personal record by 47.4 percent to 2.92 and taking 33.5 percent off his 4x4x4 best with a 53.11 single, alongside a 28.62 personal record in one-handed solving on his way to 14th in Skewb. Ahmad Mendoza achieved a 44.5 percent improvement in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 37.38 single and logged a first ever attempt in 2x2x2 Cube of 5.25. James A. Acana competed in five events, improving his Skewb best by 37.7 percent to 7.19, trimming his 4x4x4 mark to 54.91, and setting a 2:04.13 Megaminx personal best to finish 8th.

The surge of career-best times continued across a range of complex disciplines. Aaron Yuzon entered three events and improved his 2x2x2 best by 28.4 percent to 3.31, dropped his 3x3x3 single by 9.9 percent to 9.15, and completed a first ever attempt in 4x4x4 Cube at 40.87 to take 18th in 2x2x2. Xyruss Gatchalian advanced his Rubik's Cube best by 24.7 percent to 7.36, delivered a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 31.32 and a first ever attempt in 3x3x3 Blindfolded of 2:47.31, while finishing 5th in one-handed solving. Ryan Cabanlig took 8th in 4x4x4 Cube with a 17.8 percent improvement to 35.13, made a first ever attempt in Skewb at 6.33, and lowered his blindfolded best by 13.9 percent to 2:02.90. Eivan Harrie V. Cañizares registered a first ever attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 16.10 on his way to 9th place, while improving his 2x2x2 to 3.36 and his 4x4x4 to 44.39.

Specialist events added further excitement to the proceedings, showcasing the depth of the local speedcubing community. In Pyraminx, Karl Matthew Angeles claimed the title with a swift 3.62 average and 2.99 single across two rounds, edging Justin Andrew Dee at 3.78 and Nikolai Harvey Sy Zipagan at 3.93. The Skewb tournament went to Ivan Keith Cariaga, whose 3.55 average and 1.99 single secured top spot over Yuji Yoshida at 4.64 and Jhon Zedrick Fontanilla at 5.06. Memory and precision took center stage in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, where John Axel B. Gordo took the crown with a 41.32 single, clear of Villanueva at 1:07.23 and Ryan Francisco at 1:19.91.

With 23 podium finishes claimed by local competitors and dozens of athletes reaching unprecedented personal milestones, Valenzuela Cubing Open 2023 highlighted the thriving state of speed cubing in the Philippines. The one-day gathering proved how rapidly the standard of execution is climbing across every puzzle format. As the tournament drew to a close at the People's Park, participants departed with upgraded personal records and valuable competitive experience, setting a vibrant foundation for the remainder of the 2023 calendar.

Puno ng sigla at matinding pokus ang bulwagan sa Valenzuela City People's Park habang nagtitipon ang mga kalahok para sa isang buong araw ng mabilisang paglutas. Ang tunog ng mga umiikot na mekanismo at ang pagbagsak ng mga kamay sa Speedcubing timer matapos ang bawat solve ang bumalot sa buong paligid. Sa mismong puso ng Valenzuela City, Philippines noong Hulyo 2, 2023, dinala ng paligsahan ang pinakamagagaling na manlalaro sa bansa upang magtagisan sa iba't ibang kategorya ng Rubik's Cube.

Ang Valenzuela Cubing Open 2023 ay umakit ng kabuuang 91 kalahok na sumabak sa 8 kategorya at 12 rounds ng pukpukang labanan. Sa bawat mesa, makikita ang determinasyon ng mga manlalaro mula sa pinakabatang baguhan hanggang sa mga beterano ng speedcubing circuit. Naging sentro ng atensyon ang venue dahil sa maayos na daloy ng mga heat at ang masiglang palitan ng suporta sa pagitan ng mga kasali at mga manonood.

Nanguna sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube event si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong matapos magtala ng winning average na 6.55 at pinakamahusay na single na 6.05 sa huling round laban sa 89 na kalahok. Pumangalawa sa podium si Sean Patrick Villanueva na may average na 7.14 habang pumangatlo naman si Karl Matthew Angeles sa bilis na 7.89. Hindi lang doon natapos ang dominasyon ni Wong sa buong paligsahan.

Humakot pa ng dalawa pang kampeonato si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong upang patatagin ang kanyang pangalan sa torneo. Siya ang nagwagi sa 2x2x2 Cube na may winning average na 2.10 at best single na 1.14, kung saan sumunod sina Yuji Yoshida na may 3.03 at Jacob Miko Tan na may 3.07. Sa 4x4x4 Cube, muling nanguna si Wong sa pamamagitan ng 27.29 average laban kina Ethan Gabriel R. Lao na nagtala ng 35.65 at Fergus Matthew Austria na may 36.61.

Nagpakitang-gilas din si Sean Patrick Villanueva na nag-uwi ng dalawang gintong medalya. Pinangunahan niya ang 3x3x3 One-Handed sa winning average na 11.28 at best single na 8.55 laban kay Jaybee Montecillo na may 13.23 at Wong na may 13.53. Naghari rin si Villanueva sa Megaminx nang magtala ng winning average na 50.74, naungusan si Ayooluwa Samuel Dada ng Nigeria na may 54.40 at si Wong na nagtapos sa 56.98.

Sa likod ng mga numero sa podium ng Valenzuela Cubing Open 2023, maraming kalahok ang gumawa ng malalaking hakbang sa kanilang mga karera. Si Isaac Derek Macinas ay nagtala ng 35.4 porsyentong bilis sa kanyang personal best sa Skewb na 5.84 at nagtapos sa ika-10 puwesto. Pinatunayan din ni John Redney Carpio ang kanyang galing nang putulin ang kanyang oras sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 20.54, na 30.2 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa dati, bukod pa sa kanyang 7.66 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube. Si Jaywhell Del Rosario ay nagtala ng personal best na 7.71 sa Pyraminx na 23.4 porsyentong mas mabilis, 4.51 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 12.36 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Samantala, si Johnpaul Benito ay nagtala ng personal best na 8.98 sa Pyraminx at sumubok sa unang pagkakataon sa Skewb sa bilis na 11.62.

Naging espesyal din ang paligsahan para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Si Archie G. Jamlan ay pumasok sa pitong magkakaibang event, kabilang ang kanyang unang subok sa Pyraminx sa 9.81, 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 32.68, at Skewb sa 11.68, habang nakamit ang ika-10 puwesto sa Megaminx. Si Gabriel Dioquino ay sumabak sa apat na kategorya at nagtala ng 50.54 sa 4x4x4 Cube, 19.25 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, at 10.18 sa 3x3x3 Cube sa kanyang unang subok. Gayundin si Aries Eric R. Pronebo na nagtala ng 7.71 sa Pyraminx at 10.96 sa 3x3x3 Cube sa kanyang unang paglahok, habang si Julius Pira ay umabot sa ika-20 puwesto sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa oras na 21.10 kasabay ng kanyang unang subok sa 4x4x4 Cube na 1:18.70.

Sa iba pang mga kategorya, nagwagi si Karl Matthew Angeles sa Pyraminx tangan ang 3.62 winning average laban kina Justin Andrew Dee na may 3.78 at Nikolai Harvey Sy Zipagan na may 3.93. Sa Skewb, nakamit ni Ivan Keith Cariaga ang unang puwesto sa average na 3.55, kung saan pumangalawa si Yuji Yoshida sa 4.64 at pumangatlo si Jhon Zedrick Fontanilla sa 5.06.

Ang 3x3x3 Blindfolded, na nangangailangan ng masusing memorya bago ang paglutas nang nakapiring, ay pinagwagian ni John Axel B. Gordo sa pamamagitan ng best single na 41.32. Pumangalawa si Sean Patrick Villanueva na nagtala ng 1:07.23 habang pumangatlo si Ryan Francisco na may 1:19.91 sa naturang kategorya.

Nagtapos ang buong torneo na nag-iwan ng magagandang alaala at inspirasyon para sa komunidad ng mga speedcuber. Sa kabuuang 24 na pwesto sa podium sa walong kategorya, 23 ang nasungkit ng Pilipinas habang isa ang naiuwi ng Nigeria. Ang tagumpay ng buong araw sa Valenzuela City People's Park ay nagpatunay sa lumalagong galing at sigasig ng mga kalahok sa bawat cubing competition sa bansa.