Valenzuela Cubing Open 2024

Inside the bustling shopping complex of SM Valenzuela, rows of competition timing mats and display timers drew a focused crowd for a full single-day showcase of puzzle mastery. Competitors adjusted their tensioning, studied scrambling tables, and prepared to battle through a tight schedule across six official events. With 64 competitors packing the venue in Valenzuela City, Philippines on July 13, 2024, advancing through the brackets demanded precision from the very first solve. The energy of the busy venue set the stage for an intense day of high-stakes speedcubing.

The flagship Rubik's Cube division delivered a grueling test of depth, requiring three separate rounds to decide the champion. Out of 61 competitors who entered the main event, only the most consistent performers survived the cuts to contest the final. Karl Matthew Angeles secured the title with a composed winning average of 8.55 seconds, holding off a sharp pursuit from runner-up Jaybee Montecillo, who finished with an 8.76 average. John Michael Chua claimed third place with a 9.09 average. Angeles also logged the fastest single solve of the entire event, stopping the clock at 6.80 seconds during his march to victory.

With 53 contenders lining up for the fast-paced 2x2x2 Cube, qualifying margins were razor thin in a direct single-round battle. Bearwin Jairus Jovellanos Cruz took top honors with an average of 2.83 seconds alongside a best single of 2.23 seconds. Jeremiah S. Ajido pushed the pace to earn second place with a 3.20 average and a single of 2.78 seconds, while Karl Matthew Angeles added another medal to his tally by taking third with a 3.51 average. The event featured exceptional depth, with competitors like Mahonri Mradz Toledo recording a 2.33 single and John Michael Chua delivering a swift 1.92 single.

Richmond Mico Rigor produced a commanding double-championship run across the big cubes, demonstrating exceptional stamina in multi-layered events. In the 4x4x4 Cube, which drew 37 competitors across two rounds, Rigor clinched first place with a 30.34 winning average and an event-best single of 26.84 seconds. John Michael Chua took second place with a 34.07 average, while Mark Aeron Santos rounded out the podium at 34.89. Rigor returned to the table in the 7x7x7 Cube, capturing his second gold with a 2:40.53 average ahead of Louie Jay Quibote at 2:42.78 and Cel Adriane Lalo at 2:51.95.

The 5x5x5 Cube brought another thrilling head-to-head matchup among the podium regulars, featuring 22 competitors in a single decisive round. Mark Aeron Santos claimed the championship with a winning average of 56.26 seconds, built on a steady event-best single solve of 54.42 seconds. Santos narrowly edged out Richmond Mico Rigor, who took second place just fractions behind with a 56.57 average, while Louie Jay Quibote earned bronze with an average of 1:00.14. Every round proved demanding, making each podium spot a testament to absolute control over complex turning sequences.

Away from the top of the podium, several participants made substantial leaps in their personal benchmarks across multiple disciplines at Valenzuela Cubing Open 2024. Brandon Shadrach D. Toledo achieved a major progression in the 2x2x2 Cube, cutting his previous mark by 59.4 percent down to a 6.32 personal best, while also improving his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 20.2 percent to 26.49. Rhylene Gianetty L. Alvarez dropped her 3x3x3 Cube best to 13.70 seconds, an improvement of 52.6 percent, while completing her first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:53.90. Prince Kristoff M. Pizon advanced his 2x2x2 Cube best by 48.7 percent to 3.48 seconds and logged a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 1:13.62.

Expanding repertoire was a major theme across the field during this WCA competition. Angela Denize Gamos entered four events, setting a 2x2x2 Cube best of 5.56 seconds that was 27.7 percent faster than before, while posting a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 1:43.09 and a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 3:15.03. Edwin D. Montenegro Jr. tackled five different disciplines, securing 10th place in the 7x7x7 Cube with a first ever attempt of 5:05.04 alongside debut times in 4x4x4 Cube of 40.46 and 5x5x5 Cube of 1:25.31. Vladimir Ramon F. Mendez delivered a 26 percent drop in 5x5x5 Cube to 1:33.62, Jacob Michael Ting Blanco improved his 2x2x2 Cube best to 4.05 seconds, and Jarell Ely Villanueva Mamorbor took 19th in 2x2x2 Cube while recording a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 3:02.35.

The quietest and most intense segment of the cubing competition arrived with the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, where solving depends entirely on flawless memorisation before the blindfold drops. Ian Guevarra Santos captured the title with a winning average of 18.94 seconds, highlighted by a rapid single of 16.38 seconds. John Axel B. Gordo took second place with a 30.17 average, while Earl Bien D. Celestino earned third place with an average of 1:44.35 out of the six competitors who stepped up to the blindfolded challenge.

With 18 podium spots awarded exclusively to domestic competitors across nine hard-fought rounds, the action reflected the incredible local strength in modern speed cubing. The final 3x3 results capped a high-intensity program that tested mental resilience from morning to evening. As the gathering at Valenzuela Cubing Open 2024 concluded, participants celebrated hard-earned personal records, broad multi-event participation, and another vibrant milestone for the sport in the region.

Umapaw ang sigla sa loob ng SM Valenzuela nang magtipon ang animnapu't apat na kalahok para sa isang buong araw ng matinding tapatan sa speedcubing. Sa bawat sulok ng bulwagan, maririnig ang mabilis na lagutok ng mga puzzle habang abala ang lahat sa pag-ensayo ng kanilang mga daliri bago ang opisyal na tawag. Ang paligsahang ito sa Valenzuela City, Philippines ay nagbigay-daan upang muling maipakita ng mga manlalaro ang kanilang husay at bilis sa paglutas ng iba't ibang kategorya.

Sa pagbubukas ng Valenzuela Cubing Open 2024 noong July 13, 2024, muling pinatunayan ng mga beteranong kalahok ang kanilang matatag na porma sa ibabaw ng entablado. Sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube na nilahukan ng animnapu't isang manlalaro sa tatlong rounds, ipinamalas ni Karl Matthew Angeles ang kahanga-hangang galing upang masungkit ang unang puwesto gamit ang winning average na 8.55 at best single na 6.80. Pumangalawa sa kanya si Jaybee Montecillo na nagtala ng 8.76 average, habang nakuha naman ni John Michael Chua ang ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 9.09 average sa pinal na laban ng klasikong Rubik's Cube.

Hindi rin nagpahuli ang mga bihasang kamay sa mas malalaking kategorya ng torneo. Naging bida si Richmond Mico Rigor matapos dominahin ang dalawang magkaibang dibisyon sa Valenzuela Cubing Open 2024. Wagi si Rigor sa 4x4x4 Cube na may winning average na 30.34 at best single na 26.84 laban sa tatlumpu't pitong katunggali, kung saan pumangalawa si John Michael Chua sa 34.07 at pumangatlo si Mark Aeron Santos sa 34.89. Muling naghari si Rigor sa 7x7x7 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 2:40.53 winning average at 2:36.41 best single laban sa labing-isang kalahok, habang sumunod sa kanya sina Louie Jay Quibote na may 2:42.78 at Cel Adriane Lalo na may 2:51.95.

Sa 5x5x5 Cube, nagkaroon ng dikdikang tapatan ang mga kilalang pangalan kung saan nangibabaw si Mark Aeron Santos. Naitala ni Santos ang winning average na 56.26 at best single na 54.42 upang talunin ang dalawampu't isang iba pang kalahok. Pumangalawa sa naturang dibisyon si Richmond Mico Rigor na may 56.57 average, habang si Louie Jay Quibote naman ang pumangatlo sa kanyang 1:00.14. Sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded, kung saan kailangan ang matinding memorya bago buuin ang puzzle nang nakapiring, nagwagi si Ian Guevarra Santos sa 18.94 average at 16.38 single, kasunod sina John Axel B. Gordo sa 30.17 at Earl Bien D. Celestino sa 1:44.35.

Mabilis din ang naging takbo ng 2x2x2 Cube na umakit ng limampu't tatlong kalahok sa nag-iisang round nito. Nasungkit ni Bearwin Jairus Jovellanos Cruz ang kampeonato tangan ang 2.83 winning average at 2.23 best single. Nakuha ni Jeremiah S. Ajido ang ikalawang puwesto sa kanyang 3.20 average, habang si Karl Matthew Angeles ay pumangatlo sa 3.51. Sa kategoryang ito, buong giting na nagtala ng kani-kanilang opisyal na resulta ang labing-walong podium finishers na pawang kumatawan sa Pilipinas, kasama ang partisipasyon ng mga dayuhang tulad ni Rui-Jun Liu mula sa Taiwan na nagtala ng 3.83 average at 3.16 single.

Sa likod ng mga nagtataasang tropeo, naging saksi ang cubing competition sa mga personal na tagumpay ng mga manlalarong patuloy na humahasa sa kanilang kakayahan. Ipinamalas ni Kendrick Cornelio De la Cruz ang malaking hakbang sa 3x3x3 Cube sa kanyang bagong personal best na 13.95, na tatlumpung porsyento at kalahati na mas mabilis kaysa sa dating 20.08. Si Liam Daniele M. Villaflores naman ay sumabak sa dalawang events at nagtala ng dalawampu't anim na porsyento at tatlong decimal na tapyas sa kanyang 3x3x3 Cube personal best sa oras na 15.38 mula 20.86, kasabay ng 5.30 personal best sa 2x2x2 Cube mula 6.56. Sa limang kategoryang nilahukan ni Diego Basilio Benedetto Ortega, pinatunayan niya ang kanyang sipag nang itarak ang 7:13.78 sa 7x7x7 Cube na dalawampu't tatlong porsyento at isang decimal na mas mabilis sa dating 9:24.12, pati na ang 1:55.92 sa 5x5x5 Cube at 3.69 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Samantala, lumaban si Raffael Mateusz M. Malolos sa tatlong events kung saan nakuha niya ang ika-labing-anim na puwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube gamit ang 3.76 personal best mula 3.92, kasabay ng unang subok sa 4x4x4 Cube na nagtala ng 58.06.

Naging espesyal din ang araw para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Si Abram Bañel ay sumabak agad sa tatlong kategorya at umabot sa ika-labing-isang puwesto sa 3x3x3 Cube na may 8.16, habang nagtala ng 3.13 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 1:02.05 sa 4x4x4 Cube sa kanyang mga unang pagsubok. Matapang ding hinarap ni Anthony M. Alpapara ang apat na magkakaibang events kung saan nakapagtala siya ng 17.74 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 6.66 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 2:49.97 sa 5x5x5 Cube para sa ika-dalawampung puwesto. Nagpakitang-gilas din si Jhon Mark M. Climaco sa tatlong events sa pamamagitan ng 10.24 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 3.72 sa 2x2x2 Cube, at 1:05.32 sa 4x4x4 Cube, habang si Raymund Allan P. del Socorro naman ay matagumpay na nagtala ng 10.04 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 34.00 sa 3x3x3 Cube sa kanyang pasinaya sa entablado.

Nagtapos ang Valenzuela Cubing Open 2024 sa taong 2024 na nag-iwan ng magagandang alaala sa bawat manlalaro at tagasubaybay sa SM Valenzuela. Mula sa siyam na rounds ng anim na kategorya, naipakita ng komunidad ang pagkakaisa at dedikasyon sa larangan. Ang tagumpay ng mga beterano at ang pag-usbong ng mga bagong kalahok ay nagpapatunay lamang na patuloy ang paglago at sigla ng kompetisyon sa bansa para sa mga susunod pang yugto ng palakasan.