Valenzuela Sides Challenge 2024

A blistering 3.97 second winning average on Clock by Zoei Principe set an electrifying benchmark at SM City Valenzuela on September 1, 2024. That lightning-fast mark highlighted a day of rapid development across the board, with young and emerging solvers showing how quickly they are accelerating through the ranks of the sport. The one-day gathering proved that talent in the region is progressing at an extraordinary pace, with top-tier marks falling in rapid succession across multiple disciplines.

Hosted in the City of Valenzuela, Philippines, the Valenzuela Sides Challenge 2024 brought together 55 competitors to contest 12 rounds of action across 7 events. This high-energy cubing competition offered a full showcase of side events alongside the classic puzzles. Throughout the busy schedule, rising solvers pushed their limits, turning in swift times on everything from the twisty geometry of the Pyraminx to the multi-layered challenge of the Megaminx.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 51 competitors across 2 rounds, delivering some of the day's most intense drama. Stephen Mark V. Mariñas captured the victory with a standout 7.79 winning average, backed by a best single of 5.83. Christian Naguio took second place with an 8.64 average, while Mharr Justhinne Ampong rounded out the podium in third at 8.76. Fans tracking the 3x3 results witnessed sheer precision from Mariñas, who led the field through both rounds of classic Rubik's Cube solving.

Naguio soon climbed to the top step of the podium in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, securing first place among 36 competitors with a 13.34 average and a 11.98 single. Karl Matthew Angeles followed in second with 14.80, and Ampong earned another podium spot in third with 16.00. In Pyraminx, Jansen Alvarez dominated a field of 44 entrants over 3 rounds, winning with a sharp 2.73 average and an event-best 1.71 single, holding off Mariñas in second at 3.04 and Craig Luke Jimeno in third at 3.41.

The diverse lineup of events gave speedcubing specialists plenty of opportunities to display their technical range. In Skewb, Kenneth Carlos took first place out of 38 contenders with a 3.45 average, finishing ahead of Yuji Yoshida at 4.14 and Ampong at 4.80. Megaminx saw Enika Aubrey Maninang top a 26-competitor field with a 45.15 winning average and a 40.21 single, while Naguio claimed second at 52.23 and Alvarez secured third at 54.30. In Square-1, Jacob Miko Tan (陈在元) earned victory with a 12.34 average, edging Francis Yuel B. Merced at 13.20 and Karl Martin Montealto at 15.58.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, the heart of this WCA competition belonged to several rising solvers taking on major milestones. Ayiesha Digma had an exceptional day across 3 events, slashing her 3x3x3 Cube personal best down to 12.09 from 15.92, an improvement of 24.1 percent, alongside a 25th-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed featuring a first attempt of 29.35 and a first Clock mark of 12.88. Jerome P. Castro Jr. took on 5 events, achieving an 11th-place finish in Pyraminx while logging first-time attempts of 9.42 in Clock, 5.92 in Skewb, and 24.06 in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

That adventurous spirit extended to other developing competitors expanding their event portfolios. Journey Elijah H. Bonus tackled 4 events, earning 23rd place in Megaminx while recording debut attempts of 10.74 in Pyraminx, 9.20 in Skewb, and 2:52.38 in Megaminx. Rennel Marcos entered 6 events, securing 7th place in Square-1 alongside first-time competition marks of 32.06 in One-Handed, 14.06 in Skewb, and 4:31.02 in Megaminx. James Anthony S. Vergara competed in 4 events, placing 16th in 3x3x3 Cube while registering new marks of 19.55 in One-Handed, 1:22.17 in Megaminx, and 10.93 in Skewb. Kristelle Marjorie Pascual Milante completed 4 events with a 22nd-place Megaminx finish, logging first attempts of 2:37.99 in Megaminx, 29.47 in One-Handed, and 5.50 in Pyraminx.

The Clock event produced a thrilling battle where Zoei Principe earned first place with a 3.97 average, followed by Zian Principe in second at 4.86 and Nicole Santos in third at 6.32. Across the 7 disciplines, all 21 podium positions went to competitors representing the Philippines, underlining the tremendous depth of the national scene.

As the final timers stopped, the Valenzuela Sides Challenge 2024 wrapped up as a resounding celebration of modern speed cubing. The rapid progress of young competitors across Valenzuela showed that the sport is evolving faster than ever. Solvers left SM City Valenzuela with new personal bests, milestone times, and valuable tournament experience that sets the stage for an exciting upcoming season.

Napuno ng sigla at mabilis na galawan ang SM City Valenzuela sa pagbubukas ng mga entablado para sa speedcubing. Nagtipon ang mga kalahok at mga tagapanood sa City of Valenzuela, Philippines noong September 1, 2024 upang saksihan ang mga pinakamahuhusay na manlalaro sa bansa. Mula sa mga tradisyonal na Rubik's Cube hanggang sa mga kakaibang hugis ng puzzle, naging sentro ang bulwagan ng matinding konsentrasyon at bilis sa bawat pag-ikot ng mga kamay.

Sa kabuuang limampu't limang kalahok na sumabak sa pitong kategorya at labindalawang rounds, ang Valenzuela Sides Challenge 2024 ay naghatid ng matitinding labanan sa bawat round. Ang pangunahing kaganapan na 3x3x3 Cube ay nagtampok ng limampu't isang kalahok kung saan nanguna si Stephen Mark V. Mariñas. Naiuwi ni Mariñas ang tagumpay sa pamamagitan ng winning average na 7.79 at pinakamabilis na winning single na 5.83 matapos ang dalawang rounds ng mainit na tapatan.

Pumangalawa sa 3x3x3 Cube si Christian Naguio na nagtala ng average na 8.64, habang pumangatlo naman si Mharr Justhinne Ampong na may 8.76. Sa Pyraminx na nilahukan ng apatnapu't apat na manlalaro sa tatlong rounds, si Jansen Alvarez ang naghari tangan ang winning average na 2.73 at best single na 1.71. Sumunod sa kanya si Stephen Mark V. Mariñas na may 3.04 average at Craig Luke Jimeno na pumangatlo sa kanyang 3.41 average.

Hindi nagpahuli si Christian Naguio sa 3x3x3 One-Handed matapos magkampeon sa tatlumpu't anim na kalahok gamit ang 13.34 winning average at 11.98 best single. Tinalo niya sina Karl Matthew Angeles na nagtala ng 14.80 at Mharr Justhinne Ampong na nagrehistro ng 16.00. Sa Skewb, tinalo ni Kenneth Carlos ang tatlumpu't pitong katunggali nang magtala ng 3.45 average, habang pumangalawa si Yuji Yoshida sa 4.14 at pumangatlo si Mharr Justhinne Ampong sa 4.80.

Sa likod ng mga opisyal na podium sa cubing competition na ito, nagpamalas ng sariling husay ang mga sumisikat na manlalaro. Si Prince Kristoff M. Pizon na sumabak sa limang events ay nagtala ng personal best na 24.37 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed mula sa dating 38.61 na 36.9 porsyentong mas mabilis, kasabay ng 7.50 sa Pyraminx mula sa dating 10.52. Samantala, si Sam David A. Viduya ay nagpakitang-gilas sa apat na events kung saan naibaba niya ang kanyang Skewb record sa 14.43 mula 22.32 na 35.3 porsyentong bilis, at 15.83 sa 3x3x3 Cube.

Nagtala rin ng malalaking hakbang si Cyrus James R. Locre na sumabak sa apat na kategorya kabilang ang kanyang unang subok sa Skewb na may 15.52 at Clock na may 14.99, habang binasag ang kanyang 3x3x3 Cube personal best sa 13.06 mula 16.69. Sa tatlong events, sumabak sa unang pagkakataon si Jhon Mark M. Climaco sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na may 23.78 at Pyraminx na may 11.39, habang nagtala ng 8.69 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Si John Lendon P. Segundo ay lumaban sa pitong events kasama ang unang subok sa Square-1 na 1:28.17 at bagong personal best sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 16.72. Sumabak naman si Kris Clarence B. Dizon sa tatlong kategorya kabilang ang kanyang mga unang opisyal na solve sa Pyraminx na 13.32 at Clock na 21.78.

Nagpatuloy ang mga labanan sa iba pang sangay ng side events kung saan nagwagi si Zoei Principe sa Clock matapos magtala ng 3.97 winning average laban sa tatlumpu't isang katunggali. Pumangalawa si Zian Principe na may 4.86 at pumangatlo si Nicole Santos na nagtala ng 6.32 average. Sa Megaminx naman, nakuha ni Enika Aubrey Maninang ang unang pwesto laban sa dalawampu't limang katunggali hawak ang 45.15 winning average at 40.21 best single.

Tinapos ni Jacob Miko Tan (陈在元) ang kumpetisyon sa Square-1 bilang kampeon sa labing-apat na manlalaro sa pamamagitan ng 12.34 winning average at 11.31 best single, kasunod sina Francis Yuel B. Merced na may 13.20 at Karl Martin Montealto na may 15.58. Lahat ng dalawampu't isang podium finishes sa buong paligsahan ay nasungkit ng mga kinatawan ng Pilipinas. Ang matagumpay na pagtatapos ng Valenzuela Sides Challenge 2024 sa taong 2024 ay nag-iwan ng magagandang marka sa bawat WCA competition.

Naging patunay ang buong araw sa City of Valenzuela, Philippines na patuloy ang pag-angat ng antas ng bilis at talento sa komunidad. Ang bawat round at opisyal na resulta ay sumasalamin sa dedikasyon ng bawat kalahok na humawak ng puzzle sa entablado. Sa pagtatapos ng torneo sa SM City Valenzuela, nananatiling mataas ang pamantayan para sa mga susunod pang yugto ng palakasan sa bansa.