West Visayas Championship 2023

A mere twenty-one hundredths of a second separated the top two spots in the premier Rubik's Cube final at SM City Bacolod. Leo Borromeo captured the title with a blistering 6.04 winning average across five solves, holding off Sean Patrick Villanueva who finished right behind at 6.25. The high-stakes showdown capped a phenomenal display of speedcubing at the West Visayas Championship 2023, where 53 contenders battled through three intense rounds before Borromeo secured top honors with a weekend-best single of 5.30. Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc rounded out the podium in third place with an 8.07 average.

Held across May 27 and May 28, the cubing competition brought together 55 competitors to Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines for 22 rounds across 14 events. Fans following the 3x3 results saw remarkable depth, but the dramatic margins extended across the entire schedule. Big cube races and side events delivered equally tense finishes in an electric atmosphere that highlighted the incredible talent active across the region in 2023.

Borromeo also claimed a commanding victory in the 4x4x4 Cube, producing a winning average of 26.10 and a best single of 21.62 across two rounds. Palisoc secured second place with 32.59, while Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. followed closely in third at 33.61. Aguirre enjoyed a standout weekend of his own, winning the 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.73 average after posting a 1.98 single, and topping Square-1 with a 17.27 average ahead of Brian Acuña at 18.32 and Miguel Gonzaga at 18.68.

The larger puzzles featured intense, back-and-forth podium battles between familiar frontrunners. Palisoc captured double gold on the big cubes, winning the 5x5x5 Cube in 54.15 over Dale Palmares at 57.12 and Aguirre at 58.27. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Palisoc topped the podium with a 1:47.76 mean, edging Palmares at 1:49.53 and Gonzaga at 1:56.43. Palmares answered back in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a winning average of 2:42.04 to lead Gonzaga at 2:53.36 and Palisoc at 2:54.79.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their events. Andre Louis B. Tanalgo delivered massive personal bests across eight events, cutting his 5x5x5 mark by 48.8 percent down to 2:06.34, taking 35.6 percent off his 2x2x2 to reach 3.84, improving his 4x4x4 by 29.1 percent to 52.59, and finishing sixth in Fewest Moves. Michael Mirasol took on five events, logging his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 in 1:13.37, slashing his 4x4x4 personal best by 43 percent to 34.36, improving his 3x3 time by 19.4 percent to 7.84, and claiming fifth in 2x2x2. Kian I. Lee entered seven disciplines and finished seventh in 6x6x6, dropping his One-Handed mark by 38.7 percent to 12.21, his 5x5x5 by 15.4 percent to 1:14.37, and his 6x6x6 by 10.2 percent to 2:45.34. Ianne Theodore D. Pastera competed in six events, placing eighth in Pyraminx, making a first 4x4x4 attempt of 1:01.80, and cutting 26 percent off One-Handed to 30.89 alongside a 20.1 percent improvement in 3x3 to 11.11.

The breakthrough performances continued through the ranks as athletes took on fresh disciplines. John Michael Amodia Delos Santos entered six events, claiming 11th in Megaminx, recording his first 5x5x5 solve at 1:43.66, and cutting 16.8 percent from his One-Handed best to 19.42 along with a 7.5 percent 4x4x4 drop to 49.23. Daniel Symon P. Dizon took on five events, finishing 15th in 2x2x2 while recording first-ever official attempts in 4x4x4 at 1:55.77, One-Handed at 43.86, and Pyraminx at 8.56. Jiro D. Ueno tackled six events, registering first career marks in 2x2x2 at 5.62, Clock at 15.53, and One-Handed at 31.89. Cristoffe Alito completed two events, marking a first 2x2x2 attempt at 8.06 and improving his 3x3 personal best by 20.8 percent down to 22.02.

Villanueva found victory in two major categories, winning 3x3x3 One-Handed with an 11.15 average and an 8.56 single, while also dominating Megaminx with a 53.13 average and a 47.50 single. Mars Daniel Kudemus demonstrated versatility across two distinct formats, winning Pyraminx with a 3.57 average and a 2.41 single over two rounds, and taking first in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a best single solve of 42 moves.

Kirby Jay Caragan claimed the Skewb crown with a 4.19 winning average, leading Gonzaga at 5.17 and Aguirre at 5.35. Chrisgel G. Tubianosa earned the Clock victory with a 9.42 average and an 8.91 single. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Xander Louis Gasparillo secured first place with a single of 1:14.44, finishing ahead of Bea Alexandra Marie Flores at 1:37.59 and Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado at 3:32.75.

The two-day WCA competition highlighted the incredible momentum of speed cubing in the Visayas, with Filipino athletes earning 41 podium places alongside one podium finish from the United Kingdom. From razor-thin margins at the top of the leaderboard to personal breakthroughs across the roster, the West Visayas Championship 2023 delivered a memorable showcase of skill and precision in Bacolod City.

Bahagyang 0.21 segundo lamang ang naghiwalay sa unang dalawang pwesto sa pangunahing 3x3x3 Cube final, kung saan nasungkit ni Leo Borromeo ang tagumpay laban kay Sean Patrick Villanueva sa West Visayas Championship 2023. Nagtala si Borromeo ng winning average na 6.04 at pinakamabilis na single na 5.30 sa huling round, habang pumangalawa naman si Villanueva na may 6.25 average. Si Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc ang pumangatlo sa naturang event na may 8.07 average sa isang kapana-panabik na pagtatapos sa SM City Bacolod.

Naganap ang dalawang araw na speedcubing torneo noong Mayo 27 hanggang Mayo 28, 2023 sa Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. Umani ang kumpetisyon ng 55 kalahok mula sa iba't ibang panig upang magtagisan sa 14 na opisyal na events na sumasaklaw sa 22 rounds. Pinatunayan ng mga kalahok ang kanilang husay sa paglutas ng tanyag na Rubik's Cube at iba pang uri ng puzzle sa bawat round ng paligsahan.

Bukod sa kanyang tagumpay sa 3x3x3 Cube, nagpakitang-gilas din si Leo Borromeo sa 4x4x4 Cube matapos magtala ng winning average na 26.10 at best single na 21.62 upang makuha ang unang pwesto laban kina Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc na nagtala ng 32.59 at Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. na may 33.61. Si Palisoc naman ay nangibabaw sa mas malalaking puzzle, kung saan napanalunan niya ang 5x5x5 Cube sa average na 54.15 at ang 6x6x6 Cube sa average na 1:47.76 laban sa mahigpit na karibal na si Dale Palmares.

Hindi rin nagpahuli si Dale Palmares sa pinakamalaking puzzle ng weekend matapos niyang dominahin ang 7x7x7 Cube sa pamamagitan ng winning average na 2:42.04 at best single na 2:23.56 laban kina Miguel Gonzaga at Inigo Miguel B. Palisoc. Samantala, si Sean Patrick Villanueva ay nagwagi sa dalawang magkaibang dibisyon sa pamamagitan ng pagrehistro ng 11.15 winning average sa 3x3x3 One-Handed at 53.13 average sa Megaminx, patunay ng malawak na galing sa cubing competition na ito.

Sa mas mabilisang mga kategorya, nasungkit ni Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. ang kampeonato sa 2x2x2 Cube na may 2.73 winning average at nagwagi rin siya sa Square-1 sa average na 17.27. Si Mars Daniel Kudemus ay nagwagi sa Pyraminx sa bilis na 3.57 average pati na rin sa 3x3x3 Fewest Moves gamit ang 42 moves single. Nakuha naman ni Kirby Jay Caragan ang unang pwesto sa Skewb sa bilis na 4.19, habang si Chrisgel G. Tubianosa ang nanguna sa Clock sa average na 9.42, at si Xander Louis Gasparillo ang nagwagi sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded sa pamamagitan ng 1:14.44 single.

Sa likod ng mga podium, marami ring kalahok ang nagtala ng mga kahanga-hangang pagsulong sa kanilang mga personal best sa West Visayas Championship 2023. Pinatunayan ito ni Uzziel Galinea Tolosa na sumabak sa 4 na kategorya at nagtala ng malaking pagbawas sa kanyang Pyraminx personal best na 8.80 mula 13.29, na 33.8 porsyento na mas mabilis, kasabay ng 10.78 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 1:25.66 sa One-Handed. Si Mikhail Joseph Baldeo ay nagtala ng ika-4 na pwesto sa 2x2x2 Cube matapos magtala ng 3.26 personal best na 30.9 porsyentong mas mabilis kaysa dati, bukod sa 13.90 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Si Johnmarr Chua Gelera naman ay sumubok sa unang pagkakataon sa One-Handed na nagrehistro ng 30.02 at nagtala ng 51.38 sa 4x4x4 Cube na 9.7 porsyentong mas mabilis, habang si Arkin Luis D. Alipit ay nagtala ng 11.49 personal best sa 3x3x3 Cube mula sa dating 15.71 na 26.9 porsyentong pagbuti.

Naging espesyal din ang paligsahan para sa mga sumabak sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition ngayong taon. Si John Helrix S. Santillan ay sumabak sa tatlong kategorya na may unang opisyal na subok na 19.23 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 14.93 sa Pyraminx, at 8.12 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Gayundin si Jesswil C. Benoman na nagtala ng unang subok na 15.15 sa 3x3x3 Cube, 9.05 sa Pyraminx, at 3.04 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Si Mariane Joy A. Gellecano ay nagtala ng kanyang unang subok sa 2x2x2 Cube na may 4.06 at 14.15 sa Pyraminx, habang si Xhein Arsenio ay nagtala ng kanyang unang subok sa 3x3x3 Cube na 12.11 at 1:12.96 sa 4x4x4 Cube.

Ang buong katapusan ng linggo sa Bacolod City ay nagpakita ng malawak na talento at determinasyon ng bawat delegado sa bawat ikot ng puzzle. Mula sa pinakamahihigpit na laban sa pinal hanggang sa unang pagsubok ng mga baguhang manlalaro, matagumpay na naidaos ang West Visayas Championship 2023 bilang patunay sa patuloy na pag-unlad ng komunidad sa buong bansa.