West Visayas Cube Masters 2024

Fifty-one competitors took their marks at SM City Iloilo on August 3, 2024, as the region gathered for a packed one-day showcase. Sitting at a crucial juncture in the 2024 calendar, the tournament delivered high-stakes action across 8 events and 12 total rounds. The busy schedule brought speedcubing fans together in Iloilo City, Iloilo, Philippines to witness top-tier talent push their limits. From the opening heats through the finals, competitors capitalized on mid-season momentum to turn months of practice into standout times on the official stage.

Leo Borromeo headlined the premier event, putting on a clinic across three rounds of Rubik's Cube solving. In the final round of the classic 3x3x3 Cube, Borromeo locked down the championship with a blistering 5.27 winning average and delivered the weekend's best single solve at 5.03. Ace Christian C. Wong earned the runner-up spot with an average of 8.34, while Junrho Pauchano rounded out the podium in third place with an 8.99 average. The decisive victory added another signature entry to the official 3x3 results from the region this year.

Borromeo extended his dominance into the one-handed division, securing his second title of the weekend in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Out of a field of 36 participants across two rounds, Borromeo captured first place with an average of 12.38, bolstered by a 9.32 single. Ace Christian C. Wong took second place with a 14.58 average, while Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. claimed third with an average of 14.93. The two victories cemented Borromeo as the primary force across the three-layered puzzle formats.

In the 2x2x2 Cube, Ace Christian C. Wong stood at the top of the standings after two rounds of intense competition among 46 entrants. Wong took the title with a swift 1.77 winning average, highlighted by the tournament's best single of 1.28. Junrho Pauchano secured second place with an average of 2.58, followed by Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. in third with a 2.93 average. The event proved to be a major highlight of the cubing competition, drawing one of the largest fields on the schedule.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones away from the spotlight. Inigo Miguel D. Mercado tackled four events, making a first ever attempt at Pyraminx with an 8.33, earning a 15th-place finish in Skewb, and setting a Skewb personal best of 5.67 that was 62.6% faster than their previous mark alongside a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.57. Anton James Sadsad entered three events, took 21st in Pyraminx, registered a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 5.39, improved their Pyraminx personal best to 5.87 by 59.6%, and lowered their 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 16.87. Leonard Leoriz H. Perez contested three events, logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed at 38.73, a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube at 5.31, and a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 14.04. Kian Alvane S. Abastillas took on four events, finishing 16th in Skewb with a first ever attempt of 7.14 while setting a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 12.10, which was 33.6% faster than before.

The progress continued across the mid-pack as Princess Jmirrha Teñoso recorded a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 35.41 and a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 9.03, taking 19th in Pyraminx and setting a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 13.88 across three events. Mark Louise Bedona entered three events and established huge improvements, dropping their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 51% to 2.98 and shaving 16.8% off their 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best with a 43.96. Liam Tagomata completed three events, notched a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 4.39, finished 28th in Pyraminx, and improved their 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 18.50. Taking on a heavy workload, Railee Diocampo entered seven events, recorded a first ever attempt at Megaminx with 3:22.73, finished 8th in Clock, posted a Clock personal best of 9.17, and set a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 28.67.

Miguel Gonzaga enjoyed a stellar run in the side events, capturing two first-place finishes at West Visayas Cube Masters 2024. In Pyraminx, Gonzaga edged Mars Daniel Kudemus for the title with a 3.36 winning average to Kudemus's 3.41, while Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. finished third at 4.03. Gonzaga also prevailed in Clock with an 8.39 average, narrowly beating out Kudemus who took second at 8.40, while Mary Ella Joyce R. Miralles finished third with an 8.94 average. Ivan Keith Cariaga claimed the Skewb title with an average of 3.84, ahead of Kirby Jay Caragan at 4.11 and Gonzaga at 4.43.

The longer and non-standard formats provided a thrilling conclusion to the WCA competition schedule. Andrew Thomas Salazar Pacilan won the Megaminx division with a commanding 42.44 average, joined on the podium by Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. at 50.69 and Julian Miguel Bata at 51.74. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado took first place with a single solve of 1:29.10, leading John Gratian Magbanua at 2:09.23 and Kirby Jay Caragan at 2:56.34. The successful run at West Visayas Cube Masters 2024 closed an exciting day of speed cubing, setting a strong benchmark for the rest of the competitive season.

Nagtala si Leo Borromeo ng pambihirang 5.27 winning average sa 3x3x3 Cube upang pangunahan ang West Visayas Cube Masters 2024 na ginanap sa SM City Iloilo sa Iloilo City, Iloilo, Philippines noong August 3, 2024. Umani rin siya ng pinakamabilis na single time na 5.03 sa naturang kategorya. Sa kabuuan, 51 kalahok ang nagtagisan ng husay sa walong opisyal na event sa ilalim ng 12 rounds ng matinding speedcubing action.

Malaking papel ang ginampanan ng format at cut structure ng torneo kung saan ang 3x3x3 Cube lamang ang nagkaroon ng tatlong buong round mula sa 50 kalahok. Sa huling yugto, siniguro ni Leo Borromeo ang unang puwesto laban kay Ace Christian C. Wong na nagtala ng 8.34 average para sa pilak, habang pumangatlo naman si Junrho Pauchano na may 8.99 average. Ang maikling ladder ng mga round ay nagdulot ng matinding presyur sa bawat solve.

Naging mabisa rin ang dalawang round na format sa 2x2x2 Cube kung saan 46 kalahok ang sumabak sa bilisan. Nakamit ni Ace Christian C. Wong ang kampeonato tangan ang 1.77 winning average at best single na 1.28. Pumangalawa si Junrho Pauchano na may 2.58 average, habang nakuha ni Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. ang ikatlong puwesto sa kanyang 2.93 average sa podiyum ng naturang Rubik's Cube category.

Sa kategoryang 3x3x3 One-Handed na dumaan din sa dalawang rounds kasama ang 36 kalahok, muling nangibabaw si Leo Borromeo nang magrehistro ng 12.38 winning average at 9.32 best single. Sumunod sa kanya si Ace Christian C. Wong na nagtala ng 14.58 average, habang pumangatlo si Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. na nagsumite ng 14.93 average upang selyuhan ang isa pang podium finish.

Maraming manlalaro ang nagtala ng mga kapansin-pansing personal na rekord sa buong torneo. Si Prince Ian Napud ay sumali sa apat na kategorya at nagtala ng 9.48 sa Pyraminx na 14.4 porsiyentong mas mabilis kaysa dati, bukod sa kanyang 16.07 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Si Mikhail Joseph Baldeo ay nagpakitang-gilas sa dalawang event at pumang-sampu sa 2x2x2 Cube habang nagtala ng 12.22 sa 3x3x3 Cube na 12.1 porsiyentong bilis kaysa dati at 3.00 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Naibaba naman ni John Michael Majarocon ang kanyang 3x3x3 Cube rekord sa 22.27 na 11.6 porsiyentong pagbuti, habang si Cornelius Miguel Sevilla ay nagrehistro ng 23.63 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 8.9 porsiyentong mas mabilis, 12.22 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 4.21 sa 2x2x2 Cube.

Ipinamalas din ng mga bagong mukha ang kanilang galing sa kanilang pinakaunang WCA competition. Si Carl Ervyc C. de la Peña ay nagtala ng mga unang opisyal na marka na 27.23 sa 3x3x3 One-Handed, 14.06 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 4.09 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Si Niggy Jhan Y. Abdon ay nagtapos sa ika-25 puwesto sa Pyraminx taglay ang 11.45 unang marka, kasabay ng 6.21 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 15.35 sa 3x3x3 Cube. Si Rene Jr E. Asoy ay sumabak sa tatlong kategorya at pumang-16 sa Megaminx na may 4:54.07 unang rekord, 50.56 sa 3x3x3 Cube, at 12.76 sa 2x2x2 Cube. Samantala, si Lord Sun Moon S. Blanco ay nagrehistro ng kanyang mga unang marka na 13.35 sa 2x2x2 Cube at 30.09 sa 3x3x3 Cube.

Sa single-round puzzle formats, mabilisang desisyon ang nagdikta sa mga nagwagi. Si Miguel Gonzaga ay nagwagi sa Pyraminx na may 3.36 winning average laban kay Mars Daniel Kudemus na may 3.41 at Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. na may 4.03. Si Miguel Gonzaga rin ang nanguna sa Clock na may 8.39 average, bahagyang naungusan si Mars Daniel Kudemus na may 8.40 at Mary Ella Joyce R. Miralles na may 8.94 average.

Naiuwi naman ni Ivan Keith Cariaga ang gintong medalya sa Skewb na may 3.84 average, dinaig sina Kirby Jay Caragan na may 4.11 at Miguel Gonzaga na may 4.43. Sa Megaminx, naghari si Andrew Thomas Salazar Pacilan sa kanyang 42.44 average, kasunod sina Ace Djun T. Aguirre Jr. na may 50.69 at Julian Miguel Bata na may 51.74 average.

Sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded, kung saan matinding memorya ang kailangan sa bawat pilit, si Gabriel Angelo V. Hilado ang nag-iisang nagtala ng panalo sa pamamagitan ng kanyang 1:29.10 best single mula sa siyam na kalahok. Pumangalawa si John Gratian Magbanua na may 2:09.23 at pumangatlo si Kirby Jay Caragan na may 2:56.34. Ang tagumpay ng buong West Visayas Cube Masters 2024 ay nagpakita ng mataas na antas ng husay ng 51 kalahok sa rehiyon sa taong 2024 bago sumapit ang susunod na season ng cubing competition.