Welcome back to the Speedcuber’s Digest Weekend Preview, where we look ahead at the potential storylines going into the weekend.
Eight of the Top 11 Meet in Deqing
Saturday’s Deqing Winter in Huzhou, China, has a field that could produce several contenders for the podium.
Xuanyi Geng leads with a 3.67 best average, followed by Yize Dong at 4.07. Yi Shen and Yufang Du share world No. 4 at 4.24.
Yunzhi Lian follows at 4.27, ahead of Zhaokun Li at 4.34, Bofan Zhang at 4.38, and Qixian Cao at 4.43.
The other events deserve attention too. Zhen Chen brings his world-record 6.99 one-handed average, while Lingkun Jiang leads Pyraminx with a world-record 1.14. Ziyu Wu, the Megaminx single world-record holder, leads that event at 24.61.
Geng, Dong and Shen Also Entered in Hong Kong
Geng, Dong and Shen are also registered for Hong Kong Championship, November 14-15. All four 3×3 rounds are scheduled for Sunday, following Deqing on Saturday.
Among competitors representing Hong Kong, Yang Pin Xiu leads at 6.10, just ahead of Lai Pak Kiu at 6.13 and Lee Ming Kit at 6.25. The organizers recognize separate Hong Kong podiums and reserve places for local representatives in each final.
Ivan Li Ka Leong leads the registered fields in 4×4 through 7×7.
Zajder and Kolasiński Lead Gdańsk
Teodor Zajder and Tymon Kolasiński lead GLS Gdańsk VII, November 14-15 in Poland.
Zajder’s 4.37 best average ranks eighth globally, while Kolasiński’s 4.49 ranks 11th. Olaf Kuźmiński is the third sub-5 entrant at 4.95.
Zajder also leads 2×2 at 0.93, ahead of Kuźmiński at 1.02. Kolasiński heads the 4×4 field with his world-record 18.56 average.
Pilat Leads Texas’s Title Contenders
Dylan Miller, Patrick Ponce, and Ryan Pilat lead the overall 3×3 field at Texas Championship, November 13-15 in San Antonio. Their best averages are 5.21, 5.40, and 5.44.
The state title is reserved for eligible Texas residents. Defending champion Pilat leads the registered contenders listed in CubingUSA’s Texas rankings, followed by Ray Bai at 6.32 and Shu Ogawa at 6.75.
Ponce leads the overall fields in 4×4, 5×5, 6×6, and one-handed. Pilat leads 7×7, 3BLD, Pyraminx, and Square-1.
Koda and Alamanda Lead Indonesia
Muhammad Faeyza Koda leads Rapid Academy Indonesian Championship, November 13-15 in Jakarta, with a 5.90 best 3×3 average.
American William Baek follows at 6.36 in the open field. Among Indonesian competitors, Leon Marcell Alamanda is next at 6.77, ahead of Kentaro Sasaki at 6.81 and William Arthur Wiranda at 6.83. The competition awards separate Indonesian and open podiums.
Alamanda leads 4×4 through 7×7, while Koda heads one-handed at 9.23. Phillip Maxwell leads 3BLD with a 13.81 single.
Saboya Soto Leads Colombia
Juan Miguel Saboya Soto leads Colombian Nationals Paipa, which runs November 14-16 in Paipa, Boyacá.
His 5.97 best 3×3 average puts him ahead of Thomas Cabezas at 6.82 and Lorenzo Gonzalez at 6.96. All three represent Colombia.
Saboya Soto also leads 2×2, 4×4, and one-handed. Dereck Samuel Marin Suarez heads Clock at 2.89, while Manuel Francisco Beltrán leads Pyraminx at 1.59.
Eswatini Makes Its WCA Debut
Eswatini Nationals takes place Saturday in Manzini, marking the country’s first WCA competition.
The six registered Eswatini competitors are all newcomers, leaving the national title race without official times to compare. Three places in the 3×3 final are reserved for Eswatini competitors, and national honours are limited to those representing the country.
Sweden’s Daniel Wallin leads all five events overall, including 3×3 at 6.63.
Dong, Shen and Lian Continue in Shenyang
Shenyang Winter League 3×3 II follows on Monday, November 16.
Dong leads the entries at 4.07, with Shen at 4.24 and Lian at 4.27. Yaqian Xu follows at 5.04. The competition uses a dual-round format, giving competitors two averages with their better result determining the final standings.
Botswana’s First Competition Comes Wednesday
Botswana Nationals takes place November 18 in Gaborone, bringing WCA competition to another new country.
All 21 registered Botswana competitors are newcomers. National honours are reserved for Botswana competitors, with three places in the 3×3 final set aside for them. Wallin again leads all five events overall.