Panaji: Twisting and turning to find the perfect match, over 100 participants had to battle competition pressure and apply their mental strength to excel at 'Durgesha Open 1.0', Goa
Cubing Club's first-ever national speed-cubing competition. The event held at Goa College of Architecture, Panaji, on Saturday, was recognized by the World Cube Association, the governing body for all international Rubik's cube competitions.
The event was open to all age groups. Sadhika Sawant, whose 12-year-old son, Gandharv, made it to the top 31, was among the many parents who cheered their children from the sidelines. "Though only 25 are selected, we are proud he scaled a good rank in his first competition," Sawant said.
Citing its positive influence on mental growth and development, many parents supported the idea of the game being introduced at schools. "My son picked up the required skills within two months of taking a keen interest in the puzzle game. It would be encouraging to see schools introduce the Rubik's cube exercise as an extra-curricular activity," said another proud parent, Smita Hapu.
"Goa Cubing Club intends to associate with speed-cube players in Pune and Nagpur to expand its reach and networking in the gaming field," said Shoaib Sayed, a board member of the club. "There was no official cubing club in Goa and this is the first privately organised competition here. The next international Rubik's cube competition is set to be held in Asia, and it might soon be listed as a competitive sport in the Olympics. I hope this helps more Indians represent their country," said board member Bhargav Narasimhan, who himself is ranked 25 in the WCA ratings.
