ACA League Final - Baku 2024

The halls of ADA University filled with the sharp, rhythmic clack of turning plastic on September 28, 2024, as competitors assembled for a full slate of puzzle solving. Timers were set, inspection clocks ticked, and focus settled across the tables in Baku, Azerbaijan. The gathering marked the culmination of regional tournament play, bringing together dedicated solvers ready to test their precision on the tournament mat. Across four featured disciplines, 28 competitors took their places to challenge the clock and each other in a brisk, single-day showdown.

The premier speed event drew immediate attention as 26 competitors lined up for the classic 3x3x3 Cube. Fazil Quliyev set the benchmark in the opening rounds before dominating the final, securing the tournament victory with an average of 10.35 seconds alongside a best single solve of 8.99 seconds. Vincenzo Maria Gammino took the second step on the podium with a 13.25 average, while Naim Qoçuyev earned third place with a mark of 14.94. The high-paced contest delivered some of the sharpest 3x3 results of the year in the region.

Beyond the main event, Fazil Quliyev doubled his gold tally with a commanding display in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Navigating the puzzle single-handed across two rounds of play among 20 competitors, Quliyev took first place with a winning average of 23.68 seconds and a single of 21.77. Mirza Mursalov followed in second place with an average of 31.32 seconds, while Ali Aliyev claimed third place at 37.50 seconds. The discipline highlighted the versatility required to control the Rubik's Cube under strict technical constraints.

The single-day schedule moved efficiently through seven total rounds, providing ample opportunities for seasoned competitors and newcomers alike at ACA League Final - Baku 2024. In the Pyraminx division, 24 entrants battled across two rounds for supremacy on the tetrahedral puzzle. Mehemmed Hasanov captured the title with a swift 4.39 winning average, backed by a tournament-best single of 3.29 seconds. Sabir Mammedzade took second place averaging 6.55 seconds, and Əli Nəsirli completed the podium in third with an average of 7.98.

Big cube action unfolded in the 5x5x5 Cube, where nine competitors tackled the demanding layers of the larger puzzle across a single round. Italy's Vincenzo Maria Gammino dominated the event, recording a winning average of 1:19.14 and the round's fastest single solve at 1:08.84. Mirza Mursalov earned his second podium finish of the day by securing the runner-up spot in 2:05.40, while Mirsəlim Şahbazov took third place with a 2:11.01 average. The event showcased the concentration needed as cube sizes and solve times expanded.

Away from the top of the podium, personal progress defined the day for numerous participants throughout this WCA competition. Elcin Abdiyev cut his Pyraminx personal best to 17.89 seconds, an improvement of 67.5 percent over his previous 55.06, while also taking down his 3x3x3 Cube best to 15.31 seconds, 56.4 percent faster than his prior 35.08, and logging a first one-handed solve of 1:02.66. Mark Kurt posted an 11th-place finish in one-handed with a maiden 47.47 attempt, alongside a 34.9 percent improvement on Pyraminx to 7.96 seconds. Ilkin Karimli took on all four events, finishing fifth in one-handed with a first mark of 31.86, recording a debut 4:39.09 in 5x5x5 Cube, and lowering his Pyraminx mark to 6.24 seconds. Həsən Hüseynli brought his Pyraminx best down to 7.90 seconds, a 61.7 percent drop from 20.61.

The milestones continued across the floor as Khalid Eynullayev entered four disciplines, taking seventh place in 5x5x5 Cube with a debut 3:07.94, posting an initial 59.88 in one-handed, and improving his Pyraminx best by 23.3 percent to 7.48 seconds. Mələk Cəbrayıllı placed fourth in Pyraminx with a personal best of 6.09 seconds while adding a first one-handed solve of 1:12.77. Səid Hüseynli secured fourth place in one-handed with a debut time of 30.39 seconds and improved his 3x3x3 Cube mark to 12.02 seconds. Ismayil Ibrahimov took the competition floor for his first ever tournament, setting baseline marks of 43.77 in 3x3x3 Cube, 19.88 in Pyraminx, and 2:05.67 in one-handed.

The final medal table reflected a strong showing for host nation Azerbaijan, whose solvers claimed ten podium spots, while Italy captured two. Solvers of all backgrounds pushed their personal benchmarks in speedcubing during the day's intense schedule. As the tables cleared and timers packed away at ACA League Final - Baku 2024, the community celebrated a full calendar of competitive speed cubing, setting up the groundwork for another exciting competitive season ahead at ADA University.