Almaty New Year 2026

Thirty-seven competitors converged on KazLAACE university for Almaty New Year 2026, setting the stage for an intense championship clash over 21 rounds of play. Staged on January 3 and 4, the speedcubing gathering in Almaty, Kazakhstan tested puzzle talent across twelve disciplines to open the 2026 calendar. With trophies, podium slots, and personal progression on the line, every turn held weight from the opening heats right through to the final showdowns.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a full field of 37 entrants across three rigorous rounds of Rubik's Cube action. Chengnuo Han asserted control throughout the weekend, securing victory in the final with a 7.57 winning average and a best single time of 7.01. Those decisive 3x3 results capped a dominant showing across multiple categories, giving Han the top spot on the podium after surviving multiple knockout stages against a determined pack of contenders.

Han added two more titles to his weekend haul, demonstrating remarkable consistency across different disciplines. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Han took top honours with an average of 11.28 and a single solve of 10.64 in a 27-person field. That momentum continued in the 4x4x4 Cube, where Han claimed the championship with an average of 31.78 and a single of 29.79, turning the WCA competition into a showcase of multi-event versatility.

Local athletes mounted strong challenges in the larger mechanical puzzles, highlighted by Diasbek Zhuraev claiming double gold for Kazakhstan. Zhuraev edged out Alisher Kurmash by five hundredths of a second in the 5x5x5 Cube final, posting a 1:00.74 average to Kurmash's 1:00.79, while Han took third at 1:01.40. Zhuraev struck again in the 6x6x6 Cube, winning with a 1:46.73 average over Yiming Lin at 1:48.17 and Han at 1:49.74. Lin then claimed the 7x7x7 Cube title in 2:36.11, ahead of Han's 2:55.05 and Asset Agabekov's 3:04.20.

The side events at Almaty New Year 2026 produced equally compelling battles. Asset Agabekov secured the 2x2x2 Cube title with an average of 2.81, holding off Yeskendir Kenzhebolat at 2.93 and Aibolat Barys at 3.28. Agabekov returned to the top step in Megaminx, taking victory with a 46.40 average ahead of Kurmash at 52.32 and Adelina Adibaeva at 54.89. Adibaeva secured her own victories elsewhere, winning the Pyraminx with a 4.37 average and taking the Skewb title in 3.86 over Kurmash and Kenzhebolat.

Beneath the top podium battles, several competitors produced breakthrough moments across the weekend. Roman Karpenkov showed enormous growth across four events, cutting his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 35.5 percent down to 1:06.63, alongside a 2:50.54 in 5x5x5 Cube and a 17.35 in the 3x3x3 Cube. Andrey Klimov tackled 11 disciplines, dropping his 6x6x6 Cube mark by 26.4 percent to 6:55.36 and finishing seventh in Clock. Amantay Asanbekov completed his first ever 5x5x5 Cube attempt in 2:36.33 and slashed his Megaminx best by 19.7 percent to 2:52.02. Maxim Li entered nine events, cutting his 3x3x3 One-Handed time by 16 percent to 16.38 on the way to a seventh-place finish.

Other athletes embraced major challenges across multiple brackets during the cubing competition. Karimbek Sakebaev took on 11 events, securing eighth in the 7x7x7 Cube with a first attempt of 7:48.64, while also logging initial career attempts in Skewb and one-handed solving. Artem Klyain placed fifth in Megaminx and lowered his Pyraminx best by 18.7 percent to 4.83. Debutants made an immediate impression, with Tursunali Amurlaev reaching sixth place in Clock with an 8.38 first attempt across seven events entered, and Alexander Chapliy logging initial attempts in five disciplines, including a 13.06 in 3x3x3 Cube and a 1:59.50 in 4x4x4 Cube.

The weekend concluded with specialised bracket deciders that finalised the overall medal count. Esen Shaimardan won the Clock final with a 6.58 average, outlasting Kenzhebolat at 7.60 and Alan Suslov at 7.61. Yeskendir Kenzhebolat captured the Square-1 title with a mark of 16.02, leading Kurmash at 17.33 and Adibaeva at 17.92. Kazakhstan competitors collected 28 podium finishes across the event, while China earned eight.

With 21 rounds completed across twelve events, the speed cubing festival delivered intense championship drama from start to finish. From triple-champion performances to personal milestones recorded across every round, Almaty New Year 2026 provided an unforgettable opening test for the regional season.