Almaty Spring 2024

Chyngyz Sultanbekov delivered the definitive performance of the weekend in the premier 3x3x3 Cube, recording a winning average of 6.31 seconds alongside a blistering 5.75 single to claim the main title. The two-day gathering at School #133 on March 26 and 27 brought together 37 competitors across 13 events and 21 total rounds, serving as an exceptional showcase of speedcubing mastery in Central Asia. Sultanbekov established the gold standard early in the main event, holding off a formidable field in the final round to highlight an action-packed 2024 schedule in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The 3x3 results confirmed the authority of veteran contenders at Almaty Spring 2024, as Sultanbekov topped a podium that featured Abylai Orazalin in second place with a 6.98 average and Damir Zhanataev in third with a 7.84 mark across three demanding rounds. The classic Rubik's Cube drew 34 entrants, making it the most heavily contested discipline of the meeting. Sultanbekov was not finished with just one victory, converting his strong rhythm into top honors across the mid-sized puzzles by securing victories in both 4x4x4 Cube with a 31.91 average and 5x5x5 Cube with a 1:04.58 average.

Multi-event specialist Asset Agabekov authored one of the most prolific campaigns of the tournament, taking first place in four separate disciplines. Agabekov showcased singular control by capturing the 3x3x3 One-Handed title with a 12.44 winning average, edging out the competition in the 6x6x6 Cube with a 2:05.78 average, and sealing first in Megaminx at 50.94 seconds. He rounded out his versatile haul by winning 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a single of 29 moves, while also stepping onto podiums in five additional events to underline a remarkable weekend of speed cubing excellence.

Ekaterina Kaneva dominated the sprint events and twisty variants, collecting three victories throughout the WCA competition. Kaneva prevailed in the 2x2x2 Cube final with a crisp 2.06 average after logging a 1.61 single, led the field in Clock with a 6.52 winning average, and captured the Skewb title with an average of 4.02 seconds. Kaneva also added a silver medal in the 7x7x7 Cube with a 3:47.32 average, finishing just behind Damir Zhanataev in a tense long-puzzle showdown.

Zhanataev collected two titles of his own to remain at the sharp end of the standings. In the Pyraminx final, Zhanataev secured the victory with a 4.97 average to finish ahead of Adelina Adibaeva at 5.73 and Asset Agabekov at 5.83. He later demonstrated supreme endurance in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a winning average of 3:46.41 and a single of 3:40.00. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where solving requires total memorisation and focus, Abylai Orazalin emerged victorious with an average of 49.30 and a best single of 45.76, narrowly leading Agabekov at 50.03.

Beyond the championship podiums, several competitors logged major personal breakthroughs across the scorecards. Andrey Klimov took on 11 events, achieving an 8th-place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a first-ever attempt of 63, while dropping his 5x5x5 Cube personal best by 33 percent down to 2:24.40 and his Pyraminx mark by 25.6 percent to 10.84. Ismail Assat improved his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 51.2 percent to 3.61 seconds, while Sanzhar Sharapadin slashed his Clock best by 58.1 percent to 15.03 seconds and improved his Pyraminx time by 34.6 percent to 8.74. Meruert Samayeva entered four events, posting a first-ever attempt of 2:20.71 in 4x4x4 Cube and taking 11th in Megaminx with a 15.7 percent improvement to 3:37.72.

Fresh milestones continued throughout the field as Rustem Sali logged a first attempt in Clock at 17.02 and achieved a 15.4 percent drop in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 21.29 personal best. Aylin Telguziyeva improved her Clock personal best by 28.3 percent down to 27.49, while Tanish Lal improved his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 29.1 percent to 12.75 and registered a first-ever attempt in Skewb at 9.92. Making their tournament debuts, Aslan Baltabay entered seven events, securing 8th in Megaminx alongside a first official 3x3x3 Cube time of 18.72, and Abdrakhman Paluan logged first attempts in four events including a 19.91 single in the 3x3x3 Cube.

The overall medal count reflected a dominant home performance, with Kazakhstan claiming 26 podium places, Russia earning 7, and Kyrgyzstan taking 6. The high level of execution from seasoned champions and improving participants alike made this cubing competition a defining chapter of the regional season. As the final rounds wrapped up at School #133, the broad spread of personal bests and composed victories established Almaty Spring 2024 as a benchmark for technical precision and competitive depth.