Belgrade Winter 2024

A mere 0.11 seconds separated gold from silver in the marquee final at Belgrade Winter 2024. When the three rounds of the classic Rubik's Cube concluded on February 18, Matej Marčok captured first place with a 9.59 average, edging out Bogdan Čumić at 9.70. Italy's Simone Cantarelli stood third on the podium with a 9.89 mark, completing a lightning-fast final group where all three podium positions sat within three tenths of a second of each other. The drama set the tone for a bustling weekend of speedcubing inside the Mathematical Grammar School.

Across February 17 and February 18, a total of 67 competitors gathered in Belgrade, Serbia, to test their turning speed over 18 rounds in 12 official events. The 2024 gathering delivered intense rivalries across both compact puzzles and larger mechanical challenges. Marčok emerged as the dominant competitor over the weekend, claiming three individual titles and pushing the pace across several categories, though challengers pushed him to the limit in every bracket.

Beyond the main 3x3 results, Marčok delivered commanding victories in two specialized disciplines. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, he topped a field of 33 solvers with a 12.77 winning average and an 11.08 single, finishing ahead of Jakov Ljubicic with 17.03 and Luka Jankovic with 17.83. Marčok repeated his winning form in Pyraminx across two rounds, securing first place with a 4.23 average against Greece's Nikolas Baxevanis at 4.55 and Čumić at 4.88.

The 2x2x2 Cube event generated notable history on the national stage during the competition. Marčok established a National record average of 2.29 along with a 1.26 single during the rounds, while Jakov Ljubicic secured the overall event victory with a 2.86 final average and a 2.42 best single among 63 competitors. The fast-paced format showcased the rapid growth of regional speed cubing across multiple age brackets and experience levels.

In the mid-sized and large cube categories, the competition remained fierce throughout both days. Nikola Lazarevic captured the 4x4x4 Cube crown in a tight finish with a 37.81 average, holding off Aleksa Radovanović at 38.45 and Jankovic at 39.24. Radovanović rebounded in the 5x5x5 Cube, taking first place with a 1:05.12 average ahead of Aleksandar D. Siljanoski at 1:09.17 and Jankovic at 1:10.83. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Siljanoski earned gold with a 2:02.70 mark, while Bosnia and Herzegovina's Andrej Mikulić seized the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:50.90 average.

Specialist side events completed the weekend schedule at this energetic cubing competition. Bogdan Čumić won Megaminx with a 45.47 average, Konstantin Jaehne of Germany took Clock honors in 6.09, and Luka Jankovic secured the Square-1 title with an 11.48 average. In 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, Ivan Miletić demonstrated exceptional memorisation and blind execution, solving 7 out of 8 cubes in 53:25 to finish ahead of Jaehne with 6 out of 11 in 55:49.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors logged major milestones throughout the weekend. Nemanja Tomić tackled seven events, finishing 20th in Square-1 while attempting Megaminx for the first time with a 3:17.50 result, registering a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 3:50.31, and cutting his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 49.6 percent down to 2.81. Bor Cvetković Šarkanović entered eight events, placing 19th in Square-1, making debut attempts in Clock at 26.58, 5x5x5 Cube at 4:10.43, and 4x4x4 Cube at 2:09.46. Mihajlo Stamenović took sixth in the 2x2x2 Cube, made maiden attempts in Square-1 at 27.00 and Clock at 8.63, and improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 37.1 percent to 19.28. Aleksa Ružić finished fourth in Square-1 with a personal best of 15.71, a 25.4 percent improvement, alongside debut marks of 12.63 in Clock and 3:26.09 in Megaminx.

The progress continued across every corner of the venue. Bartul Marušić took on nine events, finishing 11th in Clock with an improved 11.96 personal best that trimmed 45.7 percent, alongside a 48.1 percent improvement in 2x2x2 Cube to 4.33 and a first 5x5x5 Cube solve of 3:27.31. Aleksandar Zdravkovic recorded his first 4x4x4 Cube solve at 2:35.88, while lowering his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 29.7 percent to 5.32 and his 3x3x3 Cube best by 14.5 percent to 20.36. Vuk Baštovanović posted a first 4x4x4 Cube effort of 1:40.28, improved his Pyraminx time by 23.3 percent to 12.22, and trimmed 18.2 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 6.90. Filip Panić achieved big personal bests across three disciplines, lowering his Pyraminx time by 44.5 percent to 10.77, his 2x2x2 Cube time by 17.2 percent to 17.86, and his 3x3x3 Cube best by 7.7 percent to 1:01.83.

Representing six different nations on the podium, host nation Serbia earned 28 top-three finishes, alongside medals for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Germany, France, and Hungary. Belgrade Winter 2024 concluded as a high-tempo showcase of speed, accuracy, and depth across every event category. As solvers packed away their gear at the Mathematical Grammar School, this WCA competition stood out for its dramatic down-to-the-wire finishes and broad field improvements.

U uzbudljivoj završnici u kojoj su se delile titule u dvanaest različitih disciplina, Matej Marčok je osigurao pobedu u glavnoj disciplini 3x3x3 Cube prosečnim rezultatom od 9.59 sekundi, dok je njegov najbolji pojedinačni pokušaj iznosio 7.41 sekundi. Ovaj trijumf bio je kruna intenzivnog vikenda u Matematičkoj gimnaziji, gde su se najbolji slagači borili za svaki delić sekunde. Bogdan Čumić je u istoj disciplini osvojio drugo mesto sa prosekom 9.70, dok je Simone Cantarelli zauzeo treće mesto sa rezultatom 9.89 u konkurenciji od čak 66 učesnika kroz tri nivoa eliminacija.

Takmičenje Belgrade Winter 2024 održano je u gradu Belgrade, Serbia od 17. do 18. februara 2024. godine. Ukupno 67 takmičara testiralo je svoju brzinu i preciznost kroz 18 rundi, a ljubitelji koje zanima speedcubing pratili su okršaje u širokom spektru mozgalica. Domaći predstavnici ostvarili su izuzetan uspeh osvojivši čak 28 pobedničkih postolja, dok su takmičari iz Bosne i Hercegovine i Grčke uzeli po četiri podijuma, uz plasmane takmičara iz Nemačke, Francuske i Mađarske.

Pored glavne kategorije, Matej Marčok je bio nezaustavljiv i u drugim disciplinama, osvojivši zlato u Pyraminx sa prosekom 4.23, ispred takmičara Nikolas Baxevanis koji je zabeležio 4.55 i trećeplasiranog Bogdana Čumića sa 4.88. Marčok je trijumfovao i u jednoručnom slaganju 3x3x3 One-Handed gde je pobedio sa prosekom 12.77 sekundi, dok je Jakov Ljubicic bio drugi sa 17.03, a Luka Jankovic treći sa 17.83 sekunde. U disciplini 2x2x2 Cube Marčok je postavio i nacionalni rekord sa prosekom 2.29 sekundi.

U disciplini 2x2x2 Cube pobedu u finalu odneo je Jakov Ljubicic sa pobedničkim prosekom od 2.86 sekundi među 63 takmičara. Veće kocke donele su izuzetno napete duele u kojima je Nikola Lazarevic trijumfovao na 4x4x4 Cube sa prosekom 37.81, nadmašivši Aleksu Radovanovića koji je ostvario 38.45 i Luku Jankovića sa 39.24. Aleksa Radovanović je zatim uzvratio u disciplini 5x5x5 Cube, gde je uzeo zlato sa vremenom 1:05.12, ispred Aleksandra D. Siljanoskog koji je imao 1:09.17 i Luke Jankovića sa 1:10.83.

Iza borbe za medalje, ovo WCA competition okupljanje donelo je sjajan napredak takmičarima koji grade svoje iskustvo. Vuk Grgurević je na svom petom nastupu popravio lični rekord na 3x3x3 Cube za čak 43.6 procenata sa vremenom 13.27, dok je na 2x2x2 Cube skinuo vreme za 14.3 odsto na 3.53 i zabeležio 7.80 na Pyraminx. Vojin Rakić je na svom trećem takmičenju ostvario ogroman skok, popravivši lični rekord u Pyraminx za 47.2 procenta na 7.94 i u 3x3x3 Cube za 42.2 procenta sa vremenom 19.56. Danilo Denić je na svom četvrtom nastupu imao prvi ikada pokušaj u disciplini Pyraminx sa rezultatom 14.75 uz lični rekord na 3x3x3 Cube od 25.51, dok se Danilo Karan oprobao u pet disciplina i upisao svoj prvi pokušaj u 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 1:22.28 uz lični rekord od 22.98 na 3x3x3 Cube.

Vikend je doneo i važne prve korake za nove takmičare na sceni. Irena Gajić je zabeležila svoje prvo zvanično takmičenje nastupivši u tri discipline, zabeleživši prve rezultate od 30.60 na 3x3x3 Cube, 5.44 na 2x2x2 Cube i 15.93 na Pyraminx. Saša Krasnići je takođe upisao debi sa vremenima 4.64 na 2x2x2 Cube, 14.40 na 3x3x3 Cube i 1:26.98 na 4x4x4 Cube. Katarina Krasnići je na svom debiju ostvarila 9.57 na Pyraminx, 24.90 na 3x3x3 Cube i 1:39.09 na 4x4x4 Cube, dok je Shmelev Leonid upisao svoja prva vremena od 4.22 na 2x2x2 Cube, 27.81 na 3x3x3 Cube i 3:15.95 na 4x4x4 Cube.

Na velikim slagalicama i specijalizovanim formatima viđena je velika borba. Aleksandar D. Siljanoski je slavio u 6x6x6 Cube sa prosekom 2:02.70, ostavivši iza sebe Andreja Mikulića sa 2:05.73 i Aleksu Radovanovića sa 2:07.65. Andrej Mikulić je potom pobedio na 7x7x7 Cube sa prosekom 2:50.90. Bogdan Čumić je trijumfovao u Megaminx sa prosekom 45.47, Konstantin Jaehne je bio najbrži na Clock sa 6.09, dok je Luka Jankovic osvojio Square-1 sa odličnih 11.48 sekundi, ispred Etele Tótha sa 15.88 i Nikolasa Baxevanisa sa 16.02.

Zahtevna disciplina 3x3x3 Multi-Blind donela je pobedu Ivanu Miletiću koji je uspešno rešio 7 od 8 kocki za vreme 53:25, dok je Konstantin Jaehne bio drugi sa 6 od 11 za 55:49. Ovakvo slaganja gde je Rubikova kocka skrivena od pogleda traži vrhunsku koncentraciju i memorizaciju. Dvodnevno nadmetanje Belgrade Winter 2024 završeno je uspešno, pružajući odličan pregled forme i potvrdu visokog nivoa takmičara na početku nove sezone.

Uspešno organizovano cubing competition dešavanje u Beogradu pokazalo je širinu talenta u svim formatima slaganja. Belgrade Winter 2024 ponudio je publici i učesnicima pregršt uzbudljivih završnica, a postignuti rezultati ostaju kao merilo za sve izazove koji predstoje na narednim turnirima.