Cubing Kazakhstan Nationals 2024

A total of 47 competitors took on 17 events and 33 rounds at Haileybury Kazakhstan in Almaty, Kazakhstan, over the weekend of October 25 to 27, marking a significant milestone in the 2024 speedcubing season. The Cubing Kazakhstan Nationals 2024 tested solvers across a wide range of puzzles, from the classic 3x3x3 Cube to demanding multi-blind challenges. With the year drawing to a close, this WCA competition offered an important opportunity for speed solvers to secure final rankings and test their mettle before the season's end. The atmosphere was charged with focus as participants aimed for personal bests and top podium finishes.

In the flagship 3x3x3 Cube event, Abylai Orazalin claimed victory, securing the top spot with a winning average of 7.34 seconds and a best single solve of 6.84 seconds. He bested Alisher Kurmash, who finished second with an average of 7.64, and Damir Zhanataev, who took third with 8.41. These 3x3 results highlight the intense level of competition present at this event. The speed cubing community watched closely as Orazalin executed his solves, demonstrating the precision and speed required to dominate the classic Rubik's Cube format at a national level.

Beyond the main event, several competitors showcased exceptional skills across various puzzles. Alisher Kurmash triumphed in the 2x2x2 Cube with an average of 2.70 seconds and a best single of 2.08, and also won Megaminx with an average of 42.50. Lev Bruskov secured wins in Pyraminx (2.88 average), Clock (5.82 average), and Square-1 (8.14 average). Asset Agabekov took first in both the 4x4x4 Cube with a 31.48 average and the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, achieving a best single of 35 moves. Aral Askarov swept the larger cubes, winning the 5x5x5 Cube (57.19 average), 6x6x6 Cube (1:45.65 average), and 7x7x7 Cube (2:45.73 average).

The blindfolded events at any cubing competition require intense memorisation and execution. Vladimir Sergeev won the 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a best single of 27.78 seconds, despite a DNF average, and also claimed the 5x5x5 Blindfolded title. Andrei Ilin won the 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a single of 5:38.47. Maxim Chechnev demonstrated remarkable endurance and focus by winning the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, successfully solving 9 out of 9 cubes in a time of 57:34. Arsenii Borovkov won the 3x3x3 One-Handed event with an average of 13.07, and Yaroslav Usmanov took the Skewb title with an average of 4.36.

Throughout the weekend, the Cubing Kazakhstan Nationals 2024 served as a stage for many competitors to achieve significant personal milestones. Esen Shaimardan improved his Skewb personal best to 3.14 seconds, an impressive 69 percent faster than his previous mark, and entered nine events in total. Maksim Temnyshov made his first ever attempt at the 3x3x3 One-Handed, securing a time of 16.02, and also tried 3x3x3 Multi-Blind for the first time, getting 2 out of 2 in 15:44. Artem Klyain slashed his Skewb personal best to 6.21 seconds, an improvement of 47.6 percent, while Nuradil Tolembek improved his Pyraminx personal best to 8.70 seconds, which was 47.2 percent faster than before.

The personal achievements continued across the board. Aleksei Lukianov competed in nine events, lowering his Clock personal best to 11.88 seconds, a 38.8 percent improvement, and made his first ever attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube. Grigoriy Pachin took on ten events, achieving his highest finish of fifth in Clock, and made his first ever attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube, clocking in at 3:46.24. Matvei Burushkov improved his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 38.09 seconds, a 31.1 percent reduction, and Vladimir Gridnev, competing in his first WCA competition, bravely entered ten events including his first ever attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube.

The competition also saw an impressive display of record-breaking performances in the 2x2x2 Cube. Linus Buck set multiple national records for Germany with a 1.80 single and a 2.24 average. Aral Askarov set Kazakhstan national records with a 1.85 single and a 2.92 average. Alisher Kurmash also set Kazakhstan records with a 2.24 single and a 3.15 average. Lev Bruskov claimed Russian national records with a 2.53 single and a 3.24 average, while Arsenii Borovkov secured Russian records with a 1.57 single and a 3.53 average. These results underscore the high caliber of participants at this event.

As the dust settles in Almaty, the impact of this event on the overall season standings becomes clear. The distribution of podium places heavily favoured the host nation, with Kazakhstan taking 32 places, followed by Russia with 16 and Germany with 9. The successful execution of 17 different events over the three days demonstrates the robust nature of the speedcubing scene in the region, setting a high standard for future competitions.