Georgia End of August 2023

Inside the halls of the Institute of Cybernetic (კიბერნეტიკის ინსტიტუტი), the rapid clicking of plastic mechanisms set a focused rhythm across the competition floor. Solvers stood poised over their mats, studying scrambles under bright lighting before launching into their sequences. The gathering brought together 14 competitors on August 26, 2023, turning the venue into a battleground for domestic and international solvers seeking top honours across 6 events and 11 distinct rounds.

This speedcubing meet, officially titled Georgia End of August 2023, served as a showcase for intense regional competition in Tbilisi, Georgia. Competitors representing Georgia went head-to-head against visiting international contenders, creating a compelling dynamic across multiple disciplines. With standard puzzles and specialty shapes on the schedule, the cubing competition delivered exceptional performances across every round, highlighting the technical variety present in modern speed cubing.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a complete field of 14 entrants, all seeking benchmark marks in the classic Rubik's Cube format. When the 3x3 results were finalised after two fierce rounds, Vako Marchilashvili (ვაკო მარჩილაშვილი) took the top step of the podium with a decisive winning average of 7.53 seconds, bolstered by the day's best single of 6.94 seconds. Fellow countryman Andro Gvaramadze secured second place with an average of 9.48 seconds, while Giorgi Gegeshidze (გიორგი გეგეშიძე) claimed third with an 11.39 average.

The rivalry between Marchilashvili and Gvaramadze extended across several tables throughout the day. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Marchilashvili claimed victory with a 1.67-second average and a blazing best single of 0.94 seconds, finishing ahead of Gegeshidze in second at 3.09 seconds and Gvaramadze in third at 3.80 seconds. Marchilashvili added a third gold in the 4x4x4 Cube, posting a 43.47 winning average and a 39.01 single to outpace Gvaramadze, who finished second with a 46.04 average.

Gvaramadze mounted a powerful response in the specialty and single-handed categories. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Gvaramadze captured first place with an average of 17.35 seconds and a 15.89 single, pushing Marchilashvili to second place with a 19.72 average. Gvaramadze also dominated the Pyraminx field across two rounds, locking up first place with a winning average of 4.38 seconds and a single of 3.59 seconds, while Ketevan Feradze (ქეთევან ფერაძე) took second with a 7.24 average.

The Skewb tournament delivered another dramatic shift in the standings at Georgia End of August 2023. Nikolozi Kobakhidze (ნიკოლოზი კობახიძე) broke through to claim the gold medal with a winning average of 4.89 seconds and a top single of 4.09 seconds. Gvaramadze finished just behind in second place with a 5.08 average, and Gegeshidze secured third with an average of 6.43 seconds, adding another podium place to the Georgian national tally.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors delivered remarkable personal milestones throughout the weekend. Ana Marchilashvili (ანა მარჩილაშვილი) delivered the largest efficiency gain of the event, recording a Skewb personal best of 54.59 seconds, which was 44.4 percent faster than her prior benchmark of 1:38.27 across her 4 events entered. Nika Vashadze, representing Germany across 6 events, dropped their 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 13.8 percent down to 41.16 seconds, reduced their Pyraminx mark by 12.2 percent to 7.85 seconds, and improved their 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 5.9 percent to 1:11.23, finishing 6th in the 4x4x4 final. Alex Davitashvili tackled 5 events, earning a best finish of 5th in Skewb while improving their 4x4x4 Cube mark by 6.3 percent to 1:17.03 and their 3x3x3 Cube time by 4.6 percent to 18.06 seconds. Saba Gogilashvili took on 6 events, securing a best finish of 4th in 2x2x2 Cube while posting first ever official attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 23.23 seconds, Pyraminx at 6.31 seconds, and Skewb at 9.29 seconds.

The depth of the field was further illustrated by solvers branching out into new disciplines and reaching first milestones. Lali Amiranashvili (ლალი ამირანაშვილი) took on 4 events, recording a first ever attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed of 1:05.11 and setting a Pyraminx personal best of 8.37 seconds. Megi Gviniashvili (მეგი ღვინიაშვილი) contested 2 events and achieved a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 36.24 seconds. The competition also marked an official debut for newcomers taking their first turns on the circuit. Gabriel Tsulukidze entered his first WCA competition across 2 events, securing a best finish of 9th in 4x4x4 Cube and logging a first attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube in 37.43 seconds. Mate Chakhvashvili also completed his first WCA competition, recording an impressive first ever attempt of 16.02 seconds in the 3x3x3 Cube.

International presence added vital colour to the medal count, as Caleb Flaviano representing the Philippines collected three bronze medals, taking third place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 23.89 seconds, 4x4x4 Cube with 55.27 seconds, and Pyraminx with 7.49 seconds. Georgia finished with 15 podium places and the Philippines with 3. As the day concluded, Georgia End of August 2023 stood as a vibrant testament to regional speedcubing rivalry and progress across the board.