Georgia Summer Open 2023

35.12 seconds on the 4x4x4 Cube set the standard for endurance and precision as the Georgia Summer Open 2023 got underway in Tbilisi, Georgia. Solving larger mechanisms requires rigorous piece tracking, careful reduction to a standard 3x3 layout, and sustained mental focus across long solving sequences. Staged at College Barakoni on August 12, 2023, the cubing competition brought together 8 competitors contesting 6 distinct disciplines across 8 rounds of intense action. The demanding 4x4x4 Cube final tested tactical patience, demanding that every finalist maintain high turning speed while avoiding parity mistakes across all five attempts.

In the 4x4x4 Cube battle, Tamar Dolenjishvili demonstrated complete authority over the layered puzzle, logging a winning average of 35.12 seconds alongside the round best single of 31.56 seconds. The field of 6 competitors in this discipline faced tough pairings, with Andro Gvaramadze taking second place with an average of 46.01 seconds. Vako Marchilashvili secured third place on the podium by completing his average in 50.08 seconds. Dolenjishvili executed clean edge-pairing and center-building steps to build an unassailable eleven-second gap over the rest of the field.

The flagship Rubik's Cube division delivered exceptional speed cubing at the tables across two full rounds of head-to-head play. The 3x3 results culminated in another gold-medal finish for Tamar Dolenjishvili, who posted a decisive winning average of 7.63 seconds and a sharp round-low single of 6.28 seconds. Andro Gvaramadze took the silver step with an average of 9.30 seconds, closely trailed by Vako Marchilashvili in third place with a 9.52-second mark. The battle across the classic 3x3x3 Cube showcased high-tier execution from all three podium finishers.

Tamar Dolenjishvili extended her commanding run by claiming victory in two additional disciplines at the Georgia Summer Open 2023. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, where competitors manipulate the puzzle using only one hand to execute complex algorithms, Dolenjishvili topped the standings with a 15.31-second average and a single of 12.28 seconds. Nino Zguladze placed second with an 18.18 average, followed by Andro Gvaramadze in third with 19.24. In the Pyraminx event, Dolenjishvili triumphed again, turning in a winning average of 3.51 seconds and a fast 2.27 single ahead of Gvaramadze with 4.60 and Marchilashvili with 6.90.

The 2x2x2 Cube event produced one of the most remarkable moments of the entire WCA competition. In the opening round, Vako Marchilashvili etched his name into the record books by setting a new Georgian National Record single of 0.54 seconds. When the two-round contest concluded, Nino Zguladze captured the championship title with a winning average of 2.80 seconds and a 2.56 single. Tamar Dolenjishvili followed narrowly behind in second place with a 2.97 average, while Andro Gvaramadze finished third with 4.66.

Behind the top of the podium, several dedicated competitors turned in notable achievements across multiple events. Alex Davitashvili entered 6 events and delivered massive personal bests, cutting his Skewb best single to 3.97 seconds, which was 68.7 percent faster than his previous best of 12.68, while finishing 5th overall; Davitashvili also improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed best to 45.13 seconds, an improvement of 21.9 percent, and set a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 1:22.23. Ketevan Feradze entered 5 events, earning a 4th-place finish in Pyraminx and making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a result of 47.18 seconds. Ana Marchilashvili tackled 3 events during the weekend, achieving an 8th-place finish in Pyraminx.

The Skewb contest provided a thrilling final event with 6 competitors taking to the solving stations. Nikolozi Kobakhidze claimed the gold medal with a finely controlled winning average of 4.46 seconds and the fastest single of the round at 2.76 seconds. Tamar Dolenjishvili earned the silver medal with a tight average of 4.74 seconds, while Andro Gvaramadze captured the bronze medal with an average of 5.94 seconds to complete his fifth individual podium finish of the meet.

All 18 podium positions across the tournament were won by representatives of Georgia, highlighting the deep local talent in the speedcubing community. With four event victories by Tamar Dolenjishvili, a sprint title from Nino Zguladze, a Skewb triumph from Nikolozi Kobakhidze, and a historic 0.54 national record by Vako Marchilashvili, the Georgia Summer Open 2023 delivered a complete showcase of speed, control, and multi-event mastery in Tbilisi.