Kalaallit Nunaat 2024

Óskar Pétursson delivered a commanding display in Nuuk, Greenland, Denmark, sealing the classic Rubik's Cube title with an average of 9.29 seconds on his way to four separate event victories. The one-day gathering at NUIF Nuuk on June 23, 2024, brought a tight-knit field of 12 competitors together across 6 events and 8 rounds of high-focus action. From the opening turns of the morning to the decisive finals, the atmosphere captured everything that makes a modern speedcubing meet special, pairing elite top-end battles with the personal milestones of competitors stepping onto the official stage.

For anyone attending their first cubing competition, the environment offers a unique test of nerves and preparation. Walking into an official WCA competition means learning how to manage inspection time, facing the official timer displays, and adapting to the structured flow of tournament rounds. Kalaallit Nunaat 2024 provided the ultimate proving ground for that journey. The small field allowed debutants and experienced hands alike to share the tables, turning individual solves into memorable benchmarks and giving fresh participants an immediate taste of what tournament speed cubing demands.

The spotlight shone brightest on several solvers who capitalized on the friendly setting to rewrite their own record books. Egill Ari Hreiðarsson enjoyed a tremendous day across three events, posting massive personal bests in both large and small puzzles. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Hreiðarsson registered a personal best single of 1:16.63, an improvement of 33.8 percent over his prior mark of 1:55.77, which carried him to a 5th-place finish. He also dropped his 2x2x2 Cube single to 5.68 seconds, cutting 28.9 percent from his previous best of 7.99, while setting a new 3x3x3 mark of 20.97 seconds. Pétur Óskarsson took on two events during the meet and logged his first ever attempt at the 2x2x2 Cube, recording a single of 42.30 seconds.

Progress continued throughout the roster with equally sharp breakthroughs. Martin B. Nielsen entered the main event and claimed 7th place in the 3x3x3 Cube after securing a personal best single of 40.71 seconds, shaving 23.6 percent off his previous standard of 53.27 seconds. Meanwhile, Klaus Andersen took on three separate disciplines, earning a weekend-best 4th-place finish in the Pyraminx with steady executions across the round. These distinct milestones demonstrated the deep value of the competition for competitors dedicated to measuring their continuous improvement.

At the front of the pack, Pétursson and Clément Cherblanc battled across nearly every final on the schedule. The 3x3 results proved exceptionally close, as Pétursson posted a 9.29 average with a best single of 7.64 seconds to edge out Cherblanc, who took second place with a 9.46 average. Iceland completed a strong showing on the podium as Kári Einarsson secured third place with an average of 14.65 seconds among the 11 competitors who took part across two rounds.

Pétursson extended his winning form into the shorter formats, claiming the 2x2x2 Cube with an average of 2.41 seconds and a rapid single of 1.82 seconds. Cherblanc followed closely in second place with a 3.78 average, while Einarsson earned another podium finish in third with 6.68. In the Pyraminx, Pétursson completed his third victory of the day by averaging 5.33 seconds, besting Cherblanc at 5.95 and Steen L. Thorsteinsen of Denmark, who captured third place with an average of 12.30 seconds.

The larger puzzles brought a balanced split between the two frontrunners. In the 4x4x4 Cube final, Pétursson edged out the victory with a 36.24 average against Cherblanc's 36.64, while Einarsson took third place with 1:05.40. Cherblanc struck back emphatically in the 5x5x5 Cube, winning the event with an average of 1:08.98 and a best single of 1:01.39, finishing well clear of Pétursson at 1:33.73 and Thorsteinsen at 2:13.38. Cherblanc also claimed the top step in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, recording an average of 16.18 seconds ahead of Pétursson at 18.23 and Einarsson at 25.11.

By the close of the competition, the medal count reflected the international variety of the gathering, with Iceland collecting 10 podium spots, France taking 6, and Denmark securing 2. Beyond the podium placements and the trophy counts, the single-day tournament stood as an important gathering for the local cubing community in Nuuk. With personal records broken and newcomers gaining vital experience, the event laid a solid foundation for the sport to continue its steady development in the seasons ahead.

12 deltagere var samlet i NUIF Nuuk, da Kalaallit Nunaat 2024 løb af stablen den 23. juni 2024. Turneringen bød på otte runder fordelt over seks forskellige discipliner, og der var lagt op til en intens dag med speedcubing på højt plan. Fra første øjeblik var der fokus på personlige forbedringer og teknisk præcision på tværs af de mange terninger.

I den klassiske 3x3x3 Cube, der er kendt over hele verden som den originale Rubik's Cube, blev der leveret præstationer helt i toppen. Islandske Óskar Pétursson sikrede sig førstepladsen med et vindende gennemsnit på 9.29 sekunder og stævnets hurtigste enkeltforsøg på 7.64 sekunder. Han blev presset tæt af franske Clément Cherblanc, der tog andenpladsen med et gennemsnit på 9.46 sekunder, mens Kári Einarsson fra Island snuppede tredjepladsen med et gennemsnit på 14.65 sekunder.

Óskar Pétursson fortsatte de imponerende takter i den lynhurtige 2x2x2 Cube. Gennem to runder pressede han tiderne helt i bund og vandt finalen med et gennemsnit på 2.41 sekunder efter et bedste enkeltforsøg på 1.82 sekunder. Clément Cherblanc fulgte efter på andenpladsen med 3.78 sekunder i gennemsnit, mens Kári Einarsson tog den sidste podieplads med et gennemsnit på 6.68 sekunder.

Bag de store podieplaceringer bød dagen på bemærkelsesværdige præstationer fra debutanter, der for første gang deltog i en officiel cubing competition. Ivan Kristensen fra Danmark kastede sig ud i sin første WCA competition og stillede op i to discipliner. Han leverede sit allerførste officielle forsøg i 2x2x2 Cube med en tid på 7.26 sekunder, og i 3x3x3 Cube noterede han sit første forsøg på 33.42 sekunder, hvilket markerede en solid start på stævnedeltagelsen i Nuuk, Greenland, Denmark.

Flere andre deltagere fik sat deres allerførste officielle tider på tavlen i Nuuk. Marie Sofie Kristiansen Magnussen fra Danmark debuterede i 3x3x3 Cube, hvor hun leverede et første forsøg på 38.81 sekunder og opnåede en flot samlet ottendeplads. I Pyraminx fik danske Viggo Enemark Sølbeck en stærk debut med et første forsøg på 17.01 sekunder og sikrede sig en sjetteplads i disciplinen. Franske Arthur Grand gennemførte ligeledes sin første turnering med et solidt åbningsforsøg på 48.62 sekunder i 3x3x3 Cube.

I disciplinen 4x4x4 Cube var der atter en tæt duel i toppen af resultatlisten. Óskar Pétursson tog sin fjerde disciplinsejr ved at vinde med et gennemsnit på 36.24 sekunder, skarpt forfulgt af Clément Cherblanc, der sluttede på 36.64 sekunder i gennemsnit. Kári Einarsson tog tredjepladsen med en tid på 1:05.40 i gennemsnit over runden.

Clément Cherblanc fik sin store triumf i de mere komplekse udfordringer. I 3x3x3 One-Handed vandt franskmanden sikkert med et gennemsnit på 16.18 sekunder foran Óskar Pétursson på 18.23 sekunder og Kári Einarsson på 25.11 sekunder. Cherblanc triumferede også i 5x5x5 Cube, hvor han tog sejren med et gennemsnit på 1:08.98 og et enkeltforsøg på 1:01.39, mens Óskar Pétursson blev toer med 1:33.73 og danske Steen L. Thorsteinsen tog tredjepladsen i 2:13.38.

Dagens sidste disciplin var Pyraminx, hvor Óskar Pétursson sikrede endnu en guldmedalje med et gennemsnit på 5.33 sekunder og et hurtigste enkeltforsøg på 4.10 sekunder. Clément Cherblanc tog sølvet med 5.95 sekunder, mens Steen L. Thorsteinsen sikrede sig en podieplads med et gennemsnit på 12.30 sekunder. Kalaallit Nunaat 2024 afsluttedes dermed med en samlet medaljehøst på ti podieplaceringer til Island, seks til Frankrig og to til Danmark.