Kolla Spring Cup 2024

Finland made an emphatic mark in Limassol, Cyprus, as Finnish competitors captured seven podium finishes across a packed single-day schedule. Headlining the northern charge was Niko Ronkainen, who claimed victories in both 3x3x3 One-Handed and Skewb, while compatriot Arttu Puttonen took top honors in 3x3x3 Blindfolded. The Mediterranean gathering at Kόλλα drew 45 competitors on May 11, 2024, creating an intense atmosphere across seven official events and eight rounds of speedcubing action.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event belonged to Israel competitor Amit Schori, who posted a decisive 8.95 winning average in the final round to secure first place. Panayiotis Isaia of Cyprus pushed hard to take second on home soil with an average of 9.67, while Greece standout Iasonas Mylonas took third in 10.19. The 3x3 results across the two rounds highlighted the quality of the field, with Schori also delivering the tournament low single of 8.71 on the classic Rubik's Cube.

Isaia found his golden moment in the 2x2x2 Cube, topping a 38-competitor bracket with a crisp 3.04 winning average and a lightning single of 2.03. Mylonas followed in second place at 3.68, and Puttonen earned third with 3.88. The competition featured intense depth in the quick-fire format, where local speed cubing talent stood shoulder to shoulder with international travelers looking to establish new personal standards at the Kolla Spring Cup 2024.

Big-cube and specialty events saw Greece and Finland trade honors across the afternoon. Mylonas delivered a stellar showing in the 4x4x4 Cube, posting a winning average of 36.41 and a best single of 32.18 to lead the 26 entrants. Puttonen took second place with a 37.52 average, followed closely by Ronkainen in third at 40.61. The 4x4x4 contest underscored how tightly contested the podium positions were throughout this vibrant WCA competition.

Ronkainen proved unbeatable in the one-handed and Skewb disciplines. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, he managed a winning average of 15.80 and a single of 14.40 to outpace Mylonas at 16.66 and Schori at 17.83. Ronkainen later secured his second title of the day in Skewb, averaging 5.05 to finish ahead of Theoharis Delidis of Greece with 6.24 and Michael Eleftheriades of Cyprus with 6.64. In Square-1, Israel competitor Anonymous took first with a 14.85 average, ahead of Eleftheriades in 24.97.

Behind the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their individual schedules. Mikhail Stanovov delivered a huge breakthrough in 2x2x2 Cube, recording a personal best of 7.65 that was 53.3 percent faster than his previous mark of 16.39, while also taking on his first official attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed and Skewb. Daniel Gron slashed his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 51.33, an improvement of 49 percent from 1:40.59, while placing fifth in 2x2x2 Cube. Philippos Violaris knocked 58.7 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best with a time of 9.21 and tackled Square-1 for the first time with a mark of 26.33. Eftichios Michael posted a personal best of 6.11 in Skewb, a 37.5 percent drop, and completed maiden runs in Square-1 and 4x4x4 Cube.

Other competitors expanded their repertoires across multiple puzzles at the Kolla Spring Cup 2024. Björn Moberg entered six events and registered first-time marks in Square-1 at 34.72, 4x4x4 Cube at 2:19.31, and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 46.37. Maksim Golubev also tackled six events, securing first attempts in Skewb, 4x4x4 Cube, and 3x3x3 One-Handed. Aaron Wonsok Choi posted maiden times in three events, including a 30.14 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, while Ioannis Christou recorded a personal best of 6.87 in Skewb, an improvement of 15.3 percent, alongside a new best in 4x4x4 Cube.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded event concluded the day, a discipline requiring pure memorisation before execution under the blindfold. Arttu Puttonen navigated the solve in 2:01.60 to secure the win, while Jordan Crippa of Italy registered a successful 2:43.52 for second place. Pantelis Kypris of Cyprus took third place in the round. The blindfolded results capped a full program that demonstrated the wide reach and competitive spirit of the cubing competition.

When the final timers were cleared at Kόλλα, Finland led all delegations with seven total podium placements, while hosts Cyprus and visitors Greece each collected five. Israel secured three podiums and Italy added one, rounding out an international spread of awards. The Kolla Spring Cup 2024 delivered high-level performances and lasting personal milestones for newcomers and veterans alike in Limassol.