Mentallinn 2024

Four event titles belonged to a single competitor by the time the final results were recorded in Tallinn, Estonia. Across January 13 to January 14, Denmark standout Victor Valentin Glyrskov delivered a masterclass at Mentallinn 2024, dictating the pace across both memory-based disciplines and fast-paced dexterity puzzles. Staged at Tallinn University of Applied Sciences, the gathering assembled 17 competitors tackling 9 events and 12 distinct rounds, creating an intense, specialized program focused heavily on high-complexity solving.

Glyrskov launched his dominant run in the blindfolded events, where mental mapping and execution under pressure are paramount. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, his winning single of 44.66 seconds secured the gold over Latvia solver Mikus Lembergs, who claimed second in 46.85 seconds, and Jānis Zirnis, who rounded out the podium in 1:06.78. Fans following blindfolded speed cubing also saw Glyrskov top the 4x4x4 Blindfolded discipline with a winning average of 6:19.57 and a single of 5:43.96, once again holding off Lembergs, whose 7:25.54 earned the silver spot.

The Danish solver continued his sweep into the multi-cube arena, taking first place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind by registering 11 out of 13 cubes successfully solved within 47 minutes and 7 seconds. Mikus Lembergs followed with 9 of 10 cubes in 52:51, while Jānis Zirnis finished third by solving 11 of 15 in 58:38. Transitioning from mental memorization to mechanical speed, Glyrskov proved equally versatile on the Clock, posting a decisive winning average of 4.75 seconds to capture his fourth top finish of the weekend.

Beyond Glyrskov's sweep, the larger puzzle classes saw excellent performances from local Estonian contenders. In the Megaminx final, Kaur Tuule earned victory with a winning average of 57.46 seconds, finishing ahead of Remo Pihel at 59.33 seconds and Oliver Pällo at 1:00.17. Pällo took center stage in the 6x6x6 Cube final, claiming the title with an average of 2:10.85 ahead of Lembergs and Zirnis. Pihel earned top honors in 7x7x7 Cube with an average of 3:24.50, and went on to win 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with an efficient 30.00 average, narrowly edging Glyrskov's 31.00 and Tuule's 32.00.

The demanding 5x5x5 Blindfolded event delivered one of the weekend's rarest single successes. Mikus Lembergs navigated the complex puzzle to secure victory with a single solve of 17:21.00, standing as the only competitor to post a successful time in the round among four challengers. Across the full schedule of this WCA competition, host nation Estonia led the medal tally with 11 total podium places, closely shadowed by Latvia with 10, Denmark with 6, and Lithuania securing 1.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several participants marked major milestones and dramatic statistical leaps across the weekend. Martti Elvisto delivered the largest single improvement of the gathering, slicing his 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best down to 3:26.86 from 8:49.68, an impressive 60.9% drop, while also taking fourth place in 4x4x4 Blindfolded across his four events. Sofia Have Manor tackled five events, recording her first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 6:01.47 result and lowering her Clock personal best by 11.6% to 8.68 seconds on her way to a sixth-place finish. Oleksandr Kosheliev took on two events, registering his first ever attempt at Megaminx with a time of 2:38.58 and placing 14th in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves.

The progress continued across various disciplines as Anett Kruus took on seven events, achieving a sixth-place finish in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind and lowering her 6x6x6 Cube personal best by 8.5% to 4:47.74. Ako Monticelli improved his 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best by 8.2% to 56 moves, while Sofia Veedler contested six events, setting a 10.4% improvement in Megaminx down to 1:22.40 alongside a 38-move personal best in Fewest Moves. Mike Vidrik Rätsep achieved personal best drops in three distinct events, cutting 17.1% in Megaminx to 1:40.61, 14.9% in Clock to 9.10, and 11.5% in 6x6x6 Cube to 6:02.03. Maksim Zemtšihhin entered seven events, claiming fourth in Clock and taking 6.1% off his 3x3x3 Blindfolded best with a time of 2:11.45.

From classic Rubik's Cube variations to the most grueling multi-cube disciplines, Mentallinn 2024 highlighted the deep analytical skill within the regional speedcubing community. While traditional speedcubers frequently look for standard 3x3 results, this specialized assembly provided an uncompromising test of concentration, calculation, and technique in the capital of Estonia.

The closing rounds brought an exceptional start to the 2024 season for the Baltic scene, capped by Glyrskov's commanding four-event haul and numerous personal milestones across the field. With intense mental disciplines anchoring the event schedule, Mentallinn 2024 established a high benchmark of poise and precision for every competitor moving forward into the year's upcoming tournament calendar.