Montenegro Open 2024

Inside the halls of University Donja Gorica on March 9, 2024, the focused rhythm of speedcubing echoed across tournament tables as the Montenegro Open 2024 got underway. Across nine rounds of intense puzzle solving, twenty-nine competitors took their places in Podgorica, Montenegro, ready to test their preparation on the official timers. The gathering brought together talent from across the region and beyond, creating a focused atmosphere where every inspection second and turn of a layer counted toward determining the weekend champions.

The 2x2x2 Cube event became the centerpiece for rapid milestone marks throughout the day. Competitors pushed the limits of the short format, generating standout marks in both individual solves and five-solve averages across two rounds. Ivan Kapusta of Ukraine led the event to capture first place with an average of 3.54 seconds after notching a best single of 2.81, also logging marks of 3.09 single and 4.14 average during the competition. Filip Aleksić of Bosnia and Herzegovina delivered an exceptional 2.04 single alongside a 3.25 average, securing second place on the podium with a final round average of 3.80.

The 2x2x2 Cube milestones did not stop there, as a flurry of competitors lowered their marks in the event. Konstantin Jaehne of Germany posted a 2.81 single and 4.19 average to finish third with a 4.27 average, while Albania's Thomas Mako logged a 2.55 single and 4.58 average. Italy's Vincenzo Maria Gammino added a 3.66 single and 4.99 average, and Vladimir Kuznetsov turned in a 4.22 single and 5.63 average. Local competitors also joined the pace, with David Pantović recording 4.56 and 5.71, Damjan Dževerdanović turning in 2.88 and 5.75, Jordan Crippa recording 5.42 and 6.23, and Strahinja Radovic posting a 3.75 single and 6.65 average.

Beyond the short format, the classic Rubik's Cube drew a field of twenty-nine contenders across three full rounds of play. When the final 3x3 results were tallied, Filip Aleksić stood atop the field, winning the 3x3x3 Cube title with a 10.00 average and a decisive 9.14 single. Thomas Mako secured the silver medal with a 10.44 average, followed closely by Biant Shkololli of Kosovo, who claimed third place with an 11.62 average. The competition highlighted the high standard of regional speed cubing across multiple rounds of traditional solving.

In the spotlight of the competition floor, many competitors achieved breakthrough milestones and significant personal improvements. Strahinja Radovic delivered a massive 39 percent drop in the 2x2x2 Cube with a new personal best of 2.96 seconds compared to a previous 4.85, improved their 3x3x3 Cube best by 23.4 percent to 21.68, and completed their first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 2:42.55 while entering four events. Leonid Agapkin took on three events, improving their 2x2x2 Cube best by 11.1 percent to 5.77 seconds, advancing their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 6.1 percent to 26.62, and tackling their first ever Pyraminx solve with a 14.41 finish.

Other dedicated solvers marked great strides throughout the schedule. Damjan Dževerdanović competed in five events, securing sixth place in 3x3x3 One-Handed while achieving a 22 percent improvement in 2x2x2 Cube with 2.88 seconds, an 8.3 percent drop in 3x3x3 Cube to 10.76, and a 5.3 percent reduction in 4x4x4 Cube to 1:19.64. Petar Janjušević sharpened their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 3.6 percent to 12.41 seconds. Meanwhile, four competitors made their debut at this WCA competition: Grigorii Poperechnyi took on three events with first official marks of 4.69 on 2x2x2, 24.17 on 3x3x3, and 10.30 on Pyraminx; Volodymyr Yermolenko posted first marks of 12.20, 27.98, and 8.10; Nikola Gligić recorded initial attempts of 14.63, 48.82, and 22.46; and Nemanja Ćorić achieved debut times of 7.24, 21.57, and 12.44.

The specialised puzzles provided thrilling contests across the single-round brackets. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where competitors must commit the puzzle to memory before donning a blindfold, Biant Shkololli took first place with a 47.52 average and a best single of 33.19. Konstantin Jaehne followed in second with a 47.75 average, while Filip Aleksić completed the podium with a 1:22.36 average. Konstantin Jaehne also proved dominant in 3x3x3 One-Handed, winning with a 21.84 average and 20.43 single, ahead of Filip Aleksić at 27.14 and France's Nox Clémenceau at 27.80.

The larger puzzles and side events rounded out the day with commanding displays. Vincenzo Maria Gammino captured the 4x4x4 Cube title with a winning average of 42.37 seconds and a best single of 39.90, finishing ahead of Konstantin Jaehne at 44.36 and Ron van Bruchem of the Netherlands at 50.95. Jaehne returned to the top step in Pyraminx, taking first place with a 5.84 average and 5.23 single. Filip Aleksić claimed second place in Pyraminx with an 8.11 average, while Janko Gašić of Bosnia and Herzegovina earned third with an 8.43 average.

By the conclusion of the Montenegro Open 2024, podium finishes were shared among competitors representing Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Kosovo, Ukraine, Italy, and Albania. Across six distinct events, the cubing competition in Podgorica offered a comprehensive demonstration of speed, precision, and technical versatility, writing another vibrant chapter into the 2024 speedcubing calendar.