Ogulin Open 2024

Inside the Gradska sportska dvorana Ivana Cindrića Piva, the steady rattle of plastic mechanisms and the digital beeps of Stackmat timers echoed through the sports hall. Competitors settled into their solving stations across two full days of play, inspecting puzzles under the venue lights before launching into rapid turns. The weekend action in Ogulin, Croatia on April 27 and April 28 drew a dedicated gathering of puzzle enthusiasts ready to test their preparation across eighteen rounds of head-to-head tournament solving.

A total of 73 competitors converged for Ogulin Open 2024, representing an energetic cross-border meeting of talents across twelve distinct disciplines. Neighboring delegations from Slovenia and Croatia asserted command over the podiums from the opening rounds onward, collecting 16 and 15 top-three finishes respectively. Their comprehensive sweep across short sprints and marathon puzzles set a brisk pace, leaving only five podium spots for entrants from Germany, the Netherlands, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine over the entire competition schedule.

The classic Rubik's Cube brought 70 participants to the tables for three intense rounds of standard speedcubing. Taiyo Berčič delivered the standout performance to capture the 3x3 results title, posting a winning average of 8.67 seconds alongside a weekend-best single solve of 7.63. Fellow Slovenian Marcel Ručigaj pushed closely behind to claim the runner-up position with an 8.86 average. Croatia's David Vujasić rounded out the podium in third place with an average of 9.23 seconds, completing an all-Adriatic sweep in the marquee event.

Sprint events provided additional podium locks for the visiting Slovenian squad. Ručigaj claimed gold in the 2x2x2 Cube with an exceptional 2.18 winning average and a 1.62 single, leading a complete Slovenian sweep of the podium ahead of Berčič at 2.58 and Jakob Kitak at 3.03. Kitak maintained his sharp form across the side events, capturing first place in Pyraminx with a 3.24 average and taking top honors in Skewb with a 3.65 average. Ručigaj added another victory in 3x3x3 One-Handed, averaging 14.27 to edge out Vujasić and Jakov Srečković.

The long-form big cube events belonged entirely to Croatia's David Vujasić, who orchestrated a dominant run across four separate categories. Vujasić secured the 4x4x4 Cube crown with a 33.48 average and added the 5x5x5 Cube title with a 1:05.86 mark. He continued his sweep in the largest puzzles, taking the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:51.79 and the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:54.00 average, besting Germany's Serafim Weiß in both events. Srečković delivered another Croatian victory by leading Clock with a 5.96 average, while Anto Markanović won Square-1 in 15.22 and Markus Otten won Megaminx in 45.07.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors logged major milestones throughout the cubing competition. Filip Bečić took on 11 events and delivered a massive breakthrough in Clock, dropping his personal best to 10.89 seconds, an improvement of 55.1 percent over his previous mark, while also cutting his 5x5x5 Cube time by 14.8 percent to 2:52.88. Luka Lep entered five events and improved his Pyraminx personal record by 36.6 percent down to 9.10 seconds, while taking his first ever official attempts in 4x4x4 Cube with 1:26.70 and Skewb with 7.34. Mate Musa competed in three events, posting a 2:09.22 in his first official 4x4x4 Cube attempt and lowering his 2x2x2 Cube best by 29.8 percent to 4.50 seconds. Bartul Marušić took on 10 disciplines, cutting his Square-1 best by 21.4 percent to 39.91 seconds, improving his Clock mark by 15.3 percent to 10.13, and logging his first official 3x3x3 One-Handed solve in 52.61.

The depth of the field showed across expansive multi-event schedules for dedicated entrants throughout the venue. Albert Erdelez contested all 12 events on the program, shaving 26.5 percent off his Clock personal best with a 9.66 solve and recording his first official finishes in 6x6x6 Cube at 5:17.86 and 7x7x7 Cube at 8:31.60. Nika Arsov also tackled all 12 categories, placing 10th in Skewb while notching first-time competition results in 6x6x6 Cube at 3:25.79, Megaminx at 1:54.18, and 7x7x7 Cube at 4:47.72. Marin Grgić logged nine events, securing 17th in Clock while making debut attempts in Skewb at 14.37, Clock at 12.97, and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:53.01. Erin Pernar rounded out an eight-event weekend with a 16th-place finish in Clock, registering initial official marks in 4x4x4 Cube at 1:39.91, Megaminx at 2:18.37, and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 45.21.

With eighteen rounds completed across twelve events, Ogulin Open 2024 concluded as a memorable showcase of regional skill and community depth in the 2024 speed cubing calendar. From the multi-gold performances of Vujasić, Ručigaj, and Kitak to the numerous personal breakthroughs logged down the order, the tournament demonstrated the vibrant state of competitive puzzle solving. Competitors now carry their marks into the official WCA competition records as they look forward to resuming regional rivalries in upcoming tournaments.

Gradska sportska dvorana Ivana Cindrića Piva proteklog je vikenda odisala posebnim natjecateljskim žarom. Dvodnevno speedcubing nadmetanje privuklo je 73 natjecatelja iz više europskih zemalja, a dvorana u gradu podno Kleka bila je ispunjena zvukom brzog okretanja slagalica i preciznim zaustavljanjem mjerača vremena. Od 27. do 28. travnja 2024. godine, Ogulin Open 2024 donio je vrhunske okršaje u ukupno 12 disciplina raspoređenih kroz 18 natjecateljskih rundi, potvrdivši visoku razinu regionalne speedcubing scene.

Glavni fokus natjecanja bio je usmjeren na najbrže discipline, gdje su djelići sekunde odlučivali o pobjednicima. U klasičnoj disciplini 3x3x3 Cube, koja je okupila čak 70 natjecatelja kroz tri kruga, slavio je Taiyo Berčič s pobjedničkim prosjekom od 8.67 sekundi, dok je njegov najbolji pojedinačni pokušaj iznosio 7.63 sekundi. Marcel Ručigaj zauzeo je drugo mjesto s prosjekom 8.86, a treću stepenicu postolja izborio je David Vujasić s rezultatom 9.23, donijevši vrijedno odličje domaćim predstavnicima u iznimno jakoj međunarodnoj konkurenciji.

Format 2x2x2 Cube ponudio je nevjerojatnu dinamiku među 62 natjecatelja, a pobjedu je odnio Marcel Ručigaj s prosjekom od 2.18 sekundi i najboljim pojedinačnim slaganjem od 1.62 sekundi. Iza njega se smjestio Taiyo Berčič s prosjekom 2.58, dok je Jakob Kitak osigurao treće mjesto s 3.03. Marcel Ručigaj briljirao je i u disciplini 3x3x3 One-Handed, gdje je u konkurenciji 33 natjecatelja osvojio zlato s prosjekom 14.27 i pojedinačnim rezultatom 11.85, ispred Davida Vujasića koji je ostvario 16.05 i Jakova Srečkovića s prosjekom 16.75.

Hrvatski predstavnik David Vujasić obilježio je natjecanje potpunom dominacijom na velikim kockama. Odnio je pobjedu u disciplini 4x4x4 Cube s prosjekom 33.48 sekundi, ispred Jakova Srečkovića koji je zabilježio 35.72 i Taiya Berčiča s 36.83. Vujasić je potom slavio i u 5x5x5 Cube s prosjekom 1:05.86, nadmašivši Oskara Vidičeka i Taiya Berčiča, kao i na 6x6x6 Cube s pobjedničkim prosjekom 1:51.79. Niz je zaokružio trijumfom na najvećoj slagalici vikenda, 7x7x7 Cube, pobijedivši s prosjekom 2:54.00 ispred njemačkog natjecatelja Serafima Weißa.

Izvan same borbe za postolja, ovo WCA natjecanje donijelo je brojne osobne uspjehe i važne iskorake natjecatelja koji grade svoj put kroz turnire. Vigo Pernar nastupio je u devet disciplina i ostvario osmo mjesto u Pyraminxu, popravivši osobni rekord na 2x2x2 Cube na 2.84, što je 40.7 posto brže od prijašnjih 4.79, uz napredak na Clocku od 34.9 posto s vremenom 11.43 te na Square-1 od 28.4 posto s 50.36 sekundi. Nemanja Tomić nastupio je u osam disciplina, ostvarivši 29. mjesto u Megaminxu uz osobni rekord 2:45.07, što je 16.4 posto brže od ranijeg, dok je na Square-1 popravio rezultat za 36.7 posto na 1:16.56 te na Skewbu za 6.8 posto na 13.17. Luka Ptičar zabilježio je svoj prvi pokušaj na 4x4x4 Cube s vremenom 2:52.95, uz poboljšanje na 2x2x2 Cube za 16.5 posto na 6.37 i na 3x3x3 Cube za 13 posto na 26.69. Jure Kocjančič je u svojem prvom pokušaju na Skewbu zabilježio 12.65 i 39. mjesto, uz popravak osobnog rekorda na 2x2x2 Cube za 16 posto na 4.32.

Za četvoricu domaćih natjecatelja ovo je bilo prvo službeno WCA natjecanje u karijeri, a vikend su iskoristili za postavljanje svojih prvih službenih rezultata. Vedran Maljevac okušao se u pet disciplina, zabilježivši 29. mjesto u Skewbu, svoj prvi rezultat na Pyraminxu od 10.64, na 3x3x3 Cube od 23.77 te na 2x2x2 Cube od 5.82 sekundi. Luka Hunjak nastupio je u četiri discipline, upisavši svoj prvi nastup na 4x4x4 Cube s 2:29.58, na 3x3x3 Cube s 29.65 te na Pyraminxu s 13.16. Vito Laura upisao je prve rezultate na Pyraminxu s 10.23, na Skewbu s 19.73 i na 3x3x3 Cube s 23.73, ostvarivši 41. mjesto u Skewbu. Dorian Petrović je svoj debi zaokružio s 2:30.49 na 4x4x4 Cube, 7.51 na 2x2x2 Cube i 12.13 na Pyraminxu, plasiravši se na 44. mjesto.

U ostalim disciplinama također nije nedostajalo uzbuđenja i kvalitetnih rezultata. Jakov Srečković pobijedio je u disciplini Clock s prosjekom 5.96 sekundi, dok su Filip Premužić i David Vujasić upotpunili hrvatsko postolje s prosjecima 6.88 i 8.58. Jakob Kitak osvojio je dva zlata, trijumfiravši u Pyraminxu s prosjekom 3.24 sekundi među 55 natjecatelja te u Skewbu s prosjekom 3.65 u konkurenciji 42 natjecatelja. Markus Otten slavio je na Megaminxu s prosjekom 45.07, dok je Anto Markanović odnio pobjedu u Square-1 s prosjekom 15.22 sekundi.

Raspodjela medalja po državama potvrdila je izjednačenost vodećih reprezentacija, pri čemu su slovenski natjecatelji osvojili 16 postolja, a hrvatski 15, dok su predstavnici Njemačke, Nizozemske, Bosne i Hercegovine te Ukrajine također stigli do odličja. Kada su se u nedjelju navečer spustili zastori na natjecanje u gradu Ogulin, Croatia, postalo je jasno da je Ogulin Open 2024 pružio vrhunski sportski vikend prepun brzih slaganja Rubikove kocke, demonstrirajući snagu i širinu cjelokupne regionalne zajednice.