Romanian 24h Championship 2024

Inside the halls of Colegiul Tehnologic Viaceslav Harnaj, the usual rhythm of quick turns and rattling plastic gave way to profound stillness at the solving stations. A competitor sat completely motionless, studying the scrambled puzzle before donning a blindfold and setting hands onto the timer mat. Solving without sight demands total memorisation and absolute mental discipline, turning the table into a test of pure recall. Across the room, judges held clipboards in silence as solvers committed piece orientations to memory before executing complex algorithms in complete darkness.

That razor-sharp focus defined the 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest at the Romanian 24h Championship 2024, held in Bucuresti, Romania on April 28 and 29, 2024. Serban Stelian proved master of the discipline, navigating the rounds to capture first place with a winning average of 53.47 seconds and a best single time of 46.71 seconds. Alex Chisăliță-Ignat secured second place on the podium with a mark of 1:10.01, while Alexandru Ignat rounded out the top three with a final average of 1:38.09 in the 16-competitor field.

Beyond the blindfolded realm, Ianis Costin Chele orchestrated an extraordinary display of speedcubing mastery throughout the competition. In the traditional 3x3x3 Cube event, Chele led a field of 50 competitors across three intense rounds, claiming victory with a 6.57 winning average and a best single solve of 6.34 seconds. Mihail Stoicescu finished in second place with an 8.17 average, followed by Serban Stelian in third with 8.88 seconds, providing high-caliber 3x3 results that set the standard for the entire gathering.

Chele maintained that blistering pace across multiple puzzle categories over the weekend. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, he captured first place with an impressive 1.39 average and a 1.14 single, topping Serban Stelian at 2.32 and David-Mihail Ion at 2.42. Chele also swept to victory in 4x4x4 Cube with a 33.47 average, 5x5x5 Cube with a 1:04.16 average, and 3x3x3 One-Handed with an 11.25 average. His multi-discipline run continued with first-place finishes in Pyraminx at 2.31, Skewb at 3.74, Megaminx at 40.96, and Square-1 at 12.33 seconds.

The larger puzzles featured an exceptional showcase from Mihnea Andrei Panţu, who controlled the top tier of the 6x6x6 Cube and 7x7x7 Cube tournaments. Panţu secured the 6x6x6 Cube title with a winning average of 1:54.30 and a best single of 1:48.52, finishing ahead of Vincentiu Tarsoaga and Bulgaria competitor Ognian Baruh. He repeated his gold-medal performance in the 7x7x7 Cube with a 3:01.71 winning average, standing atop the podium above Chele and Baruh in a demanding test of big-cube endurance.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors delivered remarkable breakthrough performances and substantial personal milestones. Radu Bratu improved his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 2.46 seconds, cutting his previous mark by 59.9 percent, while logging his first official attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:01.90 and lowering his classic Rubik's Cube best to 29.01. Darius Toader advanced across eight events, improving his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 54.6 percent down to 1.73 seconds, alongside initial career attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 5:17.53 and Skewb at 15.34. Alexandru Macsinoiu tackled ten separate events, lowering his 2x2x2 Cube best by 31.1 percent to 12.40 seconds and posting his first official attempts in Clock at 51.19 and One-Handed at 1:09.03.

The spirit of testing new disciplines was equally evident across the rest of the venue. Vlad Stănescu entered 12 events across the competition schedule, logging first official attempts in Megaminx at 4:17.20, 6x6x6 Cube at 6:37.25, and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 56.55. Sebastian-Constantin Lupoaie improved his Clock mark by 21.8 percent down to 28.19 seconds while logging first tries in 5x5x5 Cube and One-Handed. Marin Matei Ioan contested 11 disciplines, setting baseline times with initial attempts in Clock at 20.98, 5x5x5 Cube at 3:29.36, and 6x6x6 Cube at 8:56.02. Borca David rounded out the heavy event loads with initial tries in Pyraminx at 9.39, Skewb at 19.88, and 4x4x4 Cube at 2:33.80.

The Clock event delivered another thrilling conclusion as Anais Isabelle Necula claimed victory with a 6.82 average and a best single of 5.23 seconds, holding off Victor Anton Stoica and Orban Raul Florian. The two-day cubing competition featured 50 total competitors contesting 13 official events over 27 total rounds, resulting in 37 podium positions for Romanian competitors and two for Bulgaria. For every speed cubing participant in attendance, the weekend stood as a comprehensive festival of dexterity, stamina, and mental sharpness.

As the final timers clicked off at Colegiul Tehnologic Viaceslav Harnaj, the Romanian 24h Championship 2024 wrapped up a demanding weekend of competition. From the intense focus of blindfolded solving to the fast-paced action of short-format events, this WCA competition demonstrated the depth and drive of the region as competitors prepare for the challenges of the upcoming season.

50 de participanti s-au adunat la Colegiul Tehnologic Viaceslav Harnaj pentru o intrecere intensa de speedcubing desfasurata pe parcursul a doua zile. Concurentii au calatorit din diverse colturi ale tarii si de peste hotare, inclusiv din Bulgaria, pentru a lua startul in Bucuresti, Romania in perioada 28-29 aprilie 2024. Aceasta competitie de cubing a pus la incercare rezistenta si concentrarea fiecaruia intr-un maraton spectaculos structurat pe 13 probe oficiale si 27 de runde solicitante.

Editia Romanian 24h Championship 2024 a fost marcata de performanta dominanta reusita de Ianis Costin Chele, care a obtinut victoria la noua probe individuale. La proba clasica de cubul lui Rubik, Chele a castigat finala de 3x3x3 Cube cu o medie excelenta de 6.57 secunde si un cel mai bun single de 6.34. Pe treptele urmatoare ale podiumului au urcat Mihail Stoicescu, cu o medie de 8.17, si Serban Stelian, care a incheiat pe locul al treilea cu 8.88 secunde intr-o confruntare ce a reunit 50 de concurenti.

Succesele au continuat rapid pentru Ianis Costin Chele in probele de viteza si indemanare scurta. La 2x2x2 Cube, acesta a obtinut prima pozitie cu o medie castigatoare de 1.39 secunde si un single de 1.14, fiind urmat pe podium de Serban Stelian cu 2.32 secunde si de David-Mihail Ion cu 2.42 secunde. De asemenea, Chele s-a impus categoric la Pyraminx cu o medie de 2.31 secunde, la 3x3x3 One-Handed cu 11.25 secunde si la Skewb cu media de 3.74, unde Mihail Stoicescu si Orban Raul Florian au completat podiumul.

Probele cuburilor mari si ale puzzle-urilor complexe au adus alte infruntari remarcabile in sala de concurs. Mihnea Andrei Panţu a dominat probele masive, reusind victoria la 6x6x6 Cube cu o medie de 1:54.30 si la 7x7x7 Cube cu 3:01.71. Pe podiumul probei de 7x7x7, Panţu a fost secondat de Ianis Costin Chele cu 3:19.12 si de reprezentantul Bulgariei, Ognian Baruh, care a incheiat cu 3:36.26. La randul sau, Chele a castigat 4x4x4 Cube cu 33.47, 5x5x5 Cube cu 1:04.16, Megaminx cu 40.96 si Square-1 cu 12.33 secunde.

La proba Clock, victoria a revenit concurentei Anais Isabelle Necula, care a stabilit o medie finala de 6.82 secunde, depasindu-i pe Victor Anton Stoica si Orban Raul Florian. Proba speciala de 3x3x3 Blindfolded, unde rezolvarea depinde in totalitate de memorare si orientare exacta fara vaz, a fost castigata de Serban Stelian cu o medie remarcabila de 53.47 secunde si cel mai bun single de 46.71. Pe podiumul nevazatorilor au mai urcat Alex Chisăliță-Ignat cu 1:10.01 si Alexandru Ignat cu 1:38.09.

Dincolo de trofee si victorii absolute, aceasta competitie WCA a oferit momente excelente de progres personal si premiere memorabile pentru multi sportivi. Sebastian Andrei Neacsu s-a remarcat printr-o reducere impresionanta de 38.8% la 3x3x3 One-Handed, coborand recordul personal la 26.88 secunde, bifand totodata prima incercare oficiala la 5x5x5 Cube cu 2:07.61. Matei Burlacu a concurat in 6 probe, reusind o imbunatatire de 29.6% la 3x3x3 One-Handed cu timpul de 34.02 secunde, un progres de 28.6% la Skewb cu 8.29, si un debut la Clock cu 17.55 secunde, unde a obtinut locul 21. Elliana Alexia Cioaca a inregistrat un salt de 27.1% la Clock cu un nou record de 43.54 secunde si a marcat prima sa incercare la 3x3x3 One-Handed cu timpul de 1:40.42.

Povestile frumoase ale weekendului au fost completate de alti concurenti aflati intr-o forma excelenta de concurs. Elian Faur a realizat un progres de 20.5% la 3x3x3 Cube oprind cronometrul la 46.00 secunde si a participat pentru prima data la Skewb cu 19.06 secunde. Ciobanu Nicolae Adrian a coborat cu 17.6% la 3x3x3 Cube pana la 19.70 secunde, a redus 15.2% la 2x2x2 Cube cu 7.43, a debutat la Skewb cu 17.43 si a terminat pe locul 21 la Pyraminx. La randul lor, debutantii absoluti au impresionat prin curaj: Bara Tudor a completat primele sale incercari la 4x4x4 Cube cu 1:25.95, 3x3x3 Cube cu 16.61 si 2x2x2 Cube cu 5.62, in timp ce Andrei Stefan Soare a finalizat primele sale rezolvari oficiale la 3x3x3 Cube cu 49.22 si la 2x2x2 Cube cu 24.68 secunde.

Evenimentul din capitala s-a incheiat cu un bilant stralucit de 37 de clasari pe podium pentru Romania si doua pentru Bulgaria, confirmand pasiunea concurentilor care au parcurs distante considerabile pentru a fi prezenti. Maratonul desfasurat in cadrul Romanian 24h Championship 2024 lasa in urma amintiri puternice, recorduri personale depasite si un standard ridicat de performanta pentru intreaga comunitate inainte de intalnirile viitoare ale sezonului.