Serbian Open 2023

Inside the competition hall at Os Jan Cajak, tables were lined with timers and display mats as sixty-six competitors gathered across two days of intense puzzle solving. The atmosphere carried the distinct focus of a premier speedcubing gathering, where every fraction of a second on the timer can reshape the final standings. From the opening scrambles to the final rounds on December 9 and 10, the venue hosted twenty rounds of action across eleven distinct events in Backi Petrovac, Serbia.

The tightest battle of the entire weekend emerged at the very top of the 7x7x7 Cube final, where margins were razor thin after minutes of relentless turning. Aleksa Radovanovic captured the victory for Serbia with a winning average of 3:01.76, holding off Croatia's David Vujasic, who finished directly behind in second place with an average of 3:03.93. Just over two seconds separated the top two spots after extensive solves, while Aleksandar D. Siljanoski secured third place on the podium with an average of 3:33.84.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest stood at the center of attention as sixty-three competitors took to the tables for three full rounds. Alexey Tsvetkov delivered the weekend's benchmark 3x3 results, capturing the title with an exceptional winning average of 6.67 and a round-best single of 5.99. Stefan Sebez took the silver medal position with an average of 8.82, edging out David Vujasic, who took third step on the podium with an 8.86 average in another remarkably close finish for the classic Rubik's Cube event.

Beyond his main event triumph, Alexey Tsvetkov mounted an extraordinary run across the tournament program. He collected victories in the 2x2x2 Cube with a winning average of 1.40, the 4x4x4 Cube with an average of 30.83, and the 3x3x3 One-Handed event with an 11.43 average. Tsvetkov also added titles in Pyraminx, where he averaged 2.45, and Skewb, posting a winning average of 3.02. His dominant haul anchored a memorable showing at the Serbian Open 2023.

National pride was also on full display when David Vujasic set a National record average of 2.16 in the 2x2x2 Cube for Croatia, finishing second overall in that event behind Tsvetkov's winning marks. Vujasic asserted his own dominance in the larger puzzles, winning the 5x5x5 Cube title with an average of 1:03.60 and securing the 6x6x6 Cube victory with an average of 1:56.76. In other disciplines at the Serbian Open 2023, Justin Vinckenbosch won Clock with a 7.58 average, while Ivan Miletic topped the 3x3x3 Blindfolded standings with a best single of 1:05.27.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones in their personal solving journeys. Lev Smirnov entered six events, achieving a Clock first attempt of 13.02 to finish sixth, a 4x4x4 Cube first attempt of 1:26.25, and a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 28.92 that was 85.9 percent faster than his prior mark. Aleksa Vujic took on seven events, notching first attempts in Clock at 21.38 for a twelfth-place finish, 4x4x4 Cube at 1:12.93, and Skewb at 7.88. Dimitrije Sljivic recorded a first Skewb attempt of 10.01, while cutting his Pyraminx personal best by 53.5 percent to 5.01 and dropping his 3x3x3 Cube best by 24.3 percent to 20.21. Rastko Kopunovic made his first 4x4x4 Cube attempt in 2:03.06, improved his Skewb personal best by 47.5 percent to 15.60, and improved his 2x2x2 Cube best by 38.8 percent to 5.07.

The progress continued across the tournament floor as Danilo Magdelinic entered four events, posting a Clock first attempt of 13.53 for seventh place, a Pyraminx first attempt of 5.23, and a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.54 that was 27.3 percent faster than before. Lav Novakovic slashed his 2x2x2 Cube best by 76.9 percent down to 5.36, dropped his Pyraminx best by 62.8 percent to 5.87, and lowered his 3x3x3 Cube best by 28.7 percent to 23.43. Nikita Ivanovic logged a first 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt of 45.52, while improving his Pyraminx best by 39.4 percent to 6.34 and his Skewb best by 20.9 percent to 7.20. Mihajlo Stamenovic took tenth in the 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 2.13, which was 57.7 percent faster than his old mark, alongside a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 1:17.52 and a Skewb personal best of 6.28.

The two days of speed cubing at Serbian Open 2023 reflected the depth of regional talent, with Serbia claiming fifteen podium places, Croatia earning eleven, Russia taking six, and Belgium securing one. From the tense multi-minute battle in the 7x7x7 Cube final to the swift one-handed turns and blindfolded memorization, the WCA competition delivered memorable drama. As the 2023 schedule winds down, this cubing competition in Backi Petrovac stands as a showcase of precision, personal growth, and thrilling finishes on the regional stage.

Alexey Tsvetkov je u velikom finalu discipline 3x3x3 Cube zabeležio pobednički prosek od 6.67 sekundi, uz najbolji pojedinačni pokušaj od 5.99 sekundi, čime je postavio ton za čitav takmičarski vikend. Takmičenje Serbian Open 2023 održano je u prostoru Oš Jan Čajak u mestu Bački Petrovac, Serbia, gde se 9. i 10. decembra 2023. godine okupilo ukupno 66 takmičara. Pored uzbudljivih borbi za medalje, dvorana je bila ispunjena druženjem, razmenom iskustava među slagačima i prijateljskom podrškom koja je pratila svaki odlazak za takmičarski sto.

Vikend je obuhvatio čak 11 disciplina i 20 rundi, što je ljubiteljima slaganja donelo neprekidan program od jutra do večeri. Takmičari iz više zemalja delili su stolove za zagrevanje, analizirali algoritme i pratili nastupe svojih kolega između zvaničnih pokušaja. Ovakva cubing competition scena u Srbiji još jednom je potvrdila koliko su sporedne discipline i zajednički trenuci van glavne bine važni za celokupnu atmosferu, dok je svaka uspešno rešena Rubikova kocka praćena aplauzom prisutnih.

Pored glavne discipline, Alexey Tsvetkov je dominirao u još pet kategorija, osvojivši prva mesta u 2x2x2 Cube sa prosekom 1.40, Pyraminx sa 2.45, 4x4x4 Cube sa 30.83, 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 11.43 i Skewb sa prosekom 3.02 sekunde. Na postolju u klasičnoj trojci našli su se i domaći predstavnik Stefan Šebez na drugom mestu sa prosekom 8.82, dok je David Vujasić zauzeo treće mesto sa rezultatom 8.86 sekundi. U disciplini 2x2x2 Cube David Vujasić je postavio novi nacionalni rekord za Hrvatsku sa prosekom od 2.16 sekundi.

Velike kocke donele su izuzetno dinamične duele na vrhu tabele. David Vujasić je pobedio u 5x5x5 Cube sa prosekom 1:03.60 ispred drugoplasiranog takmičara Luka Jankovic koji je imao 1:09.47 i trećeplasiranog Alekse Radovanovića sa 1:11.28. Vujasić je slavio i u 6x6x6 Cube sa prosekom 1:56.76, dok je Aleksa Radovanović bio drugi sa 2:01.88, a Aleksandar D. Siljanoski treći sa 2:11.07. Aleksa Radovanović je zatim stigao do zlata u 7x7x7 Cube sa pobedničkim prosekom 3:01.76, ispred Vujasića koji je ostvario 3:03.93.

Izvan zvaničnih borbi za medalje, Serbian Open 2023 doneo je mnoštvo ličnih uspeha i značajnih iskoraka za takmičare koji grade svoje iskustvo. Nikola Kojić je nastupio u 8 disciplina, ostvarivši 8. mesto u Clock-u, gde je popravio lični rekord na 15.40 sekundi, što je 40.4 odsto brže od njegovog ranijeg rezultata, uz popravke u 4x4x4 Cube na 54.51 i 3x3x3 One-Handed na 55.47 sekundi. Ivan Metelkin je zabeležio napredak u 3x3x3 Cube na 21.19 sekundi, što je 38.7 odsto brže, popravio 2x2x2 Cube na 5.37, nastupio u 6 disciplina i upisao prvi zvanični pokušaj u 4x4x4 Cube sa vremenom 2:51.46. Arsen Dobrović je u 2x2x2 Cube zabeležio lični rekord od 9.90 sekundi, 37 odsto brže nego ranije, dok je u 4x4x4 Cube stigao do 2:44.08 i upisao prvi nastup u 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 1:32.48. Pavle Kontic se oprobao u 7 disciplina, popravio Skewb rekord na 5.59 sekundi, što je 19.3 odsto brže, i zabeležio prve pokušaje u 5x5x5 Cube sa 3:18.52 i 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 53.23 sekunde.

Za nekoliko učesnika ovo je bilo vatreno krštenje i prvo WCA competition iskustvo u karijeri. Janko Atanasovski je nastupio u 5 disciplina, zabeležio 17. mesto u Skewb-u uz prvi pokušaj od 10.60 sekundi, te prve nastupe u 3x3x3 One-Handed sa 1:09.75 i 3x3x3 Cube sa 23.46 sekundi. Nikola Ðinović se takmičio u 6 disciplina, upisavši prve zvanične rezultate u 2x2x2 Cube sa 8.46, Pyraminx sa 11.06 i 4x4x4 Cube sa 2:42.61. Sasha Haruo Protic je izabrao 4 discipline, zabeleživši 33. mesto u Skewb-u i prve pokušaje u 2x2x2 Cube sa 8.23, Pyraminx sa 16.91 i 3x3x3 Cube sa 49.24 sekunde. Dimitrije Bajčetić je u svoja 3 nastupa debitovao u 2x2x2 Cube sa 6.79, 3x3x3 Cube sa 28.99 i Pyraminx-u sa 16.12 sekundi.

U preostalim specijalizovanim izazovima, Justin Vinckenbosch je odneo pobedu u Clock disciplini sa prosekom 7.58 sekundi i najboljim pojedinačnim slaganjem od 7.12 sekundi. Zahtevna kategorija 3x3x3 Blindfolded, koja podrazumeva memorisanje celokupne kocke pre rešavanja sa povezom preko očiju, pripala je domaćem takmičaru Ivanu Miletiću sa vremenom 1:05.27, dok je David Vujasić zauzeo drugo mesto sa 2:05.56, a Aleksandar D. Siljanoski treće mesto sa rezultatom 2:11.83.

Kada su se sabrali svi rezultati, predstavnici Srbije osvojili su ukupno 15 postolja, takmičari iz Hrvatske 11, iz Rusije 6, a iz Belgije jedno postolje. Dvodnevni Serbian Open 2023 završen je podelom priznanja, zajedničkim fotografisanjem i druženjem koje je još jednom ujedinilo regionalnu zajednicu u Bačkom Petrovcu na kraju uspešne 2023. godine.