Šiauliai Open 2023

Latvian competitors delivered an emphatic podium sweep in the Pyraminx event at Šiauliai Open 2023, capturing all three medals before going on to claim ten podium finishes across the one-day gathering. Markuss Pietkuns led the charge on the tetrahedral puzzle, taking the title with an average of 3.58 seconds, followed by compatriot Roberts Dreijers with 4.46 and Aleksejs Oglobļins in third at 4.54. The display set the tone for a heavily contested Baltic clash in Šiauliai, Lithuania, where 47 competitors gathered on April 22, 2023, for a fast-paced WCA competition across eight different disciplines.

The overall medal table was evenly matched at the top, with Lithuania and Latvia each earning ten podium places, while Germany collected four. Lithuanian standout Mantas Urbanavičius matched the Latvian challenge by securing four individual titles, dominating across multiple cube sizes and single-handed solving. Held inside the halls of Šiaulių „Romuvos“ gimnazija, the cubing competition packed 11 rounds of action into a single Saturday, testing stamina and precision across both standard and specialty puzzles.

Urbanavičius delivered the standout individual performance of the tournament, taking first place in the classic Rubik's Cube. Across three intense rounds of the main event, the Lithuanian solved his way to victory with a winning final average of 7.11 seconds, backed by a best single time of 6.09 seconds. The 3x3 results saw Lithuania claim the top two steps, as Žygimantas Pilipas secured second place with an average of 8.96 seconds, while Germany's Finn Ickler rounded out the podium in third with a 9.83 average.

Urbanavičius also demonstrated his versatility across larger puzzles, taking the 4x4x4 Cube crown with a 30.35 average and winning the 5x5x5 Cube with a 59.14 mark. In both big cube events, Ickler secured second place with averages of 35.98 and 1:07.29 respectively, while Latvia's Rūdolfs Vīnkalns took third in both finals with 40.70 on the 4x4x4 and 1:13.82 on the 5x5x5. Urbanavičius added a fourth gold in 3x3x3 One-Handed, where his 11.07 average outpaced Ickler's 18.04 and third-place Tomas Jankauskas with 19.21.

The shorter formats and specialty disciplines showcased fierce speed cubing battles. Roberts Dreijers earned top honors in the 2x2x2 Cube, logging a winning average of 1.97 seconds to edge out Urbanavičius at 2.72 and Vilius Ribinskas at 3.19. Dreijers struck again in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, relying on total memorisation to register a winning single solve of 1:14.89, finishing ahead of Oglobļins at 1:17.72 and Lithuanian solver Vilius Čirgelis at 2:12.11. In the twelve-sided Megaminx contest, Kristiāns Pietkuns claimed victory for Latvia with an average of 50.01 seconds, closely followed by Vīnkalns at 51.25 and Urbanavičius at 52.24.

Beyond the championship races, the floor saw substantial individual breakthroughs across the field. Martynas Gedutis achieved a 48.8 percent improvement in Pyraminx with a 7.73 personal best, took on his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:04.14, and reduced his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 38.3 percent down to 33.48. Eimantas Vansevičius took on seven events and dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 44.6 percent to 22.12, along with a 20 percent drop in Megaminx to 2:41.28. Augustas Mėčius improved his 3x3x3 Cube time by 28 percent to 19.42 and Megaminx by 26.6 percent to 2:09.52, while Žygimantas Ežerskis took 28.5 percent off his 5x5x5 Cube best with a 3:23.52 and 28.2 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube mark at 1:17.15.

First-time events and competition debuts provided equally impressive milestones throughout the afternoon. Tautvydas Stumbras logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 1:02.31 and cut his 2x2x2 Cube best by 29 percent to 3.90. Arnas Juozapavičius entered six events, logging his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with a 2:45.97 alongside an 18.1 percent improvement in 4x4x4 Cube at 54.49. In their first WCA competition, Augustine Petit Guiot contested five events including an initial 3x3x3 One-Handed mark of 2:11.25, while debutant Kristupas Kasperavičius completed four events with a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 1:41.32 and a 24.21 in the 3x3x3 Cube.

With 47 competitors pushing the limits across eight official disciplines, Šiauliai Open 2023 delivered a balanced and memorable showcase of international speedcubing talent. The ten podium finishes for Latvia and ten for Lithuania reflected the depth of regional solving skill, highlighted by the clean Latvian sweep in Pyraminx and Urbanavičius collecting four gold medals on home soil. As the competition concluded, the diverse field left Šiauliai with personal bests, debut marks, and an exciting benchmark set for the rest of the 2023 calendar.