Summer in Bishkek 2024

A scintillating 7.64 winning average in the 3x3x3 Cube by Chyngyz Sultanbekov set the tone for a major mid-season gathering in Central Asia as Summer in Bishkek 2024 brought regional talent together. Held on June 22 and June 23, 2024, at Dordoi Plaza 2 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the competition marked a pivotal summer checkpoint on the regional speedcubing circuit. Over two days of action, 26 competitors tackled 10 events across 17 rounds, producing high-level speed cubing battles, dense podium contests, and breakthrough marks across a diverse spectrum of puzzles.

The flagship Rubik's Cube event went to Sultanbekov, who delivered the weekend's best single solve of 6.49 on his way to securing first place with that 7.64 average across three rounds of 3x3 results. Alikhan Zhanybekov earned second place with a final round average of 9.71, while Damir Zhanataev of Kazakhstan rounded out the podium in third with a 9.74 average. The contest served as the centerpiece of a program that tested solvers from the traditional 3x3 down to compact twisty puzzles and up to complex multi-layered challenges.

Beyond his primary victory, Sultanbekov put together a dominant showing across multiple disciplines throughout the cubing competition. He captured the 2x2x2 Cube title with an average of 3.53, edging out Sardar Bakiev who recorded a 3.96 average and Alikhan Zhanybekov who finished third at 4.04. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Sultanbekov again topped the standings with a 12.32 mark and an 8.75 single, finishing ahead of Damir Zhanataev at 12.87 and Sardar Bakiev at 15.68.

The larger puzzles featured equally tense exchanges between the leading contenders in the venue. Sultanbekov clinched the 4x4x4 Cube average with a time of 31.29 and a low single of 27.01, outpacing Bakiev who took second in 33.29 and Zhanataev who secured third in 33.70. Sultanbekov also took the top step in Megaminx with a winning average of 50.45, followed by Aidin Smanov in 53.84 and Zhanataev in 1:08.01. In 5x5x5 Cube, Alikhan Zhanybekov turned the tables to win with an average of 1:01.97 and a single of 54.55, placing ahead of Sultanbekov at 1:03.75 and Zhanataev at 1:06.43.

Specialist categories added further variety to the schedule as Damir Zhanataev established himself as a versatile force across the board. Zhanataev secured the Clock event with a 10.07 average, finishing ahead of Stepan Matveev at 10.24 and Abdurakhman Aktay at 10.31. In Pyraminx, Zhanataev achieved a winning average of 5.27 along with a 3.45 best single. He added another victory in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, posting a decisive single time of 1:31.08 to finish ahead of Matveev at 3:12.81 and Zhanybekov at 4:16.93. Skewb was captured by Sardar Bakiev, who registered a winning average of 5.53 and a single of 4.00.

Away from the top steps of the podium, the weekend was defined by remarkable individual progress and debut performances across the tournament floor. Emir Aytmurzaev made a significant leap in the 3x3x3 Cube, recording a personal best of 17.99 that was 41.2 percent faster than his previous mark of 30.62. Azamat Seitbekov took on a full slate of 10 events, lowering his Pyraminx personal best to 4.97, which was 24.2 percent faster than his prior 6.56, while also taking fourth in Skewb with a personal best of 3.44. Lev Golaev entered 4 events and secured a 4th-place finish in Clock with a personal best of 12.87, while Tristan O'Brien recorded a tournament best of 9th place in the 3x3x3 Cube.

A vibrant wave of fresh faces also took their first official steps at this WCA competition. Ayubhan Topoev made his debut appearance by taking on 5 events, registering a first 3x3x3 Cube attempt of 27.48, a Pyraminx attempt of 12.89, and a 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt of 1:04.15. Seitek Sultanov also completed his first tournament across 5 events, earning an 8th-place finish in 3x3x3 Cube with an initial attempt of 11.79 while recording a first 2x2x2 attempt of 3.08. Ilyas Derkenbaev posted a first ever attempt of 11.97 in the 3x3x3 Cube, Rahman Rustam finished 10th in 3x3x3 Cube with a first attempt of 15.72, and Alymbekov Barsbek logged opening attempts across 4 events including a 9.45 in Pyraminx.

The combined medal count reflected strong showings from across the visiting delegations, with host nation Kyrgyzstan securing 16 podium finishes, Kazakhstan collecting 10, and Russia claiming 4. The gathering at Dordoi Plaza 2 highlighted the depth of regional talent across both classic and side events as solvers tested their skills against high benchmarks. Summer in Bishkek 2024 concluded as a memorable mid-year benchmark that set a strong standard for the remainder of the competitive calendar.