Tallinn Spring 2024

A total of 51 competitors gathered for 20 rounds of high-stakes puzzle solving across March 9 and March 10, delivering pure speed in Tallinn, Estonia. The venue at Tallinn Secondary School of Science hosted Tallinn Spring 2024, where the fastest disciplines took center stage. Across eight official events, the competition showcased elite dexterity on everything from the compact 2x2x2 Cube to the intricate mechanics of the standard Rubik's Cube. With entrants traveling from across the Baltic region and beyond, the two-day schedule offered non-stop action for everyone involved in this premier WCA competition.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 47 competitors across three intensive rounds, culminating in a spectacular performance by Estonia's Kaur Tuule. Tuule secured the title with an exceptional winning average of 6.80 seconds, backed by a tournament-best single solve of 6.04 seconds. The official 3x3 results saw George Scholey of the United Kingdom push hard in the final round, taking the runner-up spot with a 7.51 average, while Finland's Vincent von Schantz locked down third place with an 8.10 mark. The razor-thin margins at the top demonstrated the peak standard of modern speedcubing.

The electric pace carried right into the 2x2x2 Cube, where George Scholey delivered a masterclass across three rounds. Scholey claimed the gold medal with a blistering 1.97 winning average, logging a top single of 1.33 seconds during the contest. Vincent von Schantz chased closely to secure second place with a 2.14 average, while Estonia's Remo Pihel earned the bronze step on the podium with a mark of 2.52. The speed cubing on display throughout the 42-person bracket kept the venue buzzing as finalists solved puzzles in mere fractions of seconds.

Scholey's weekend was defined by widespread dominance, capturing five titles in total at Tallinn Spring 2024. In the 4x4x4 Cube, the British competitor topped a 24-person field across two rounds with an average of 31.85 seconds and a single solve of 28.30. Kaur Tuule followed in second at 34.37, while Remo Pihel captured third in 38.07. Scholey also swept 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 14.10, besting Vincent von Schantz at 15.71 and Tuule at 16.08. Rounding out his triumphs, Scholey won Skewb with a 3.48 average and Square-1 with a 12.43 mark.

Beyond the speed disciplines, mechanical variety highlighted the schedule. Oliver Pällo delivered a standout performance in Clock, securing first place with an impressive 4.04 average and a best single of 3.21 seconds, ahead of Vincent von Schantz at 7.21 and Maksim Zemtšihhin at 7.86. In Pyraminx, Remo Pihel took the victory with a 3.44 average across three rounds, edging out von Schantz at 4.17 and Pällo at 4.27. By the close of the weekend, host nation Estonia amassed 13 total podium spots, while the United Kingdom took six and Finland claimed five.

Away from the title clashes, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their events. Simon Holster took on six events and chopped 60.2 percent off his previous benchmark in 2x2x2 Cube to set a personal best of 2.68 seconds, alongside a 5.83 in Pyraminx and 15.47 in Clock. Oleksandr Kosheliev posted a massive 56.2 percent improvement in Pyraminx with a new best of 5.40 seconds, while lowering his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 3.33 and his 3x3x3 Cube time to 24.37. Sebastian Tempel achieved an eighth-place finish in Square-1, made a first career attempt at Clock with 17.92 seconds, and set a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.19. Ilja Krehov slashed his 3x3x3 Cube time by 39.2 percent to 15.31 seconds while recording his first attempts in Skewb at 10.22 and Clock at 16.34.

Fresh faces and multi-event competitors added tremendous depth throughout the field. Oliver Jakob Veevo entered his first official tournament, taking on seven events, placing ninth in Square-1, and posting first-ever marks of 3.84 in Pyraminx, 3.27 in 2x2x2 Cube, and 19.17 in Clock. Kaur-Mattias Kuuskme placed ninth in Pyraminx, tackled seven events, took his first turns at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:17.49 and Clock in 19.35, and cut 30.1 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube best to finish in 1:40.41. Gleb Zobnitsev competed in five events, logging inaugural times of 8.21 in 2x2x2 Cube, 16.26 in Pyraminx, and 1:12.46 in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Meanwhile, Raivo Rodrigo Heidemanis made his tournament debut across four events, setting starting marks of 29.75 in 3x3x3 Cube, 6.38 in Pyraminx, and 2:45.01 in 4x4x4 Cube.

The 2024 season in the Baltics gained serious momentum from the high-caliber execution in the Estonian capital. Across all 20 rounds, the depth of talent pushed every bracket to its limit, from seasoned international contenders to ambitious new solvers. With decisive results in the marquee puzzles and major strides made across the scoreboard, Tallinn Spring 2024 stands as a testament to the thriving energy of the regional scene.