Ulaanbaatar Winter 2024

A margin of just two hundredths of a second decided the 2x2x2 Cube final at the Morning Star Event Hall, where Temuulen Munkhtushig took gold with a 3.15 average, barely edging out Khuslen Narmandakh at 3.17. Temuulen Tserendagva trailed closely behind in third with a 3.36 mark. It was the tightest finish of the entire weekend, capturing the fierce precision on display as 81 competitors gathered in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on November 30, 2024. Every turn counted, and the podium placements across the seven events reflected an extraordinary standard of execution.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest, traditionally the centerpiece of any speedcubing gathering, unfolded over three intense rounds with a field of 77 solvers. Temuulen Tserendagva secured the title with an impressive 8.15 winning average, supported by a blazing 6.10 single solve. Erkhemkhishig Batmunkh claimed second place with an 8.60 average, while Orgil Otgonbayar rounded out the podium at 8.71. These strong 3x3 results demonstrated steady nerve under pressure, giving the Mongolian speedcubing community plenty to celebrate in the main event.

Beyond the standard puzzle, Myagmardorj Ulziijargal emerged as the sole double champion of Ulaanbaatar Winter 2024. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Myagmardorj Ulziijargal set the standard across two rounds, averaging 34.75 with a 31.92 single to take victory ahead of Orgil Otgonbayar with 36.02 and Esukhei Bat-Erdene with 37.08. That success carried straight into 3x3x3 One-Handed, where Myagmardorj Ulziijargal topped the field of 14 competitors with a 13.98 average and a single of 9.63, beating Amarsanaa Enkhbaatar at 16.26 and Esukhei Bat-Erdene at 17.13.

The Pyraminx final proved almost as tense as the morning 2x2x2 Cube battle. Khangai Erdenebileg earned the victory with an average of 2.71, putting together a swift single solve of 2.04 to secure the top step. Khaliun Bolortuya pushed right to the wire, finishing mere hundredths behind with an average of 2.80 to take the silver. Renchinnorov Burenzevseg completed the podium in third place with a 3.40 average after two rounds of high-speed turning.

Side events brought out equally dominant performances during this WCA competition. In the Clock event, Ulsbold Javkhlantugs posted a decisive 4.43 winning average with a 3.55 single solve, finishing ahead of Todbilig Batdelger at 6.28 and Ariunsaikhan Erdenebileg at 8.40. Meanwhile, the Skewb bracket saw Uuganbayar Bayalagnasan emerge victorious with a 3.97 average, holding off Enkhbaatar Taivanjargal at 4.14 and Munkhtaivan Battugs at 4.66. Across all 14 rounds, Mongolian competitors swept every single podium position available.

Behind the top spots, several participants marked remarkable leaps in their individual records. Sar-Uul Regzedmaa had a standout run across seven events, earning a 6th place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed while dropping their personal best to 16.24, which was 64.6 percent faster than their previous mark. Sar-Uul Regzedmaa also cut their Pyraminx best to 4.03, improving by 21.6 percent. Barkhas Nyamdavaa set a new Pyraminx personal best of 14.11, an improvement of 52.3 percent, alongside a 46.51 best in 3x3x3 Cube. Dulguun Erdene lowered their Pyraminx best to 8.41, a 55.6 percent speed increase, while Tergel Batzorig took their Pyraminx mark down to 6.71, an improvement of 52.1 percent.

The cubing competition also provided a platform for brave debuts and new milestone attempts. Suld Ochirkhuyag tackled seven separate events, posting a first ever attempt in 2x2x2 Cube of 6.39, a Pyraminx debut of 9.38, and a Skewb debut of 10.20 on the way to a 14th place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Enkh-Od Ariunbold logged a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 8.99 and 4x4x4 Cube in 1:17.98. Unukhuslen Ganbold attended their first WCA competition, recording a Pyraminx debut of 9.38, a 2x2x2 Cube effort of 6.47, and a 3x3x3 Cube solve of 29.26. Tsengelkhuu Gerelsukh also made their competition debut, putting up a 5.10 in 2x2x2 Cube, 10.45 in Pyraminx, and 1:07.82 in 4x4x4 Cube.

The one-day fixture at Morning Star Event Hall highlighted the growing depth of Rubik's Cube mastery in the capital city. From lightning-fast solving on specialty puzzles to hard-fought battles across classic disciplines, Ulaanbaatar Winter 2024 showed how tight the margins have become at the highest level of Mongolian speed cubing. With 81 competitors leaving their mark across 14 rounds, the competition closed as an undeniable showcase of rapid progression and relentless technical skill.