Varaždin Open 2025

Hungary's Gergő Zalán Molnár set the tone for an explosive weekend in northern Croatia by capturing victory in the premier Rubik's Cube event with a 7.99 second average. Held at IV. Osnovna škola Varaždin on November 29 and 30, the Varaždin Open 2025 brought together 71 competitors for two days of intense speedcubing across 12 events. The 3x3 results capped a schedule that spanned 20 rounds of competition, showcasing high-level dexterity from regional standouts and visiting international solvers in equal measure.

The 2x2x2 Cube category became an extraordinary record-setting showcase, demonstrating rapid growth across national borders at this WCA competition. Albert Erdelez of Croatia posted a 2.54 single and a 3.04 average, while Slovenia's Matej Brkić logged a 2.77 single and 3.27 average. Hana Atalić registered a 2.12 single alongside a 3.28 average for Croatia, with Liam Zidar of Serbia hitting a 2.63 single and 3.34 average. Toni Sekula matched the 2.12 single mark on his way to a 3.47 average, and Serbia's Matej Marčok notched a 2.58 single with a 3.51 average.

The sequence of official marks in 2x2x2 continued deeper down the rankings, highlighting the exceptional preparation brought to Varaždin, Croatia. Ukraine's Dmytro Kachanov delivered a 3.30 single and a 4.20 average. Croatian competitors completed the flurry of new marks as Bruno Ivančić logged a 2.65 single and 4.42 average, Jakov Jakšić recorded a 3.45 single and 4.48 average, and Vigo Pernar rounded out the performances with a 2.67 single and 4.49 average. In the final round of the event, Gergő Zalán Molnár claimed the gold medal with a 1.51 winning average ahead of Slovenia's Marcel Ručigaj.

Beyond the short sprints, Hungary's Gergely Novotni assembled one of the most dominant individual runs seen in recent memory, sweeping five separate events. Novotni took top honors in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 27.95 average, mastered the 5x5x5 Cube in 53.57, and topped the Megaminx standings with a 39.77 average. He extended his command to the largest puzzles of the weekend, winning the 6x6x6 Cube with an average of 1:35.03 and securing the 7x7x7 Cube title in 2:26.10, leaving Croatian contenders David Vujasić and Jakov Srečković to collect the remaining podium spots.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones that defined the depth of this speed cubing gathering. Gregor Đuras logged an enormous personal best in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.63 result, marking an improvement of 72.9 percent, while also dropping his 4x4x4 Cube mark to 1:15.20, which was 23.6 percent faster. Tomislav Boršćak Vidić cut his 2x2x2 Cube best down to 3.70, improving by 42.8 percent across his two events. Petar Kudelić entered five events, cutting 37.6 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube best to hit 3.71, lowering his Skewb mark by 32.2 percent to 7.23, and improving his Pyraminx time by 18.7 percent to 9.39.

The determination continued through ambitious multi-event schedules and new puzzle debuts. Lidija Erdelez took on four events, making her first ever attempt at Megaminx with a time of 4:19.39, while dropping 27.7 percent off her Pyraminx best to 19.41 and 26.2 percent off her Skewb mark to 10.65. Niklas Lazov entered nine events, registering a first ever attempt at Square-1 in 1:05.78, a first Clock solve of 17.55, and a Pyraminx personal best of 7.56 that was 34.3 percent faster. Pave Bošković tackled ten events, notching a 1:33.59 first attempt at Square-1, a 2:55.83 debut in Megaminx, and a Clock personal best of 9.50, which was 25.6 percent faster. Luka Zulim debuted in three events with a 1:26.97 in 4x4x4 Cube, 7.45 in Pyraminx, and 2:04.46 in Megaminx, while Leo Adžijević contested nine events, cutting his Skewb mark by 21.7 percent to 5.44, his 4x4x4 Cube time by 11.5 percent to 55.44, and his 3x3x3 Cube time by 7.3 percent to 13.99.

Specialist events added further variety to the competition schedule as Slovenian and Croatian competitors claimed key victories. Jakob Kitak secured a double victory for Slovenia by winning the Pyraminx with a 2.99 average and the Skewb with a 3.24 average. Gregor Mikic took first place in Clock with a 4.25 average, finishing ahead of Croatia's Jakov Srečković and Slovenia's Tajda Horvat. In one-handed solving, Matej Marčok captured the 3x3x3 One-Handed title with an 11.93 average, while Vedran Štefulj delivered an 11.76 average to win the Square-1 event for the host nation.

The medal distribution at the Varaždin Open 2025 reflected broad regional balance, with host nation Croatia securing 17 total podium places, followed by Slovenia with 9, Hungary with 7, and Serbia with 3. Across every category, the high standard of solving demonstrated the healthy state of the sport in Central and Southeastern Europe throughout 2025. Solvers now carry their new personal marks and official achievements into the coming season after a memorable weekend of competition in Varaždin.

Dvorana u prostoru IV. Osnovna škola Varaždin vrvjela je pokretom i koncentracijom dok su se slagatelji pripremali za natjecateljske stolove. Od 29. do 30. studenoga, Varaždin, Croatia bio je središte gdje je svako slaganje mjereno u stotinkama sekunde nosilo veliku težinu. Okupio se 71 natjecatelj, a raspored je obuhvatio 12 disciplina kroz čak 20 rundi. Već od prvih jutarnjih skupina bilo je jasno da će put do završnice u svakoj kategoriji tražiti potpunu preciznost bez prava na opuštanje.

Biti među finalistima na turniru Varaždin Open 2025 zahtijevalo je vrhunska vremena zbog iznimne dubine i brojnosti prijavljenih. Glavna disciplina, klasična Rubikova kocka 3x3x3, privukla je 64 natjecatelja kroz tri izlučna kruga. Pobjedu je osigurao Gergő Zalán Molnár s prosjekom 7.99 u finalu, uz najbolji pojedinačni pokušaj od 6.55. Za ulazak u završne runde borba se vodila za svaku desetinku, što potvrđuje koliko je speedcubing scena u regiji postala gusta i konkurentna.

Gergő Zalán Molnár potvrdio je odličnu formu i na kocki 2x2x2, gdje se natjecao 61 natjecatelj. U tri zahtjevna kruga Molnár je stigao do zlata s pobjedničkim prosjekom 1.51 i najboljim pojedinačnim slaganjem od 1.37. Drugo mjesto osvojio je Marcel Ručigaj s prosjekom 1.67, dok je treći bio Jakob Kitak s 2.16. Ova disciplina ponudila je izuzetno brze okršaje u kojima su sitni detalji odlučivali o poretku na postolju.

U većim slagalicama dominirao je Gergely Novotni koji je osvojio niz prvih mjesta. Na kocki 4x4x4, među 46 natjecatelja kroz dvije runde, Novotni je slavio s prosjekom 27.95 i pojedinačnim vremenom 24.17. Na kocki 5x5x5 pobijedio je s prosjekom 53.57, ispred domaćih predstavnika Jakova Srečkovića s 1:02.22 i Davida Vujasića s 1:03.41. Novotni je bio nepobjediv i na kocki 6x6x6 s prosjekom 1:35.03, na 7x7x7 s 2:26.10, kao i u disciplini Megaminx s 39.77.

Iza borbe za sam vrh poretka odvijale su se jednako vrijedne priče osobnih uspjeha i velikih napredaka. Fabijan Kosar nastupio je u sedam disciplina te ostvario 12. mjesto na 2x2x2, popravivši osobni rekord na 4x4x4 na 36.15, što je čak 28.1 posto brže od prijašnjeg, uz napredak na 3x3x3 na 8.85 i na 2x2x2 na 1.36. Lara Pernar natjecala se u šest disciplina, zauzela 32. mjesto u Clocku te popravila svoj rekord na 2x2x2 na 3.69, što je 22.8 posto brže, uz poboljšanja na Clocku od 20.71 i na 4x4x4 od 2:52.30. Vigo Pernar odradio je deset disciplina, bio 11. na Pyraminxu, skinuo rekord na 3x3x3 One-Handed na 28.33, što je 23.1 posto bolje, te postavio 10.36 na 3x3x3 i 2:57.29 na 5x5x5. Julijan Virag upisao je deset disciplina, izborio 18. mjesto na Square-1 te popravio osobne rekorde na 3x3x3 na 12.19, Square-1 na 45.73 i Megaminxu na 3:02.64.

Za dio sudionika ovo službeno WCA natjecanje bilo je prvo vatreno krštenje na velikoj sceni. Josip Soldo odradio je svoje prvo natjecanje kroz šest disciplina, ubilježio 34. mjesto u Clocku i postavio prva službena vremena: 4.28 na 2x2x2, 11.35 na Skewbu te 21.25 na 3x3x3. Noa Šimić nastupio je u četiri discipline s najboljim 37. mjestom u Clocku, upisavši 11.25 na 2x2x2, 14.63 na Pyraminxu i 31.32 u Clocku. Nikola Kriletić upisao je prve nastupe u tri discipline zabilježivši 1:44.70 na 4x4x4, 41.40 na 3x3x3 One-Handed i 22.38 na 3x3x3. Simon Perković također je zabilježio prve pokušaje u tri discipline, zauzevši 39. mjesto na Pyraminxu s 11.46, uz 22.35 na 3x3x3 i 5.34 na 2x2x2.

U brzim disciplinama Jakob Kitak slavio je dvaput. Na Pyraminxu je u konkurenciji 45 natjecatelja pobijedio s prosjekom 2.99 i pojedinačnim vremenom 2.63. Na Skewbu je u dvije runde nadmašio 41 konkurenta s prosjekom 3.24, ispred Roka Mihaela Ivića s 3.71 i Mateja Brkića s 4.38. U disciplini Clock pobijedio je Gregor Mikic s prosjekom 4.25, dok je u jednoručnom slaganju 3x3x3 One-Handed slavio Matej Marčok s prosjekom 11.93. Na slagalici Square-1 pobjedu je odnio Vedran Štefulj s prosjekom 11.76.

Prema ukupnom zbroju postolja domaći natjecatelji iz Hrvatske osvojili su 17 odličja, Slovenija je izborila devet, Mađarska sedam, a Srbija tri. Ovo speedcubing natjecanje u godini 2025 pokazalo je koliko je visoka razina potrebna za plasman u završnice. Dvodnevni program u Varaždinu pružio je sjajne dvoboje i potvrdio stalan rast kvalitete slaganja u svim dobnim skupinama i formatima.