Welcome to Bishkek 2024

Chyngyz Sultanbekov set an untouchable standard in the 3x3x3 Cube final, logging a winning average of 6.90 seconds and a single of 6.15 to headline an extraordinary weekend of speedcubing. Held at Cosmopark in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from August 23 to August 25, 2024, Welcome to Bishkek 2024 brought together 28 competitors across 14 official disciplines and 24 rounds of play. While established masters traded continental honours, the tournament was distinguished above all by an influx of fresh faces taking their first strides on the competitive stage.

The 3x3 results formed the centrepiece of an intense schedule at this WCA competition. Sultanbekov was chased throughout the three rounds of the classic Rubik's Cube by Kazakhstan's Yerkin Assylbek, who took second place with an 8.12 average, and Damir Zhanataev, who secured third on an 8.41 average. The event tested the field through preliminary brackets before narrowing down to a fiercely contested final round, where Sultanbekov proved consistent across all five solves to seal the victory.

Beyond the flagship puzzle, Sultanbekov put together a dominant individual campaign across the weekend. He captured the 2x2x2 Cube title with a 2.80 average, claimed the 3x3x3 One-Handed crown averaging 12.78 seconds, and swept the intermediate big cubes by taking the 5x5x5 Cube in 58.38 seconds and the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:57.69. His five gold medals highlighted a versatile mastery across varied cube sizes and specialized solving techniques.

Welcome to Bishkek 2024 also highlighted the deep bench of talent from Kazakhstan and the host country. Asset Agabekov produced standout performances in long-form events, winning the 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 59.46 single and clinching the 7x7x7 Cube with a 3:16.94 average. Sardar Bakiev showcased blistering speed in the short-format puzzles, winning the 4x4x4 Cube with a 30.93 average while also taking top honours in Skewb on a 4.39 average.

The competitive ladder saw significant depth across alternate mechanisms as well. Aidin Smanov claimed the Megaminx title with an average of 47.22 seconds, holding off Sultanbekov and Agabekov in a tight podium battle. Abdurakhman Aktay navigated the Clock event with sharp execution, averaging 7.31 seconds to take gold, while Yerkin Assylbek locked down victories in both Square-1 with a 9.78 average and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 33.33 average.

Away from the top steps of the podium, Welcome to Bishkek 2024 was defined by massive individual breakthroughs from emerging contenders. Matvii Baydikov entered five events and trimmed his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 23.89 seconds, an improvement of 64.7 percent, while logging first-ever attempts in Clock at 49.70 and Skewb at 36.07. Matvei Burushkov chopped 52.2 percent off his Pyraminx mark with a 13.19 single and tackled Clock for the first time with a 32.09. Ayubhan Topoev improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed best by 32.7 percent to 43.20 seconds and recorded initial official times in both 4x4x4 Cube and Clock. Artem Yagolkovsky cut his Pyraminx mark by 34.1 percent to 9.30 seconds, took fifth place in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, and completed a 15.35 Clock debut.

The spirit of this cubing competition was equally visible in the sheer number of competitors making their tournament debuts. Aydar Suyunaliev stepped onto the stage for the first time across seven events, establishing benchmarks of 6.72 in 2x2x2 Cube, 18.12 in Pyraminx, and 33.70 in Skewb. Eldar Kubatov debuted across five events, logging a 5.94 on 2x2x2 Cube and a 19.38 on 3x3x3 Cube. Timur Ibragimov contested four disciplines in his opening appearance, posting a 16.52 Pyraminx and 22.39 3x3x3 Cube, while Grigoriy Shpilchin opened his career ledger with a 13.06 on 2x2x2 Cube and a 1:20.70 on 3x3x3 Cube.

In the overall country tally, Kazakhstan collected 27 podium places, Kyrgyzstan secured 12, and Russia claimed three. Damir Zhanataev took victory in the Pyraminx event with a 5.97 average to add to Kazakhstan's ledger, while local competitors continually pushed the pace across every round. The broad range of events demonstrated the growing technical capability of speed cubing across Central Asia.

As the final stop of the weekend drew to a close, Welcome to Bishkek 2024 left a distinct impression of a regional community expanding in both skill and participation. From Sultanbekov's sub-seven second solving to the dozens of personal bests recorded by newcomers, the tournament provided a balanced stage for elite contenders and emerging enthusiasts alike to write their names into the official annals of the sport.