The Rubik's WCA Asian Championship 2022, a four-day Rubik's Cube Speed Solving Championship, ended today with an official awards ceremony, QazMonitor reports citing the press service of Ministry of Culture and Sports.
Hundred sixteen participants from 13 countries competed in the championship. India and China took second and third place respectively. Participants from Japan took 4th place, with Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan sharing 5th place.
The winners in the main discipline - 3х3х3 and the Nations Cup - were awarded a special cup in the shape of the Baiterek monument in 6 colors, reminiscent of the Rubik’s cube colors. All the winners received exclusive Rubik's WCA Asian Championship 2022 medals and money certificates. The total prize pool for the event was $9,000.
Arman Mashimov, the president of Kazakhstan Speedcubing Federation, said that the WCA board has "has applied for recognition of speedcubing as a sport", commenting on the growth and popularity of speedcubing over the recent years.
"In the span of 5 years, Kazakhstan has gone from holding our 1st [local] championship of speedcubing to hosting the Asian Championship. I also want to announce that we are applying for the World Championships in 2025," said Mashimov.
Among the international guests of the Championship was also co-founder of the WCA, Ron van Bruchem, who spoke highly of Kazakhstan's involvement in the scene.
"Speedcubing unites people from all over the world - it does not divide by age. For example, there are cubers who are only 18 years old and there are cubers in their 50s. I'm glad that Kazakhstan is part of the speedcubing movement. This sport has opened up the potential of so many young people not only professionally but socially as well. Besides, it's a trend that motivates tourism."
Earlier, QazMonitor reported on a young Kazakh prodigy, who debuted a book about Rubik's cube at the same Championship.
The Asian Speedcubing Championship is held every two years. The host country is determined by a competition among the applicants. Kazakhstan Speedcubing Federation (KSF) is the first speedcubing federation among the CIS countries and the 28th in the world.