On November 3, 2024, the 49th ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest) Regional Competition kicked off at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The event, hosted by the university, saw 336 teams from top institutions known for their algorithmic excellence, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Fudan University, and the University of Science and Technology of China.
Zhejiang University’s programming team, known as "Afterlife," was made up of Bloomberg and Yan Zixuan from the College of Computer Science and Technology, along with Zhang Qiuyang from the School of Mathematical Sciences. Under the guidance of their coach, Wang Can, the team competed for five intense hours, ultimately claiming the ICPC Asia Regional Championship. This marks Zhejiang University’s third win in the domestic division of the ICPC Asia Regional Contest.
Zhejiang University team won the championship
Event Highlights:
The competition officially began at 9:30 am, and "Afterlife" wasted no time, immediately demonstrating their skill by solving multiple problems early on and quickly rising to the top of the leaderboard. Despite facing challenges throughout the contest, the team remained focused and calm, continuously seeking opportunities to break through.
At a crucial moment in the competition, "Afterlife" surged ahead by solving a series of problems in quick succession, securing a spot in the top three. As the difficulty level increased, the team relied on their solid programming foundations and sharp problem-solving abilities to maintain their lead.
After five intense hours, "Afterlife" emerged victorious, successfully solving eight problems and securing the championship. Not only did this victory bring pride to Zhejiang University, but it also earned them a spot in the 2025 ICPC World Finals.
Final ranking
Remarkably, "Afterlife" is a new team this year, with two experienced members and one newcomer. Their impressive performance in their first ICPC competition together speaks volumes about their potential and strength. It is expected that "Afterlife" will continue to bring glory to Zhejiang University and make significant contributions to China’s competitive programming scene in the future.
About the Zhejiang University Programming Team:
Zhejiang University’s programming team has a rich history and an impressive track record in both domestic and international competitions. Notably, the university won the championship at the 35th ACM-ICPC World Finals in Orlando in 2011, becoming one of only three universities from mainland China to achieve this distinction.
This year, the team has continued to build on its legacy of success. In addition to "Afterlife" securing the top spot, another Zhejiang University team claimed third place at the ICPC Chengdu Regional Contest.
Zhejiang University’s programming team is always on the lookout for talented students passionate about competitive programming. Those interested in joining the team are encouraged to participate in the ZJU-ICPC recruitment group (Group ID: 959020565).
