Kirill Erokhin, a promoter of Russian software and hardware, organized the second annual algorithmic programming competition on Elbrus (e2k) processors, titled 'SERPAS Cup 2026'. The event attracted 112 participants from across Russia.
The inaugural competition in 2025 featured 31 participants. Following that event, the organizer established the non-profit organization SERPAS and secured a partnership with MCST to offer an internship for the winner of the 2026 competition.
To scale the event, the organizer replaced the manual SSH-based connection system used in 2025 with a web-based platform. After negotiations with several providers, the Codenrock platform agreed to adapt its software stack to support the Elbrus architecture.
The Codenrock team performed the backend porting to the organizer's e2k servers in June and July 2026, enabling automated code execution and performance monitoring for participants during the qualifying stage.
Hardware limitations were addressed by acquiring two used MicroATX 1E8SV-uATX motherboards with soldered Elbrus-8SV processors. These units became available on the secondary market in the first half of 2026, likely due to corporate equipment decommissioning.
