UK CUBE ASSOCIATION

Parents' Guide: How Do You Register For (Enter) a Competition

How Do You Register for (Enter) a Competition?

Once you have a World Cube Association (WCA)1 account (see the question How Does Someone Take Part in a Speedcubing Comeptition?) then you can enter or register2 for a competition. The registration period is the time when a competition is open for people to sign-up for competing in that competition.

Each competition has its own webpage on the World Cube Association website (https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/competitions). On that page there are a number of tabs and links which contain all the information you need about a competition e.g. local travel/hotels, the schedule, who is competing etc.. It is the first place to look if you have a question about a specific competition.

Each competition webpage has information about the registration. Click on the word “Register” on the left hand-side.

Each competition has a registration period which opens a few months before a competition and closes the week before the competition itself. However, the registration period will close as soon as all the places in the competition (and waiting list) are full. This means that the most popular, or very small, competitions may close within minutes of opening.

On the competition page on the WCA website click on the register link on the left-hand side, and follow the instructions. In particular, make sure to pay the registration fee in order to get accepted. Registration is paid for in Pounds Sterling (£GBP.)

When you register you choose which events3 you are going to do at the competition. You can choose to do one event or all of the events available to you. If it's a 2-day competition and you only want to attend 1 day, you could check the schedule on the competition website and only register for events on the day you want to attend.

For UK competitions you pay a flat rate for the competition regardless of how many events you take part in. Some international competitions based outside of the UK may charge per event.

We do not recommend newcomers register for the specialist Blindfolded4 or Fewest Moves Challenge5 competitions for their first competition. These specialist competitions have very restricted events lists and don’t normally include the 3x3.
Glossary:
1 The governing body for Speedcubing.
2 There are two places in which you might need to register. The first on-line for a competition on the WCA website. The second is in-person at a competition to let the volunteer team know that you have arrived and so that you can receive your competitor card6. This second place is now normally called check-in to reduce confusion.
3 Different types of puzzles that are part of the schedule for that competition.
4 Solving the cube while wearing a blindfold. The timer starts as soon as the cube is revealed, and the competitor inspects the cube and puts their blindfold on to solve it in the quickest time possible.
5 Fewest Moves Challenge (AKA FMC, or just “Fewest Moves”) Competitors have a set amount of time (1 hour) to identify how to solve the 3x3 in the fewest moves. They have to write down their solution before the time-limit.
6 A piece of paper you are given when you arrive at the competition and register. It contains your ID number and tells you which groups you are in for competing, scrambling and judging.

Kirsty Grainger, 2023-2024