Hello! We are the UK Cube Association and we are a completely volunteer-ran organisation that hosts all cubing competitions in the UK. We are made up of a team of WCA delegates and staff, and we're passionate about giving people as many opportunities to compete in the UK as we can. We have organised over 100 competitions up and down the country with many more on the horizon and are always trying to find new locations to make cubing competitions as accessible as possible.

Make sure to follow our social media pages to keep up to date with the latest content and media!

UKCA is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 who attend our activities. Please read our Safeguarding Policy for more information about this. If you have any concerns, please contact us at SafeguardingUKCA@gmail.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

First time at our competitions?

Q: How do I register?
A: Make sure you have created a WCA account by going to the sign-up page and creating an account. Once you have created the account and confirmed your email address, follow the menu bar to the Register page and carefully follow the instructions.

Q: Can I come only to spectate?
A: Yes! There is no need to book - you can just rock up on the day. It can be a bit hectic in the mornings so afternoon is preferred.

Q: Are there different age categories?
A: No, all competitors compete on the same level and all ages are welcome.

Q: Am I allowed to bring a guest?
A: Yes, you can bring as many guests as you want.

Q: How fast do I have to be to compete?
A: Check out the Events tab - if you can make the time limit for the events you want to compete in, then you're fast enough!

Q: Do I have to be there on both days?
A: No, if you only have events on one of the days, you don't have to turn up for the other day. You can see what days your events are on on the Schedule tab.

Q: When can I leave the competition?
A: You are welcome to leave whenever you are not competing. If you have no more events left then you are not required to stay.

Q: Do I use my own cubes to compete?
A: Yes!

Q: How do I find live results?
A: You can see live results as soon as they're entered at WCA Live.

Q: What happens to my results after the competition?
A: Within a couple of days, they will all be posted to this page and if this is your first competition you will automatically have your very own WCA ID assigned.

Q: Do you have a mailing list?
A: Why yes, we do have a mailing list! Sign up here for announcements of future competitions and more.

Need to unregister?

Q: What do I do if I can no longer attend?
A: Let us know via the contact link on the General Info page.

Q: If I do not attend do I get a refund?
A: If you inform us you are no longer attending before the limit date for refunds on the General Info page then you will receive a 75% refund. If this time has passed then you will receive no refund.

Something else you'd like to know?

We have a detailed Parents' Guide that covers the answers to many more questions, free from cubing jargon! Whilst primarily aimed at the parents of younger competitors, there is useful information for everyone to find within it.
Check it out here!

New Competitors

If you are a new competitor, it is important that you are familiar with the Regulations. The regulations are very long and are quite a lot to take in so don't worry if you don't remember it all! Because of this, we'd recommend watching this video from Cubehead that explains the competing procedure before you attend: Competing Tutorial. We will also be holding a tutorial for new competitors which we recommend you attend as well.

New competitors must bring some form of ID to show at the competition to confirm the name, the country they wish to compete for, and the date of birth registered with. The usual items of ID that people bring are Passports, Birth Certificates, Driver's Licenses, etc. As long as it has your name, date of birth, and country, then it will be fine.

If you have any questions, we recommend that you check the FAQ in case it has been asked before. But you are more than welcome to contact us at the link on the General Info page. We also recommend you check out the UKCA tab to sign up to our mailing list for announcements of future competitions, among other things.

Information for All Competitors

• Schedule Changes: Please note that the schedule is subject to change up until the Wednesday before the competition, when we will know exactly how many people are competing in each event. These should be only minor changes and may involve increasing the number of rounds for some events!
• Please help judge! As a competitor, your judging assignments are the absolute minimum you should be doing to help out. As second rounds, third rounds and finals have no assigned judges, we really need people to help out whenever available for these. If you are directly asked to judge, please go and judge for the remainder of the round in progress. If you do not comply then we are within our rights to disqualify you from the competition as per Regulation 1e2. If you're a parent you can also get involved with running and juging, it's really easy! We will have a judging tutorial in the mornings as well, which will run through the process and will be tailored towards parents who want to get involved.
• Please note that Carbon-Fiber puzzles are not permitted, and please make sure your cube complies with logo regulations!
• When you are competing and have handed in your puzzle, please make sure to be waiting in the designated area so that judges and runners do not have to come searching for you.
• Please DO NOT talk about the scrambles or your solutions whilst the round is in progress as per Regulation 2g3.
• During blindfolded events, please stay silent within the venue. These events require a high amount of concentration and any noise can be distracting. We will announce when the silence will begin and when you may talk within the venue again.
• No flash photography under any circumstance within the venue. It is extremely distracting for competitors.
• If you are a spectator, please stay 1.5m away from competitors at all times as per Regulation 7b. If you are filming someone competing, please keep out of the competitor area.
• Please treat the venue with respect, put all of your rubbish in bins, black bin bags, or take it home with you and keep your area tidy.
• There are thousands of puzzles at these events, make sure to keep yours together so you don't lose them! Keeping them in a bag and looking after it at all times is recommended. If you do lose a puzzle, please contact us at the link on the General Info page, it is likely that someone has handed it in to us.
• We will be taking videos and photographs of the competition and the environment for our social media pages and website. By attending the competition as a competitor or a guest, you are accepting that you may be filmed or photographed for these purposes.

Disclaimer

• There may be a photographer present at our events and by attending you give us permission to use any photos or videos you appear in on our website, our social media, or for other marketing purposes.
• The UKCA does not accept responsibility and expressly excludes liability to the fullest extent permitted by law for any loss or damage to any personal property; or for personal injury or illness suffered by you at a UKCA event.
• The UKCA is not responsible for any accommodation, travel or associated costs you might incur in the unlikely event that a competition has to be cancelled, rescheduled or relocated.
• Children under 18 years old should be accompanied by an adult.

Venue

The venue is the Anson Rooms within The Richmond Building of the University of Bristol. The Anson Rooms are on the 1st Floor of the building.
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Travel

Train: Bristol Temple Meads is the nearest major station and is a 1.7 mile (2.7km) walk from there to the venue. Trains into Bristol will stop at either Bristol Temple Meads or Bristol Parkway station. Connections between Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway take only 8 minutes.

It is possible to take the train closer to the venue than Bristol Temple Meads. A transfer onto the Severn Beach line will allow you to stop at Clifton Down station, which is a 0.6 mile walk from the venue (1km.)

Tickets and times can be found on www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.thetrainline.com.

Bus routes and times from Bristol Temple Meads towards the Anson Rooms can be checked using the public transport options within Google Maps.

Plane: Bristol Airport (BRS) is the nearest airport. Car rental is available from there, or a taxi or bus can be taken from there to connect with train services. Numerous bus routes exist from the airport to Bristol City Centre, from which you can either walk to the venue or take additional buses. (Check Google Maps' public transport planner for the best route at the time of your journey.) Driving direct by taxi or car rental from the airport is approximately 7.6 miles/ 12.2km and will take about 15 minutes in uneventful traffic.

Car: Be aware that there is a Clean Air Zone in effect in the City of Bristol. The Anson Rooms venue is not within this Clean Air Zone, however travel through some routes may mean you pass through the Clean Air Zone. You can check if your vehicle needs to pay the daily charge or not, as well as a map of the affected area here. The current charge is £9.00 per day (information checked November 2023.)

There is no on-site parking facility. However there are numerous public car parks in the city that are within walking distance of the venue.

This Google Maps link shows car parks in the area of the venue. Look for the venue's name (Anson Rooms) on the map and plan accordingly.

On-street parking may exist nearby but is likely to be chargeable (particularly on the Saturday.) The further away from the venue that you park, the less likely it is you will have to pay.

Alternatively, you may wish to consider using a service such as Just Park which allows short-term agreements to be set up to park at people's driveways or garages.

Accommodation

There are numerous chain hotels operating within Bristol:
* Travelodge Bristol Central (0.9 miles walking distance)
* Ibis Bristol Centre (0.9 miles walking distance)
* Premier Inn Bristol City Centre (Lewins Mead) (1.1 miles walking distance)
* Premier Inn Bristol City Centre (King Street) (1.1 miles walking distance)
* Holiday Inn Bristol City Centre (1.2 miles walking distance)
* Premier Inn Bristol City Centre (Haymarket) (1.2 miles walking distance)
* Premier Inn Bristol City Centre (Finzels Reach) (1.4 miles walking distance)
* Travelodge Bristol Central Mitchell Lane (1.5 miles walking distance)
* Holiday Inn Express Bristol City Centre (1.6 miles walking distance)
* Ibis Bristol Temple Meads Quay (1.9 miles walking distance)

Other offers may exist via AirBNB and similar websites.

Accessibility

Through the main front entrance there is a lift up into the ground floor foyer and then lift access once inside the building. There is also a side entrance which provides step-free access.

Each event is run in groups, depending on how many people are competing in the event depends on how many groups there are. We call each group up one at a time in order to complete their solves during the scheduled time for the round. We have software that automatically picks what groups you are in, the judges, and who scrambles for each group. This is the minimum amount you should be helping out as it only is for first rounds. We always appreciate extra help!

Please note down which groups you are competing and scrambling in before arriving at the competition!

Groups

Check back here a few days before the competition!