Hello! We are the UK Cube Association and we are a completely volunteer-run organisation that hosts all cubing competitions in the UK. We are made up of a team of WCA Delegates and other volunteers, 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!

We also have a TrustPilot page that can be used to see reviews of our competitions. Please feel free to leave us a review if you have attended a competition in the past.

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.

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 main competition 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 main competition page then you will receive a 100% 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

To register, 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.

If you are a new competitor, please make sure to:

• Familiarise yourself with the WCA Regulations by watching this tutorial for new competitors video. We will also be holding a live tutorial on both mornings of the competition.

• Bring some form of ID with you such as your passport, driver's licence, or birth certificate. Expired ID or photos of ID are both accepted.

Information for All Competitors

• Schedule Changes: Please note that the schedule is subject to change up until the Wednesday before the competition. Any major changes should be communicated in the precompetition email.

• Please help judge! As a competitor, your judging assignments are the absolute minimum you should be doing to help out. Since second rounds, third rounds and finals have no assigned judges, we really need people to help out whenever available for these. 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.

• No flash photography anywhere in the venue.

• If you are a spectator, please never stand further forward than the front row of spectator chairs.

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

Access to the Sport & Fitness Centre is via Richardson Road or Claremont Road. You can use the pedestrian route past the Ridley Building and the Medical/Dental Schools.
Google Maps Newcastle University Sports Centre
what3words: ///precautions.butter.gather

Travel

During your travel, ensure you check your map app and your relevant travel information platforms for the most up to date information on travelling to or in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Car: The postcode for the venue is NE2 4DR

Parking You can park at:
* Claremont Road Car Park, which is a 7 minute (0.3 mile) walk away from the venue, this is the closest option

Alternativley there are larger car parks a further walk away

• Eldon Gardens Car Park which is a 12 minute (0.6 mile) walk away
• Eldon Square Multi-Storey Car Park, which is a 13 minute (0.6 mile) walk away
• Sandyford Square (Civic Centre) Car Park, which is a 17 minute (0.8 mile) walk away

Please note that the venue is part of the Newcastle University campus, inside of the campus is permit-only parking so ensure you don't park in a permit-only area. For some it may be easier and cheaper to park further away from the venue in some of the sites mentioned above

It is unlikely there will be many on-street parking areas in Newcastle upon Tyne, as most areas are permit-only (especially residential areas), or charge a high amount for parking.

Also note that a Clean Air Zone is in operation in Newcastle upon Tyne. Private Cars, motorbikes, or vehicles that meet minimum emission standards are not affected under this zone. View this link for more information: Newcastle City Council CAZ

Train: The nearest major train station to the venue is Newcastle Central Station, which is about a 25 minute (1.1 mile) walk to the venue. There are direct trains to Newcastle Central Station all over the United Kingdom.

It is recommended to catch the Metro from Central Station to Monument to reduce the walk required to the venue.

If you wish, you can also change at Monument and go an extra stop to Haymarket from there as this is the closest station to the venue.

Tickets and train times can be found on National Rail or Trainline.

Metro times can be found here.

Plane: The nearest airport to the venue is Newcastle International Airport (NCL / EGNT), the airport is approx 5.7 miles away from the venue.

Car rental services are available at the airport, and in ideal traffic conditions it would take approx 15 minutes to drive to the city centre.

Alternatively for transport by Bus to the venue, you can take the X78 bus to Newcastle from Ponteland Road outside of the airport and get off at Claremont Rd - Claremont Place bus stop, and walk 7 minutes (0.3 miles) to the venue.

You can also catch the Metro to Haymarket station, and walk to the venue, the walk by taking the Metro is longer, approx 13 minutes (0.6 miles), however more of an easy journey to the City Centre as traffic will not be an issue on the Metro.

Coach: There is a National Express coach stop next to the Life Science Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne. It is a 30 minute (1.2 mile) walk from the coach stop to the venue, with public transport being approximately 25 minutes to the venue via the number 11 bus to North Kenton.

There is a closer coach stop on John Dobson Street, served by FlixBus services exclusively, which is a 22 minute (0.9 mile) walk, or a 9 minute bus ride via the 36 bus to Fenham.

If you live local to Newcastle upon Tyne and are travelling by bus, check Google Maps or your relevant bus providers app (Go North East, Stagecoach, etc...) for the most up to date information.

Visiting the UK from overseas

If you are travelling from a Visa-exempt country (including USA, Canada and Australia) or from the European Union you may now need a valid Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Holders of Irish passports or legal residents of Ireland are exempt from this requirement.

This can be applied for via the UK Government website here.

Accommodation

There are numerous hotels within Newcastle upon Tyne, mostly chain providers with good prices.

• Holiday Inn Express - Newcastle City Centre
  • Located near the National Express coach stop, down the road from St. James Park.
• The Mile Castle - Wetherspoons Hotels
  • Located a 2 minute walk away from Central Station in the city centre.
• Premier Inn - Newcastle City Centre (The Gate)
  • Located right in the City Centre next to The Gate and opposite Eldon Square.
• Travelodge - Newcastle Central
  • Located right on the Quayside, just outside of the city centre.
• Premier Inn - Newcastle Quayside
  • Another located on the quayside, further down the river closer to the city centre.

Many other hotels are available, as well as places to rent on platforms like AirBnB, be vigilant when using these platforms and take extra care to ensure legitmate bookings.

Disabled Access

Newcastle University Sports Centre has disabled friendly entrances, as well as accessible ways of getting around the building such as stair-lifts, elevators, press-to-open doors, etc...

This competition will be sponsored by Speedcubing.org!

They are kindly setting up a cube store to sell their puzzles throughout the event!
Here's what the owner, Daniel Evans, had to say:

I started speedcubing.org in its current form in 2019, I had previously sold cubes to my school cubing club and on a few market stalls in my local area. speedcubing.org has since grown to become one of the UKs largest speedcube stores aiming to provide the cubing community with high quality speedcubes at reasonable prices and with fast customer service. I am a competitive speedcuber so I understand the needs of speedcubers and can give recommendations accordingly, I strive to get new cubes in stock quickly and I try them for myself so I can develop an opinion on each one. I also have a range of helpful written instructions and videos on how to improve, and for those wanting extra support I do even offer speedcubing tuition

Each event is run in groups, determined by how many people are competing in that event. We will call up the groups either one or two at a time depending on how many stages we have at the competition (which you can see on the Schedule tab). Odd groups will always be on the left stage and even groups on the right stage. Your scrambling and judging assignments are 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

Groups will be available on competitiongroups.com after registration closes.