For those of you new to cubing, WELCOME!

We wanted to let you know this event is perfectly fine for cubers of any age and experience. We just ask you know a couple things before coming to compete...

First, please be familiar with the WCA Regulations, found here:
https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/regulations/

Of course, those regulations contain a lot of legalese, so we have a video made specifically for new cubers, just to show them the basics of competing. This video will explain most of what any cuber competing for the first time will need to know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPL3eV-A0ww&t=2s

If you have any questions after this video, we will be having a new competitor tutorial, Saturday morning of the competition. That would be the perfect time to ask those questions and clear up any confusion.

If you are stoked to compete and ready to sign up, head over to the registration tab, click register, and fill out the information it asks for. This will help you get set up the WCA's system and one step closer to your first official solve!

Q&A:

Q: Do I use my own cube to compete?

A: YES! You are responsible for your own hardware in order to compete.

Q: What is the normal age of competitors at these events?

A: All ages are welcome, but in general competitors are between 10 and 20 years old. Don't let this stop you though, everyone can and should cube!

Q: What is the competition like?

A; Competitions are a bunch of tables where nerds like us get to sit and discuss our favorite thing, Cubes! Of course in addition there is competing, which will occupy one side of the competition hall, where you will see lots of timers flickering with contestants new personal bests. Most competitions have a break for lunch, and the competing is split up into groups, as to better organize who competes when. (Check the Groups tab and listen at the competition for more info on this.)

Q: How do I find results?

A: All results are posted on the WCA page a couple of days after the competition finishes. However, for the day of competing, go to Cubecomps.com to find information about current events. This is also where you will find information about 2nd and 3rd rounds of events.

Q: Why am I not on the registration list yet?

A: Make sure you pay you entrance fee in order to be automatically placed on the registered list, which will also guarantee you a spot in the competition. If payment may be any issue, or you are not sure if you can attend, use the contact button to talk to us, and see if we can work out another payment strategy, or have you pay on arrival at the compeition. No matter what you situation may be however, please register online. It is much easier for us to have you register now and pay later, then to have to input information at another time.

Q: Are there age divisions?

A: Nope! All cometitors compete in the same group.

Q: Can I have fun at this event?

A: HECK YES! Cubing is amazing, and we sincerely hope you enjoy the competition!

Information: Stuff You Must Know

Pre competition:

• READ AND UNDERSTAND THE REGULATIONS: Especially if you’re a first time competitor, this can potentially save you much time and grief. Particularly pay attention to Article A, 2, 3, and 10.
• Prepare accordingly for travel. The competition venue will be on UC Berkeley's campus. Be aware that parking will likely be in short supply the whole weekend. Public transit (buses and BART both get you near campus) could be a good idea.
• IMPORTANT Competitors under 18 years of age MUST fill out this form and bring it with them to the competition. If you do not bring this form, you might not allowed to compete.

First steps:

• Since you’ve registered online, all you need to do is show up on time for your first event. You do not need to check in upon arrival; however, if you’re not on time and miss the last call for that event, you will not be able to compete for that event. Missing any given event does not bar you from competing in subsequent events (but does bar you from competing in subsequent rounds of events you missed).
• You will be assigned a group prior to the competition, and we will call up groups in order. When your group is called up, bring your solved cube and place it on the sheet of paper with your name with it at the scrambling station. Then wait in the competitor waiting area on stage to be called.

General

• Please don’t trash the venue. This has been an issue in the past; we are an on campus student organization and are at the mercy of campus administration, so we need to take care of the venue to ensure future access. And of course, it’s the right thing to do.
• No flash photography. It’s obviously very distracting to competitors.
• Stay at least 1.5 meters away from the front edge of the competition tables. Standing too close is distracting and frequently makes it hard for staff to get to where they need to go, which slows the competition down. ‘
• Regarding questions during the competition: do not ask staff first. They are very busy trying to make the event run smoothly (if they aren’t, then they should be). First check the live announcements, cubecomps, the WCA regulations, or the info/sales table.
• If none of these answer your question, the info table people will find you an organizer or delegate.

Regarding volunteering:

• If we need more volunteering help, we will ask. If you wish to judge or scramble, please be familiar with the regulations.

Too Long; Didn't Read

• Know the regs, show up on time, don’t need to check in, and be respectful of competitors by staying 1.5 meters away from competition stations and not using flash photography

FAQs

Q: When do I show up?
A: Please be at the venue and ready to compete at least 15 minutes before your first event is scheduled to begin. We may get ahead of the schedule and start rounds early.
Q: Is there a general admission price if I am not competing?
A: There is no cost to spectate; the competition is open to the public. However, note that the room will likely be crowded, and again, we ask that competitors keep the number of guests they bring to a minimum.
Q: When should I leave the competition?
A: You are allowed to enter and leave the competition as you wish. If you are finished competing for the day, you do not need to stay at the competition.
Q: What do I do if I want to drop or add an event?
A: If you wish to drop an event from your registration, please email us, or let us know at the data entry table during the competition. You will not be refunded any money if you drop events. Unfortunately, due to our tight schedule, we are unable to add events to competitors’ registrations after registration closes.
Q: I cannot attend this competition. What should I do?
A: If you cannot attend this competition after all, please send us an email saying so. Please ensure that you include your name and WCA ID in the body of the email.

This event will be held on the UC Berkeley campus. It is generally difficult to find parking in Berkeley, so public transport is the best option. The west end of campus is not far from the downtown Berkeley BART stop.

Arriving by plane:

The nearest airport is Oakland International (OAK), about 30 minutes away from campus by car or plan for an hour and a half by public transport. Uber can be a good choice from the airport.

By car:

As mentioned, parking is pretty difficult to find in Berkeley. The easist place to park is Underhill Parking Structure, around 3 blocks away from main campus. Parking on the street is occasionally available, but it is not reccomeneded that you bank on this option.

By public transport:

If coming by BART, get off at the Downtown Berkeley station, then follow Center Street until you arrive at the university. If you are considering taking the AC transit or other bus option, get off at the Bancroft and Telegraph stop and you're already on campus.

We will be using groups for this competition. Group information is at these links:

Groups sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fxRnh-jp3KHoPSgT7WbKE9UPRr3dIV8PswVi9mkiuHk/edit?usp=sharing
Make sure to scroll right to find groups for Skewb and 4x4 Blindfolded.

For those unfamiliar, each competitor is assigned to a group for each of the above events. During the competition, competitors will be called up by that group. For example, "Now calling 3x3 Group 1" means all competitors who have been assigned group 1 for 3x3 are up to compete and should bring their cube ASAP to the scrambling station. This also allows competitors to better know when they will be competing as groups are called in numerical order.

Below are some of the policies that will be used for this competition. Please keep in mind that these can vary from event to event, so they do not necessarily apply to other competitions.

Registration
* Registration is first come (eg. first to register and pay properly), first serve.
* Registration closes November 13, 2018
* There will be no at-door registration.

Deleting Registration/Refunds
* If you register and later realize you cannot make the event, you can request a 50% refund before registration closes.
* After registration closes, no refunds will be awarded.

Adding/Dropping Events
* Competitors may request (by email) to be added to more events BEFORE registration closes.
* Competitors may not add events after registration closes.
* Competitors may request (by email) to remove events from their registration. It is also acceptable to not show up for any event you do not wish to compete in. If there is a chance you will want to do an event, you should register for it!

Competition Day Timing
* The competition will begin at the scheduled start time.
* Events will begin as soon as the previous event is wrapping up. Exception: All First Round events will not start more than 20 minutes early.
* Competitors may not compete in an event if they miss last call for that event. In general, last call is a few minutes after the last group is called.