This is one competition in the Bristol Winter 2024 series, which is one weekend with a separate competition on each day. You may only register for one of the two competitions and are not expected to attend the other day.

Saturday is Bristol Winter Open 2024: this competition is perfect for competitors who have been to competitions before and know what to expect, or anyone interested in competing in some more adventurous events. This competition is open to anybody to attend and all competitors will be eligible for medals.

Sunday is Bristol Winter Beginners 2024: this competition is especially targeted towards first-timers and inexperienced competitors, with a comfortable events list and lenient time limits. This is a great opportunity for beginners to compete in a relaxed environment amongst other people of a similar experience level. Please note that while this competition is open to anyone to attend, only competitors who have attended 2 or fewer competitions before will be eligible for medals.

These are the restrictions regarding competing in a series:

• Competitors are only allowed to compete in one competition in a series.
• Normal registration procedures applied. However, if a competitor registered for more than one competition in the series, we will only accept the registration that is paid earlier.
• The events and schedule for each competition in the series is different. You should pick and sign up for the competition that suits you best.

Below is a brief overview of the competitions in this series.

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

Q: How do I register?
A: First you need to make sure you have created a WCA account. You can do this 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 follow the instructions fully and carefully.

Q: Why am I not on the registration list yet?
A: Please make sure that you have followed the instructions listed on the Register page. You could also be on the waiting list. The competitor limit can be found on the General Info page, and you can see the number on accepted competitors on the Competitors page also on the menu. If you have done everything correctly and the competition is not full then just be patient. We have to manually approve registrations and the organisers aren't available all the time. If you believe you have followed the steps correctly but still are not on the registration list after 2-3 days, then feel free to email us at the contact link on the General Info page. You can contact us at any time to check your place on the waiting list as well.

Q: I am no longer able to attend, what do I do?
A: The first thing you need to do is tell us as soon as you know via the contact link on the General Info page. Competitions generally fill up quite quickly and letting us know that you can't attend means we can add someone from the waiting list.

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.

Q: How fast do I have to be to compete?
A: We recommend that you check out the Events and Schedule tabs - if you can make the time limit for the events you want to compete in, then you're fast enough! Loads of people come to competitions just to beat their own personal bests, and meet likeminded people, with no intention of winning or even making it past the first round.

Q: Are there different age categories?
A: All competitors compete on the same level and all ages are welcome. In general most are aged 10-20 but we have plenty of regulars who are older or younger than this!

Q: Do I use my own cubes to compete?
A: Yes! Make sure to bring cubes for all events you are competing in and look after them, you don't want them to go missing.

Q: Am I allowed to bring a guest?
A: Yes, you are allowed to bring as many guests as you please. Space in the venue may be restricted during busy times so please be sensible.

Q: Can I come only to spectate?
A: Yes! However, the venue is usually quite busy during the morning, so if you are just coming to spectate please come in the afternoon.

Q: I'm a parent, what can I do to get involved?
A: If you're looking for something to do then you can certainly help out with the running and judging! We pretty much always need help with this and they are really easy procedures to follow. You can come to the introduction to competing where we go through all of it there, and there is a tutorial on the Important Information tab as well. Running is also great for step count and requires zero knowledge of cubing if you're worried about that!

Q: When do I arrive at the competition?
A: If you are a new competitor, we highly recommend that you show up for the introduction to competing which is held as the first thing on both days. Otherwise, we recommend you turn up at least 15 minutes before your first event, you can check when this is on the Schedule tab. This will give you enough time to register, find a seat, and warm-up.

Q: Do I have to be there on both days?
A: No, if you're only competing 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. If you are assigned tasks (running/judging/scrambling) on a day you're not competing on, do not worry about missing them.

Q: What do I do when I arrive?
A: The first thing you do when you arrive is find the registration desk if registration is open. If you arrive before registration opens, we will make an announcement as to when it does open. If there is nobody present at the registration desk then find a staff member and we will make sure to register you.

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

Q: How do I find results?
A: All the results will be found on this page a couple of days after the competition, once they have all been checked and uploaded. If you are looking for live results, in the Menu Bar at the top go to Results ≫ WCA Live.

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.

• 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.

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

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.
what3words: sleep.wipes.shaky

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!