Before You Register

All prospective registrants need a WCA account. New competitors can create their own WCA account by clicking here and entering the required information.

How to Register Online

The competitor limit for this competition is 130.

Prospective competitors register by:

1. Signing into their WCA account;
2. Clicking "Register" on the left side of this webpage, selecting the events they would like to compete in, and submitting their registration;
3. Paying the registration cost of $50.00. (The registration cost is the same, regardless of how many events are selected.) Your registration is not complete until you have paid the registration fee.

PLEASE NOTE: If you paid but don't see your name on the registration list within 48 hours of payment (assuming 130 competitors aren't on the competitor list already), please email the organizers. Organizers still have to manually move competitors to the approved competitor list following payment.

How to Pay for Registration Online

Payment is processed through Stripe.

Click on the "Register" tab on the left side of the webpage to register and pay all in one place! You can start the payment process by clicking "Pay your fees with card."

Withdrawing Registration

Registering and paying demonstrates your commitment to attend the competition. However, if you have registered and are no longer able to attend, please contact us via email.

Refunds

If you withdraw your registration before registration closes (September 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM CDT), you are eligible for a refund for 90% of your registration cost. After this date, no refund requests will be honored.

There will be no refunds issued after this date. Attempting to file a chargeback for the registration fee will lead to being blacklisted from future WCA events.

Any requested changes to registration before registration closes will be honored. Your registration is not complete until your name shows up on the list. If you believe you paid and your name isn't showing up, please contact us so that we can assist you.

Competitors MUST register and pay online in order to compete. No at-the-door registrations or payments will be accepted.

Waitlist Information

We will be keeping a waitlist for this competition. To secure a place on the waitlist once 130 competitors have paid, simply pay the registration fee. If a competitor emails us to drop out before the cancellation deadline of September 11th 2026 at 11:59PM CDT, you will be notified if you are the next competitor on the waitlist.

Once the deadline to request a refund has passed, all remaining competitors on the waitlist will be emailed letting them know they did not get off the waitlist and will be refunded.

We are looking for Official Volunteers to help support this competition! Volunteers play an integral role for helping competitions run as smoothly as possible, and to create a welcoming and professional environment for all competitors. Duties will include scrambling and running/judging, as well as data entry for interested applicants.

Volunteers will be assigned helping assignments for the majority of groups they are not competing in. Applicants must have previous volunteering experience in order to be considered.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Expectations of Volunteer Team Members
- Proactively complete all assigned helping assignments throughout the weekend
- Follow the directions of a stage lead, and be available for any additional duties that may be needed
- Act professionally - your actions as a volunteer team member reflect on the competition and Midwest Cubing Association

Benefits
- Lunch provided the entire weekend
- Refunded registration fee after the competition, contigent upon appropriate completion of volunteer duties
- Experience and potential preference for future staffing opportunities

The deadline for volunteer applications is September 1st, 2026.

*A volunteers's registration fee is only refunded if the member meets expectations of helping the entire competition, filling in roles where needed and asked.

For questions, please use the organization team contact form.

TBD

Venue

• MidAmerican RecPlex — 6500 Grand Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50266. Exit 69 Grand Avenue W, just off I-35 South.
  
• Large parking lots north of the venue provide plentiful parking. Parking is FREE!
• Enter any of the north facing doors and the venue (basketball courts) is located to the right of the ice rink under the Hy-Vee Fieldhouse sign, enter the first doors on the right.
• Virtual Tour

Hotels Nearby (Many others in the area)

• Courtyard Des Moines West/Jordan Creek, 410 S 68th St, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (8 minutes)
• Drury Inn & Suites West Des Moines, 5505 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (8 minutes)
• Hilton Garden Inn West Des Moines, 205 S 64th St, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (9 minutes)
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites West Des Moines, 240 Jordan Creek Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (7 minutes)
• Hyatt Place West Des Moines/Jordan Creek, 295 S 64th St, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (8 minutes)

Things to Do Nearby

• Dave & Buster's
• Jordan Creek Mall
• Spare Time
• Top Golf
• West Glen Town Center
• West Grand Golf - Mini Golf

*Approximate drive times from the venue in parenthesis.

Lunch Options

• MidAmerican Recplex RP Grill (On site - Chicken Strips, Hamburgers, Hot Dogs)

Fast Food Nearby

• B-Bop’s (Best of Des Moines Burger/Fries), 6135 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (6 minutes)
• Chick-Fil-A, 6555 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (9 minutes)
• Five Guys, 455 S 64th St #300, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (8 minutes)
• Jimmy John’s, 5465 Mills Civic Pkwy #125, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (7 minutes)
• McAlister’s Deli, 455 S 64th St #100, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (8 minutes)
• McDonald’s, 745 S 51st St, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — (8 minutes)
• Raising Cane’s, 5901 Mills Civic Pkwy Unit 7000, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (6 minutes)
• Steak ‘n Shake, 815 S 51st St, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — (9 minutes)
• Tasty Tacos, 6326 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (7 minutes)

Family Dining Nearby

• Applebee’s, 6190 Mills Civic Pkwy W, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (6 minutes)
• Blaze Pizza, 6305 Mills Civic Pkwy Suite 4200, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (6 minutes)
• Buffalo Wild Wings, 6925 S Jordan Creek Pkwy #115, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (7 minutes)
• IHOP, 5045 Bentley Dr Suite 170, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — (7 minutes)
• Red Robin, 6255 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (6 minutes)
• Texas Roadhouse, 6378 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (7 minutes)
• The Breakfast Club (Closes at 2:30 PM), 5525 Mills Civic Pkwy #100, West Des Moines, IA 50266 — (7 minutes)

TBD

Want to stay connected with the Midwest Cubing community? Join the Midwest Cubing Community Discord Server! Speak with other competitors from around the midwest, keep in touch with fellow competitors, and meet new ones! Find out about competition discussion as it happens in real time, and even announcements for competitions before registration opens!

Click here to be taken directly to the Discord Server!