How Compete verifies a listing
Every competition here was checked field by field against the organiser's own pages. This page explains exactly what that means, what it does not mean, and how to read the verification panel on any listing.
The rule
Say what the organiser says, and say plainly when we do not know. That is the whole method. Anything we could not confirm against a first-party source is labelled Not confirmed rather than filled in with something plausible.
Why this exists
An earlier version of this directory derived an age range for every competition by adding five to the grade range, then published those ages as if organisers had stated them. Not one of the 128 records held an organiser-stated age. The ages were invented, and they read exactly like facts.
That is why the entire database was then audited field by field: 1,402 individual checks. The result was uncomfortable and is worth stating plainly: only 55 of those fields were correct as originally written. 851 were corrected. 496 could not be confirmed and are now shown as unconfirmed rather than guessed.
Ages and grades are now stored as separate facts with separate sources. Neither is ever derived from the other.
What the labels mean
- Verified
- The listed facts were checked against the organiser's own pages, and the date of that check is shown. It does not mean the facts are still true today: organisers change deadlines and fees without notice.
- Partly verified
- Some fields were confirmed and others could not be. The listing names which is which.
- Not confirmed
- We looked and could not find it on a first-party source. This is a statement about our evidence, not about the competition.
- Cycle checked
- Which year's rules were read. A listing checked against 2026-27 rules may not describe 2027-28 accurately.
- Third party
- The only source found was an aggregator or encyclopedia rather than the organiser. Treat these as weaker. Forty fields carry this marker after sources were re-examined.
What we could not do
Three honest limits:
- Checks go stale. A date on this site is the date we looked, not a promise about today. Deadlines pass, and two have already passed since launch.
- Some organisers publish nothing. Where a fee or a team size simply is not stated anywhere official, the listing says so rather than repeating a number from a listing site.
- Sources conflict. Where organiser documents disagree, we use the current cycle's version and record the conflict. The AMC 8 age limit is one example: current materials say under 15.5, an older guide still online says 14.5.
Always check the official site
Every listing links to the organiser. Before you enter, pay a fee, or plan travel, confirm the details there. A directory is a starting point, not an authority.
Found something wrong?
Please report it. Every listing has a report control, and corrections are the most useful thing anyone can send us. A directory is only worth having if the people using it can fix it.