Register as a one-man team and play. Just don't expect that you may qualify for the finals (unless you are geohot). Remember to read all challenges and feel free to skip a challenge if you get stuck.

Though the news got posted a week later (this year's quals ended a week ago) and you have to wait one year if you want to play this specific event.

spend some time going over the previous years challenges as well as other non time based ctfs available out there. at the turn of the new year, you can pop into some ctf slack and discord groups and hunt for a team to join. a lot of teams are very friendly and welcoming to new peeps.