The 2024 season is just around the corner. WDSC events will be limited to 60 competitors, by selection only. The first round of competitors were chosen from the 2022 and 2023 WDSC rankings as well as the 2022 World Skate Games. A few competitors may also earn a spot through some additional qualifier races.
WGSF is still working on the 2024 schedule, and hope to announce it by the end of January 2024. WGSF is looking to hold between three and five WDSC events. Most, if not all, of these events will also have an accompanying open qualifier race. These doubleheader races will be four or five day events. The qualifying race will be open to everyone, except those already selected to compete in the WDSC race.
A typical schedule for these double header events, will be an open practice day followed by half day of practice and half day of best of two time trials. Then another half day of practice and a half day of the qualifying race. The top finishers from this race will then be selected to compete in the weekend WDSC race, which will be live streamed and recorded for a pre-produced broadcast. The weekend WDSC race will be a half day of practice and another set of time trials, in the new Q1, Q2, Q3 format. The final day will be the WDSC race.
The WDSC portion of the event will be limited to the selected competitors as well as the top finishers from the qualifier. Guaranteed slots of 8 for Open Stand Op, 6 for Open Street Luge, and four each for Women’s Stand Up and Women’s Street Luge. More may be selected to fill the weekend brackets. There will be a final cut during the Saturday time trials, if the guaranteed slots bring in too many competitors.
All registered competitors will be allowed to practice during any open practice sessions, except for the sessions on Sunday. Sunday sessions will be reserved for those that are competing in Sunday’s race.
Currently the field for the WDSC portion will be limited to 60 competitors, broken down as 32 Open Stand Up, 16 Open Street Luge, 8 Women’s Stand Up, and 4 Women’s Street Luge. These numbers are based on historical data for past WDSC events as well as other international events. WGSF recognizes that the women’s categories are growing. If enough women register for the open qualifier to fill the next bracket level, with bye’s, then we will run the next level for that weekend’s event. This means if a dozen or more Women Stand Up show up, we will run a 16 women bracket. And if six or more women compete for Street Luge, we will race an 8 women bracket.
WGSF wants to strive to keep the open categories, open. The qualifying race will be open to everyone, except those already invited to compete for the weekend. But a woman will need to be invited into the open category in order to compete in the open category. Even if they are already invited to race in the women’s category. Which means if a woman is already selected to compete in the women’s category, if they are interested in also racing in the open category, they will have to compete in the open category in the open qualifier and earn a spot.
All competitors who compete in the WDSC race will receive points in the WDSC point series. All competitors who compete in the open qualifier will receive international points in the Qualifier Series. The top competitors in the Qualifier series will be invited to compete in the 2025 series.
Due to logistical reasons, not every event will be able to host a double header. If we have any of these events, then only 60 competitors will be invited to race for the weekend. Competitors from the alternate pool will be asked to fill in the missing slots, in an attempt to fill the brackets.
The competitors for the 2025 series will be selected from the top finishers of the 2024 series, who have competed in enough races, and from the top finishers of the 2024 Qualifier Series. Enough races will be two if there are three or fewer events, and three if there are four or more. The top 20 Open Stand Up, top 10 Open Street Luge, top 4 Women Stand Up, and top 2 Women Street Luge from the 2024 WDSC series, who have competed in enough events, will be asked to stay on for the 2025 series. The remaining spots will be filled from the top finishers of the 2024 qualifying series. Alternates will be selected from the top 2024 WDSC series as well as the top 2024 Qualifying series that weren’t already selected.
The 2024 WDSC point series will be based on the best of four (or fewer, if there are fewer events.) The qualifying events will probably be best of three, if there are more than three events. The exact numbers will be reported when the schedule is announced. WGSF is also working on some stand alone qualifying events. If you are interested in hosting either a WDSC event, or a Qualifier event, please let us know.
If the women’s field was consistently increased, then the numbers for 2025 may also be increased, accordingly. The opposite is also true, if numbers for other classes don’t consistently fill the bracket, the numbers may be reduced.