The World Rankings are being changed for the 2016 season. We’re bringing in a new category, combining two other categories, adjusting the number of races that are included, and adjusting the points awarded for those races. These changes are being made to ensure the World Rankings retain their fairness and integrity.
Masters Skateboard
Masters Skateboard is being trialled in 2016 as a new category. Rankings for Masters Skateboard will now be collected in all Continental and World Tour events. To qualify for Masters a rider must turn 35 (or older) during the current race season.
Luge
The IDF will be combining Street Luge and Classic Luge into a single Luge category for the 2016 race season. After long discussions we are excited to announce that Luge will be offered at all World Cup events this year and very much hope the combined category and reduced points requirements will create some strong results. It is certainly our hope that this will strengthen the bracket numbers for each event and also strengthen the integrity of the rankings in the Luge category.
If an event would like to create a separate Classic Luge category it will be treated as an exhibition category and will not be included in any IDF rankings. We strongly urge the Luge community to offer any alternatives they think will improve the category; we are certainly open to any further suggestions.
Number of races included in World Rankings
For Open Skateboard each rider’s best 7 results, with a maximum of 5 WC results, will be included in their World Rankings.
For Luge, Women, Masters and Juniors, each rider’s best 6 results, with a maximum of 4 WC results, will be included in their World Rankings.
The Continental Rankings will be unchanged.
Increase in WQS Points
The amount of points allocated to WQS races will be increased for Juniors, Women, Luge, and Masters for 2016 in an effort to better reflect the smaller number of participants in those categories.
In 2015 a placing of 1st in a WQS event was approximately equivalent to a placing of 32nd in a World Cup event. This scale was used across all categories. For the aforementioned racing categories a 1st in a WQS event will now be approximately equivalent to placing 10th in a World Cup.
The amount of points allocated to WQS in Open Skateboard will be unchanged.
Summary
Open Skateboard - Best 7 results (max 5 WCs)
Womens Skateboard - Best 6 results (max 4 WCs), more WQS points
Junior Skateboard - Best 6 results (max 4 WCs), more WQS points
Masters Skateboard - Best 6 results (max 4 WCs), more WQS points
Luge - combined category, Best 6 results (max 4 WCs), more WQS points
