In national quotas just released today, the 10th World Scrabble Championship next year foresees about 114 entrants from over 40 countries. Eleven countries gained a place while 10 nations lost a seat in the WSC.
The allocations are based upon a new method proposed by the World English-language Scrabble Players Association to Philip Nelkon, WSC organiser on behalf of Mattel Games. The quotas essentially reflect national performance at last year's WSC.
Essentially, countries with more than one competitor were analysed for average finishing positions with those countries in the top half each gaining an extra seat, those nations in the bottom half losing a place.
The Wespa tournament subcommittee was chaired by Chief Toke Aka (Nigeria) with Bob Jackman (Australia) and Albert Hahn (Canada) also on the panel.
Before submitting a report to Nelkon, national Scrabble associations were surveyed by the Wespa subcommittee on their viewpoints and recommendations on a quota method.
The WSC playing corps is to be limited to about 114 competitors including two extra spots for the host country, a seat for the current world champ as well as the runner-up. Other Scrabble associations may apply to Nelkon to request to be included in the '09 event.
In the new rules, the maximum number of places a team can have is 15 except when such a country hosts the WSC. Then the number would be 17.
A winner of the World Youth Scrabble Championship is also to have automatic entry with WYSC organisers to determine which of the 2007 and '08 champs would be selected.
"From next year, a cup is to be awarded to the best performing team, computed as a team of two or more players with the lowest average finishing position," explained Nelkon.
"Although the rules have been drafted looking at the long term, they're initially to be used for next year only, being reassessed after the 2009 event." The venue for next year's WSC has yet to be announced.
Of the hundreds of millions of Scrabble players in the English language around the globe, an estimated 25,000-30,000 compete in hundreds of tournaments in more than 40 countries. The brainy game can be played in about 30 languages.
The 2009 national quotas
The designation +1 after the name of the country indicates that the country gained a place; -1 means the country lost a seat.
Country Quota
Australia 6 (+1)
Bahrain 2
Barbados 1
Cameroon 1
Canada 8 (+1)
England 9 (-1)
France 1
Germany 1
Ghana 3
Guyana 1
India 1 (-1)
Indonesia 1
Ireland 1
Israel 2
Japan 1 (-1)
Kenya 4
Kuwait 1
Malaysia 3 (+1)
Malta 2 (-1)
Netherlands 1
New Zealand 4 (-1)
Nigeria 4 (+1)
Oman 1 (-1)
Pakistan 3 (+1)
Philippines 2 (-1)
Qatar 1
Poland 1
Romania 2 (+1)
Saudi Arabia 1
Scotland 3 (+1)
Singapore 4 (+1)
South Africa 3 (+1)
Sri Lanka 2 (-1)
Sweden 1
Tanzania 1
Thailand 6 (+1)
Trinidad 1
United Arab Emirates 2 (+1)
Uganda 1
USA 14 (-1)
Wales 1 (-1)
Zambia 1
Wildcards
WSC '07 champion 1
WSC '07 runner-up 1
WYSC winner 1
WSC host __2 extra seats
114
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