Racquetball World Championships

The World Racquetball Championships is the top international racquetball competition organized by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF).[1]

History edit

The first event was held in 1981 as part of the 1981 World Games. The second World Championships were in 1984, and they have been a biannual event since then with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic period, which delayed the 2020 event by one year.

Worlds have been held in 13 countries across four continents: North and South America as well as Asia and Europe. The United States has hosted Worlds most often – 4 times, though not since 1996, followed by Mexico, 3 times, and twice each in Canada, the Dominican Republic, and South Korea.

The 2022 World Championships were held in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, which was the first time Worlds was in Mexico since 2000, when it was also held in San Luis Potosí. The 2022 Worlds introduced Mixed Doubles for the first time, and re-introduced the Team Competition (best of three matches: two singles & one doubles), which was held at Worlds until 2012, after which the team winners were determined by the points earned in the individual competitions.

Also, the 2022 World Championships used a best of five games match format with each game to 11 points, win by 2, with rally scoring, as used in other sports like squash and volleyball. Rally scoring – the winner of every rally scores a point – was introduced at Worlds in 2021. Previously, racquetball games used side-out scoring, where players scored points only when they had won a rally which began with that player serving. Rallies won when not serving were simply side-outs: the rally losing player lost the serve and the rally winning player won the opportunity to serve, but did not win a point.

Editions and team results edit

No. Year Host Men's team Women's team Overall / combined
I 1981 United States   USA
II 1984 United States   USA   USA   USA
III 1986 United States   Canada   USA   USA &
  Canada
IV 1988 Germany   Canada   USA   USA
V 1990 Venezuela   USA   USA   USA
VI 1992 Canada   USA   USA   USA
VII 1994 Mexico   USA   USA   USA
VIII 1996 United States   Canada   USA   USA
IX 1998 Bolivia   USA   USA   USA
X 2000 Mexico   Canada   USA   Canada
XI 2002 Puerto Rico   Canada   USA   USA
XII 2004 South Korea   USA   USA   USA
XIII 2006 Dominican Republic   USA   USA   USA
XIV 2008 Ireland   USA   USA   USA
XV 2010 South Korea   USA   USA   USA
XVI 2012 Dominican Republic   USA   Mexico   USA
XVII 2014 Canada   USA   Mexico   USA
XVIII 2016 Colombia   USA   Mexico   Mexico
XIX 2018 Costa Rica   Mexico   Mexico   Mexico
XX 2021 Guatemala   USA   Mexico   USA
XXI 2022 Mexico   Mexico   Mexico   Mexico

Winners edit

No. Year Host Men's Singles Women's Singles Men's Doubles Women's Doubles Mixed Doubles
I 1981 United States   Ed Andrews   Cindy Baxter   Mark Malowitz & Jeff Kwartler   Mary Ann Cluess & Karen Borga
II 1984 United States   Ross Harvey   Mary Dee   Stan Wright & Steve Trent   Carol French & Malia Kamahoahoa
III 1986 United States   Egan Inoue   Cindy Baxter   Jack Nolan & Todd O'Neil   Carol McFetridge & Marion Sicotte
IV 1988 Germany   Andy Roberts   Heather Stupp   Doug Ganim & Dan Obremski   Diane Green & Trina Rasmussen
V 1990 Venezuela   Egan Inoue   Heather Stupp   Doug Ganim & Dan Obremski   Malia Bailey & Jackie Paraiso
VI 1992 Canada   Chris Cole   Michelle Gould   Doug Ganim & Eric Muller   Malia Bailey & Robin Levine
VII 1994 Mexico   Sherman Greenfeld   Michelle Gould   John Ellis & Eric Muller   Laura Fenton & Jackie Paraiso Gibson
VIII 1996 United States   Todd O'Neil   Michelle Gould   Adam Karp & Bill Sell   Joy MacKenzie & Jackie Paraiso
IX 1998 Bolivia   Sherman Greenfeld   Christie Van Hees   Adam Karp & Bill Sell   Joy Mackenzie & Jackie Paraiso
X 2000 Mexico   Álvaro Beltrán   Cheryl Gudinas   Luis Bustilos & Javier Moreno   Kersten Hallander & Kim Russell
XI 2002 Puerto Rico   Jack Huczek   Cheryl Gudinas   Polo Gutierrez & Gilberto Mejia   Jackie Paraiso Rice & Kim Russell
XII 2004 South Korea   Jack Huczek   Cheryl Gudinas   Shane Vanderson & Mike Dennison   Jackie Paraiso Rice & Kim Russell
XIII 2006 Dominican Republic   Jack Huczek   Christie Van Hees   Álvaro Beltrán & Javier Moreno   Aimee Ruiz & Laura Fenton
XIV 2008 Ireland   Rocky Carson   Rhonda Rajsich   Jason Thoerner & Mitch Williams   Aimee Ruiz & Jackie Paraiso
XV 2010 South Korea   Rocky Carson   Rhonda Rajsich   Ben Croft & Mitch Williams   Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas
XVI 2012 Dominican Republic   Rocky Carson   Paola Longoria   Álvaro Beltrán & Javier Moreno   Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas
XVII 2014 Canada   Rocky Carson   Paola Longoria   Sebastian Franco & Alejandro Herrera   Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas
XVIII 2016 Colombia   Rocky Carson   Paola Longoria   Álvaro Beltrán & Javier Moreno   Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger
XIX 2018 Costa Rica   Rodrigo Montoya   Gabriela Martinez   Álvaro Beltrán & Daniel De La Rosa   Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja
XX 2021 Guatemala   Alejandro Landa   Paola Longoria   Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya   Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas
XXI 2022 Mexico   Conrrado Moscoso   Paola Longoria   Álvaro Beltrán & Daniel De La Rosa   Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas   Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas

Multiple world champions edit

Champion Singles Doubles Mixed Total
  Paola Longoria 5 5 0 10
  Jackie Paraiso 0 7 - 7
  Álvaro Beltrán 1 5 0 6
  Samantha Salas 0 5 1 6
  Rocky Carson 5 0 0 5
  Javier Moreno 0 4 - 4
  Michelle Gould 3 0 - 3
  Cheryl Gudinas 3 0 - 3
  Jack Huczek 3 0 - 3
  Rodrigo Montoya 1 1 1 3
  Aimee Ruiz 0 3 - 3
  Doug Ganim 0 3 - 3
  Kim Russell 0 3 - 3
  Joy MacKenzie 0 3 - 3
  Malia Bailey 0 3 - 3
  Christie Van Hees 2 0 - 2
  Heather Stupp 2 0 - 2
  Sherman Greenfeld 2 0 - 2
  Egan Inoue 2 0 - 2
  Rhonda Rajsich 2 0 0 2
  Cindy Baxter 2 0 - 2
  Todd O'Neill 1 1 - 2
  Mitch Williams 0 2 - 2
  Dan Obremski 0 2 - 2
  Eric Muller 0 2 - 2
  Adam Karp 0 2 - 2
  Bill Sell 0 2 - 2
  Laura Fenton 0 2 - 2

World champions by country edit

Country Men's Singles Women's Singles Men's Doubles Women's Doubles Mixed Doubles Total
  United States 15 11 12 14 0 52
  Mexico 2 5 8 5 1 21
  Canada 3 4 0 1 0 8
  Bolivia 1 0 0 1 0 2
  Colombia 0 0 1 0 0 1
  Guatemala 0 1 0 0 0 1

References edit

  1. ^ "International Racquetball Federation – Official website". www.internationalracquetball.com.

External links edit