Racquetball World Championships

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

History

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

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
XXII 2024 United States  USA  Mexico Mexico

Winners

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
XXII 2024 United States Daniel De La Rosa Paola Longoria Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott

Multiple world champions

Champion Singles Doubles Mixed Total
Paola Longoria 6 5 0 11
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
/ Daniel De La Rosa 1 1 1 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

Country Men's Singles Women's Singles Men's Doubles Women's Doubles Mixed Doubles Total
 United States 16 11 12 14 1 54
 Mexico 2 6 8 6 1 23
 Canada 3 4 1 1 0 9
Bolivia 1 0 0 1 0 2
Colombia 0 0 1 0 0 1
Guatemala 0 1 0 0 0 1

References

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