Ratings Criteria

These criteria to apply from 28th July 2010

The following SOWPODS tournaments will be rated by WESPA, without prior approval being required. Prior notification and payment of levy on completion are required

• World Championships (includes WYSC)
• Team Challenges between two or more countries
• Kings Cup
• Pan-African Championships
• Gulf Championships
• Tournaments held in the USA and Canada sanctioned by NASPA

Notification of above events must be to the WESPA Ratings Officer, Bob Jackman

The following SOWPODS tournaments will be rated by WESPA upon payment of the ratings levy, provided approval is obtained beforehand, and provided the requisite amount of foreign participation is reached

• Any tournament guaranteeing and paying $2500 or more first prize, with no more than 80% participation from one country in rated component
• Any tournament piggy-packing on a major event, with no more than 80% participation from one country in rated component
• Any other tournament with no more than 60% participation from one country in the rated component

Note: Organisers may need to adjust the number of local players in the rated components to ensure the above percentages are reached and it is internationally rated. Approval to have an event internationally rated must first be sought from the head of the WESPA Tournament Committee, Chief Toke Aka.

Ratings Levy

A $1US levy per player applies to internationally rated events (or sections within events) for WESPA member countries, $2 per player for tournaments held in non-WESPA countries, contingent on the results being forwarded to the WESPA Ratings officer as a *.tou file in aupair format. A minimum $20US levy applies, regardless of the number of players. The levy is payable to WESPA immediately on completion of the tournament. The levy should be paid using a Paypal Account, through the levy entry point on the WESPA website. If reconstruction of the tournament is required, a surcharge will apply, to be negotiated with the Ratings Officer.

Recommendation

A recommendation for international tournaments to be rated into the WESPA Ratings System is that organisers promote their event through the International Scrabble email discussion list and provide timely updates on the players registered to play in the event. In addition to the player's name, the international rating and the nationality should be listed for each contestant. This can either be in the text of an email or as a link to webpage of latest entrants.