The World Racquetball Championships is the top international racquetball competition organized by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF).
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, 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 – four times, though not since 1996; followed by Mexico, three 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 played 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 # Year Host Men's team Women's team Overall / combined 1 1981 United States – – USA 2 1984 United States USA 3 1986 United States USA & Canada 4 1988 Germany USA 5 1990 Venezuela USA 6 1992 Canada USA 7 1994 Mexico USA 8 1996 United States USA 9 1998 Bolivia USA 10 2000 Mexico Canada 11 2002 Puerto Rico USA 12 2004 South Korea USA 13 2006 Dominican Republic USA 14 2008 Ireland USA 15 2010 South Korea USA 16 2012 Dominican Republic USA 17 2014 Canada USA 18 2016 Colombia Mexico 19 2018 Costa Rica Mexico 20 2021 Guatemala USA 21 2022 Mexico Mexico 22 2024 United States Mexico
Winners No. Year Host Men's singles Women's singles Men's doubles Women's doubles Mixed doubles 1 1981 United States Ed Andrews Cindy Baxter Mark Malowitz & Jeff Kwartler Mary Ann Cluess & Karen Borga 2 1984 United States Ross Harvey Mary Dee Stan Wright & Steve Trent Carol French & Malia Kamahoahoa 3 1986 United States Egan Inoue Cindy Baxter Jack Nolan & Todd O'Neil Carol McFetridge & Marion Sicotte 4 1988 Germany Andy Roberts Heather Stupp Doug Ganim & Dan Obremski Diane Green & Trina Rasmussen 5 1990 Venezuela Egan Inoue Heather Stupp Doug Ganim & Dan Obremski Malia Bailey & Jackie Paraiso 6 1992 Canada Chris Cole Michelle Gould Doug Ganim & Eric Muller Malia Bailey & Robin Levine 7 1994 Mexico Sherman Greenfeld Michelle Gould John Ellis & Eric Muller Laura Fenton & Jackie Paraiso Gibson 8 1996 United States Todd O'Neil Michelle Gould Adam Karp & Bill Sell Joy MacKenzie & Jackie Paraiso 9 1998 Bolivia Sherman Greenfeld Christie Van Hees Adam Karp & Bill Sell Joy Mackenzie & Jackie Paraiso 10 2000 Mexico Álvaro Beltrán Cheryl Gudinas Luis Bustilos & Javier Moreno Kersten Hallander & Kim Russell 11 2002 Puerto Rico Jack Huczek Cheryl Gudinas Polo Gutierrez & Gilberto Mejia Jackie Paraiso Rice & Kim Russell 12 2004 South Korea Jack Huczek Cheryl Gudinas Shane Vanderson & Mike Dennison Jackie Paraiso Rice & Kim Russell 13 2006 Dominican Republic Jack Huczek Christie Van Hees Álvaro Beltrán & Javier Moreno Aimee Ruiz & Laura Fenton 14 2008 Ireland Rocky Carson Rhonda Rajsich Jason Thoerner & Mitch Williams Aimee Ruiz & Jackie Paraiso 15 2010 South Korea Rocky Carson Rhonda Rajsich Ben Croft & Mitch Williams Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas 16 2012 Dominican Republic Rocky Carson Paola Longoria Álvaro Beltrán & Javier Moreno Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas 17 2014 Canada Rocky Carson Paola Longoria Sebastian Franco & Alejandro Herrera Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas 18 2016 Colombia Rocky Carson Paola Longoria Álvaro Beltrán & Javier Moreno Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger 19 2018 Costa Rica Rodrigo Montoya Gabriela Martinez Álvaro Beltrán & Daniel De La Rosa Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja 20 2021 Guatemala Alejandro Landa Paola Longoria Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas 21 2022 Mexico Conrrado Moscoso Paola Longoria Álvaro Beltrán & Daniel De La Rosa Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas 22 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 07-7 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 16 11 12 14 154 2 6 8 6123 3 4 1 109 Bolivia 1 0 0 1 02 Colombia 0 0 1 0 01 Guatemala 0 1 00 01
References
External links World championships - IRF - team standings World championships - IRF - individual standings