The World DanceSport Federation has addressed the “unique circumstances” behind Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn’s ascension to the world No.1 ranking, all but declaring her status should be ignored for a variety of reasons.
Raygun emerged on top in the September update despite finishing last at the Olympics with a performance that became an instant viral sensation for all the wrong reasons.
The rankings raised new questions around breaking as a sport at the highest level, having already come under heavy fire after Raygun’s infamous debut.
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But no mistakes were made in publishing the rankings: Raygun is the current world No.1 breaker.
The WDSF confirmed how she rose in an extraordinary statement issued “to provide clarity on the ranking methodology and address the concerns raised”.
The governing body said only an athlete’s top four performances within the last 12 months are counted, with points earned lasting 52 weeks.
It was also “important to emphasise” that the Olympics and two qualifying events — which delivered eventual Paris gold medallist Amy ‘Ami’ Yuasa — did not offer ranking points “due to limited athlete quotas”.
“Furthermore, in alignment with the Olympic Qualification System, ranking events were intentionally not held between 31 December 2023 and the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” the WDSF said.
“This strategic scheduling allowed athletes to focus solely on the last part of their Olympic qualification without the added pressure of additional ranking events.
“Consequently, by the end of the Olympic Games, many of the competition results included in the ranking had expired, leading to the current situation where many athletes have only one competition result contributing to their ranking.
“Due the unique circumstances regarding ranking events this year, it is not unusual in the period immediately following the Olympic Games for some athletes to be ranked according to a single event.”
But while the WDSF backed its system, the statement effectively suggested the rankings should be somewhat disregarded in favour of the Olympic results.
“Until WDSF ranking events recommence later this year, therefore, the world rankings as they currently stand should be interpreted in conjunction with results from recent global breaking competitions for a more accurate reflection of the global competitive landscape,” the organisation said.
Raygun is ranked No.1 despite being level on 1000 points with No.2 Riko Tsuhako, who missed out on the Olympics.
The WDSF confirmed the Oceania Championships won by Raygun, which secured her Olympic qualification, took precedence over the Breaking for Gold World Series won by Tsuhako.
Raygun will fall off the rankings when her points expire at the end of October.
She has already declared she will take a break from competing, ruling her out of that month’s Breaking for Gold World Series event in Shanghai — save for an unlikely backflip.
“The WDSF remains steadfast in its commitment to transparency and fairness in the competitive ranking process,” the governing body said.
“We trust that this explanation resolves any concerns regarding the methodology behind the current standings.”