WESPA Championship 2023 will be held in Las Vegas from 22th July 2023 to 26th July 2023. Hong Kong has three quotas, whose nomination falls under the responsibility of the HKSPA.
Qualification Criteria
Players who fulfill all the following criteria are eligible to represent Hong Kong in the Championship:
- Be an HKSPA member (individual member)
- Have Hong Kong representation status under the Hong Kong Player Statuses Regulation
Players interested in playing in the WESPAC must participate in the Division A of the Hong Kong Scrabble Championship 2023 ("HK Championship"), as it will serve as the Qualifier of the WESPAC in Hong Kong. Players with a higher standing in the Championship will have priority over those with a lower one. Players who do not participate in the Championship may not represent Hong Kong unless there are spots left. In case a player fails to get the quota via the Championship, they may still participate in the WESPAC Last Chance Qualifier Tournament (LCQ) to fight for a spot in the WESPAC.
You may view who has expressed interest to the WESPAC on the HK Championship entries list.
Reminders
- Players are reminded that Hong Kong passport holders need to apply for visa prior to entering the USA. They are advised to make their own arrangements as soon as possible.
- For players below the age of 18, they must seek their parent's consent prior to expressing an interest to represent Hong Kong in the WESPAC. Their parent(s) should also accompany the player throughout the trip as other adult players may not be available to take care of other players.
- Players are required to borne the full cost of attending the WESPAC. This will include the visa fee, round-trip air fare from Hong Kong to Las Vegas, entry fee to the WESPAC (USD 300) and other side events (from USD 25 to 75), hotel accommodation fees (USD 99 or 119 per night for room suitable for one or two plus 13.38% tax), Resort Fee (USD 30 per night plus 13.38% tax) and other travelling expenses.
- The official event hotel is the Westgate Las Vegas Resorts & Casino (3000 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89109).
- The WESPA Championship 2023 is a WESPA-rated event using CSW21 dictionary, which is different from the CSW19 dictionary currently in use in some of the local tournaments in Hong Kong. Players should familiarize themselves with the dictionary.
Other Information
- More information about the WESPAC is available on the host organisation, NASPA, website at https://www.scrabbleplayers.org/w/2023_WESPA_Championship_(WESPAC).
- WESPAC is part of the NASPA Double Down in Las Vegas. The 2023 Scrabble Players Championship (SPC) will take place from July 15 to 19, 2023 and do not require a national quota to participate. HKSPA members interested in participating in NASPA events, including the SPC, may take advantage of the HKSPA agreement with NASPA which includes complimentary NASPA membership for HKSPA members who reside in Hong Kong.