Nationals is advertised as the qualifying event for Worlds, but it was held last year before Worlds was scheduled so the cart was ahead of the horse. I think about everyone qualified for Worlds since the top 18 in every AG qualify and there were less than 18 people in some AG's. Athletes were asked to commit to Worlds before they left the award ceremony which was really just paying a deposit to hold your place so you would have the option of committing after the Worlds festival got scheduled three months later if it didn't conflict with other things on your calendar. It seems like there is a huge disconnect between planning the National qualifying event for Worlds and the Worlds event.

I had a positive experience at the National Multisport Festival last year. That was largely because it brought together team member and friends in the sport who live in other parts of the country that I normally only get to communicate with on-line. I also met a lot of new people in the sport that I have kept in touch with over the past year. A few of my team mates and a few of my new friends in the sport went on to do Worlds. It was clear what their draw was to the event and what their goals were. I just don't see the same focus from USAT or the same clarity in their goals. USAT appear to be very focused on logistics of holding a good national event, but don't appear to be focused on the people that they want to attend their national events.