Unlike some previous world championships, the number of places
available is highly restricted

The 2013
World Championships in Forbes, Australia, will be restricted to
110
pilots.  This number is significantly less than has been the case with
previous recent World Championships which allowed for 150 competitors.

Because no organizer is willing to put on a women's world championship in 2012,
national teams are allowed to nominate, in addition to only their five top
ranked pilots, two women pilots. This means that slots that could go to ranked
pilots will go to lower ranked, specifically women, pilots instead. Seventeen
women pilots are signed up for the Worlds. (You can do the math.)

Normally the women pilots have their own competition. Some women who qualify for
their national teams fly in the World Championships, but this year, while they
may have their own separate competition at the 2013 Worlds (separate from the
main competition), they may (or will) be taking the place of ranked pilots. It
is unclear exactly how women (those who are not part of the national teams made
up of ranked pilots) will be dealt with at Forbes (as the local rules haven't
been published).

While some pilots have argued against a separate women's championship at all,
this is the first time in recent memory (if ever), that lower ranked women
pilots are in a position to displace ranked pilots from a World Championship.
This conflict may cause some hard feelings, as the national team size for the
ranked pilots is already restricted to five pilots for this competition, down
from a normal six with often additional pilots.

Currently 109 pilots are registered, one less than the maximum allowed in the
competition.