Raygun Is the Top-Ranked Breaker in the World?

Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, or “B-girl Raygun”, holds the top spot in her sport’s latest world rankings despite Olympic performances that led to online ridicule.

 

The 37-year-old university lecturer from Sydney, failed to score any points at the Paris Olympics in routines that included a “kangaroo” dance. [My August 16, 2024 post "Australian Breakdancer Steals Show" refers]. 

 

On Tuesday, World DanceSport Federation, the sport’s governing body were compelled to “provide clarity” on why Raygun tops the rankings!

 

WDSF explained that the ranking methodology is based on each athlete’s top four performances within the past 12 months – but excludes Olympic events including the Paris Games and Olympic qualifier series events in Shanghai, China and Budapest, Hungary. 

 

Additionally, no ranking events were held between December 2023 and the Olympics – to allow athletes to focus on qualification.

 

The federation clarified that the unusual circumstances of this year’s competition schedule resulted in many athletes being ranked based on a single event. In the case of Raygun (right), her first-place finish at the Oceania continental championships in October 2023 earned her 1,000 points.

 

Not surprising, many within the breaking community have criticized the rankings for not giving a clear picture of breaking as a sport and as a culture. 

 

“Speaking of the WDSF, they actually don’t have any real merit with the breakers or the breaking community”, said Zack Slusser (left), vice president of Breaking for Gold USA. “And they also haven’t been able to organize events by their measure that would contribute to creating an accurate world ranking”.

 

According to Slusser, breakers only performed in events organized by the WDSF – the Lausanne, Switzerland-based governing body for competitive dance sports – to get enough points to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

 

Breakers “had no incentive, no desire to even continue participating with the WDSF after that”, Slusser said. “Because they’re not cultural events. They are not enjoyable”.

 

Raygun has already brought breakdancing into disrepute and embarrassed Australia. And now WDSF are further hurting the sport's reputation!