[EricH]

Well... It's the end of open registration in a sense.

At this point, all the open registration does is fill slots left by the merit-based qualifiers. Previously, there were some open registration slots that were filled by open registration only.

In other words, now, to make Championship, you have to qualify.

If you don't qualify, you have a slim chance of making it, if you are high enough up on the waitlist.