@Horton I think you have the right idea, but are taking it to the wrong end. What I suggest is a changing of how we run the rankings.
All level 8 skiers and up are required to ski in the open or MM division. No changes suggestions or substitutions. They don't have to ski regionals to qualify for this.
Everyone below this line skis regionals to qualify and then goes on to their age ranked nationals. 3 event skiers who are going to try to ski overall are broken up by their 3 event overall score.
This allows the "elite" pros who dislike having regionals to ski their "elite" event without having a qualifier and allows everyone else to ski their division as normal, with the added bonus of bumping the guys who normally drop down and win age divisions out of the process.