That is the main goal for 2018 - to have regularly updated rankings especially for the knockout rounds since that brings more excitement and is interesting to follow. That is why we will have less prediction contests.
I think we'll still have separated Alpine and Nordic skiing since the format of those contests is much easier to manage.
Concerning women's handball WC, tuniscof told me he would open the contest but I guess he still has to solve some things in his life, so I believe no one would complain for the missing contest.
And yes, it is will be implemented as well - for contest to be opened as early as possible