The 2016 Washington Athletic Club’s WPH Pre-Race Stop #1 Invitational and Instructional Clinics, September 10, 2016
The Washington Athletic Club and the World Players of Handball are proud to present the 2016 Pre Race 4 Eight VI Stop #1 Invitational and Instructional Clinics this Saturday, September 10th, 2016, with all proceeds from the event going to the Seattle Children’s Hospital. The Washington Athletic Club served as the home of the first two WPH Race 4 Eight Player’s Championships in 2012 and 2013 and is thrilled to present to kickoff event to the Race 4 Eight VI season for the second consecutive year.
The Washington Athletic Club’s 2016 Pre-Race Invitational features Seattle’s six-time Race 4 Eight champion and current Race 4 Eight #2 pro Sean Lenning, third-ranked and 2016 R48 Houston Champion Mando Ortiz, sixth-ranked and two-time R48 finalist Emmett Peixoto, and ninth-ranked and 2012 R48 Breakout Star of the Year Luis Cordova. Lenning and Ortiz own one of the hottest rivalries in the sport, with the pair playing three sensational matches during the 2015-2016 Race 4 Eight V season, including a spectacular duel in the semifinals of the 2016 Player’s Championship in Portland that saw Lenning overcome Ortiz in three dramatic games. Lenning and Peixoto own the longest current rivalry in pro handball, having played more than 50 pro matches against one another, with the pair virtually tied in wins. Luis Cordova has proven that he can take down the big names, as evidenced by R48 wins against Lenning and Ortiz.
The dynamic group of handball pros will each play two singles matches on Saturday afternoon, with the winners of the first two matches facing one another for the Pre-Race WAC title on Saturday evening and the losers from Saturday afternoon’s matches facing one another for third place. Lenning won the inaugural Washington Athletic Club Pre-Race 4 Eight kickoff in 2015, defeating Peixoto in a scintillating two-game final that served as a catalyst to his outstanding Race 4 Eight V season.
Lenning, Ortiz, Peixoto, Cordova will coach instructional clinics between the semifinals and the finals on Saturday afternoon for collegiate and junior handball players and WAC members. The pros will focus on handball technique, strategy, situational play and having more fun on the court!
“This is an incredibly exciting event for the Washington Athletic Club and the World Players of Handball,” boasted WPH Executive Director David Vincent. “The pros will dazzle during the WAC Pre-Race Invitational and will be equally impressive in teaching the game to players of all levels during the instructional clinic. This is a can’t miss event if you are in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.”
Promotional video for the 2016 WAC Pre-Race Kickoff: here
If you’re in the Seattle area this Saturday, September 10th, stop by the Washington Athletic Club and watch the best 4-Wall handball players in the world and support the Seattle Children’s Hospital!
WPH RACE 4 EIGHT: The World Players of Handball’s Race 4 Eight VI powered by ESPN and features seven regular season stops, culminating in The Player’s Championship in Salt Lake City in April of 2017 for the top eight point earners on the tour. Similar to Nascar’s Nextel Cup and the FedEx PGA Playoffs, players earn points in the Race 4 Eight’s first six stops to qualify for the season-ending Player’s Championship and bonus prizes. Each Race event is broadcast live on the Watch ESPN app.
The Race 4 Eight V Powered by ESPN will hold regular season stops from October 2016 through April of 2017 in Fountain Valley, CA, Minneapolis, MN, Coeur d’Alene, ID, New Orleans, LA, Houston, TX, New York, NY, and Salt Lake City, UT.
For the full Race 4 Eight VI Schedule, click here
For more information on the Pre-Race invitational and all of the World Players of Handball’s upcoming initiatives, please visit wphlive.tv or contact David Fink at fink@race4eight.com. For more information on the Washington Athletic Club, please visit wac.net or contact Pre-Race Invitational director Randy Multack atrandy@rmmcpa.com.
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer