WPH Press, Missoula, MT, 2/1/24
The 2023/24 Race 4 Eight season will officially cross its halfway point on Friday at the 2024 Race 4 Eight Red Death in Montana, as the 2024 Red Death is the fifth of eight events on the 2023/24 season.
Let’s take a close look at the 2024 Red Death top contenders.
Lucho Cordova (10 Race 4 Eight titles) has held the number one ranking on the Race 4 Eight tour since December of 2022 and has widened his lead this season with one win and three finals appearances in four 2023/24 Race 4 Eight starts. Lucho is just one of two players (Fink) to have played in every Race stop (14) since the 2022 Portland Classic in Tucson. Lucho leads the tour this season in tournament wins (T1), match wins (14) and starts (4). *Lucho was one shot from appearing in all four finals this season, holding match point against his brother Danos in the semifinals of the 2023 Tucson Memorial (becoming the 28th player to hold match point and lose the match).
Danos Cordova (4 Race 4 Eight titles) started the season ranked #6 and has catapulted to #2 on the heels of one win at the 2023 Tucson Memorial and four semifinal appearances. Danos has become known simply as “Mr. Clutch” on tour, as he has faced the most dire deficits and come back to win. Danos has faced match point and won twice this season (Portland Classic vs. D. Hernandez and 2023 Tucson Memorial vs. L. Cordova) and once more last season (R48 Icebreaker vs. L. Canales). Danos has never lost a match when holding match point.
Martin Mulkerrins (6 Race 4 Eight titles) is the game’s most feared player for his sensational power and shot arsenal. A mere four or five shots has prevented Mulkerrins from winning five additional starts in the last twelve months, as the Irish bomber has stalled at 14 points against Killian Carroll three times, Lenning once and stood just three points from the 2023 Tucson Memorial title. Martin’s contemporaries know it’s not if but when that Martin will break through and slam the door on his rivals
David Fink (1 Race 4 Eight title) started this season slowly, finishing seventh at the 2023 Portland Classic and fifth at the 2023 Tucson Memorial before surging to the final of his favorite event at the 2023 R48 Icebreaker and following the Icebreaker with a semifinal finish at the 2024 Chapman Memorial, losing to R48 #1 Luis Cordova at the Icebreaker and the Chapman. Fink has returned to the top four after falling to #5 at the end of last season
Leo Canales (1 Race 4 Eight final) announced himself as the tour’s breakout star and one of the world’s best players at the 2023 R48 Player’s Championship, defeating the Cordova brothers in back-to-back matches to reach the final, where he pushed 23-time R48 champion Killian Carroll in the final. Canales started this season slowly, skipping the Portland Classic and finishing thirteenth at the 2023 Tucson Memorial. Canales started to regain his form at the 2023 R48 Icebreaker, finishing ninth and appeared to be all the way back with a sixth-place finish at the 2024 Chapman
Others to Watch
Sam Esser: One of the game’s most talented shot makers, most fans would be shocked to learn that the two-handed offensive juggernaut has never made a Race 4 Eight semifinal. It won’t be if, just when…
Shorty Ruiz: Rededicated and intent on making waves in his mid thirties, the crossover star will be aiming to climb back into the Elite 8 at the 2024 Red Death
Ivan Burgos: When he is on top of his game, he is virtually unstoppable, as evidenced by wins against Danos Cordova, Sean Lenning, David Fink, Sam Esser, Shorty Ruiz and many others. Burgos was bounced early at the Chapman, but do not be surprised to see a deep run from the Pride of Canada at the Red Death
Vic Perez: Known as “Mr. Consistency” for his always steady play that has seen him defeat Leo Canales and Sean Lenning this season and virtually every top pro from 2013-2020, to include Killian Carroll, Charly Shanks, Emmett Peixoto and many others, do not be surprised to see Perez book his ticket back to the Elite 8 after the Red Death
Max Langmack: The Gentle Giant became just the eighteenth different Race 4 Eight finalist by defeating R48 #1 Lucho Cordova at 2023 RFC R48LTE in Pittsburgh. TGG seemed to be poised for a Race 4 Eight run to the top of the rankings but an arm injury in the late spring led to a loss of form. Following a trip to France and a stop at Killian Carroll’s wedding over the holidays, TGG is reinvigorated and ready to make noise at the Red Death
Jab Bike: One of the tour’s hardest hitters in enjoying his best Race 4 Eight season on the strength of his top six finish at the 2023 R48 Icebreaker. Bike comes from handball royalty and is carrying on the Alvarado-Bike legacy with class and exceptional talent. Bike is always a force at every event he enters
John Chapman: The Missoula hometown hero is coming off his best Race 4 Eight finish (eleventh) at the 2024 Chapman, defeating Max Langmack in the round of 32 before losing two close games to Leo Canales. Chapman will be aiming to defend his home court at the Red Death in front of an army of friends and family.
More info on the 2024 Montana Red Death, including starting times and to follow the brackets HERE
2024 Montana Red Death R48 Press Release HERE
2024 Montana Red Death R48 Full Preview HERE
2024 Montana Red Death Broadcast Schedule on ESPN+: Saturday, February 3, 10 am-7 pm MST, Sunday, February 4, 10 am-1 pm MST.
Current Race 4 Eight Rankings HERE
Handball Terminology + Instruction and R48 Rules HERE
Race 4 Eight Pro Player Bios HERE
DF’s R48 Fun Facts and Trends + Race 4 Eight History of Champions HERE
2023/24 Race 4 Eight schedule HERE
WPH Coaching Center Instructional Videos HERE
2023 JR WPH Portfolio HERE
Support the sport and become a WPH Patreon HERE
WPH RACE 4 EIGHT: The World Players of Handball’s 2023/24 Race 4 Eight XIII Powered by ESPN features Race 4 Eight stops in Oregon, Arizona, Missouri, Montana and Mexico, all culminating with The Player’s Championship in Utah in May of 2023. Similar to NASCAR’s Nextel Cup and the FedEx PGA Playoffs, players earn points in the Race 4 Eight’s regular season stops to qualify for the season-ending Player’s Championship and bonus prizes.
For more information on the WPH Race 4 Eight title sponsor opportunity, please contact World Players of Handball Executive Director David Vincent at dave.vincent@wphlive.tv or World Players of Handball Development Director David Fink at david.fink@wphlive.tv. For more information on the World Players of Handball, please visit wphlive.tv
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer