Missoula, MT, WPH Press, 1/27/25-
The 2025 R48 and WR48 Montana Red marks the 92nd event in the history of the Race 4 Eight tour, with the tour spanning eighteen states and two countries in the Race 4 Eight’s thirteen seasons.
The 2025 R48 Montana Red Death will feature R48 #1 Martin Mulkerrins aiming for his sixth consecutive Race 4 Eight title, with his dominating run starting at the 2024 Race 4 Eight Juarez. Mulkerrins has been ruthless in his five-tournament reign, dispatching the game’s best on a twenty-three-match winning streak.
Mulkerrins will be joined by fellow Race 4 Eight Elite 8 pros Lucho Cordova (#2), Leo Canales (#3), Danos Cordova (#4), David Fink (#5), Ray Ure (#6), and Sam Esser (#8). In addition to the game’s top stars, current 19-and-under national champion Elisio Gutierrez and current 19-and-under national finalist Ayden Brule will join a number of the Race 4 Eight’s top 25 in what promises to be a sensational kickoff to 2025.
The WR48 will make its first appearance at the famed Red, with former world champion Martina McMahon making her first start on the WR48 in more than a year. McMahon will be joined by 2024 WR48 Rookie of the Year and current WR48 Player’s Championship finalist Niamh Heffernan, WR48 #3 Mikaila Esser, WR48 #4 Clodagh Munroe, WR48 #5 Ashley Ruiz, and former WR48 finalist Suz Entzeroth in the second of four WR48 events on the 2024/25 WR48 season.
This event will be aired LIVE on ESPN+ beginning at Noon eastern time on Saturday and Sunday, February 1st and 2nd, 2025. Please share this news with your friends!!!
2025 WPH R48Pro Stop #4 ‘The Red’ – ESPN+ Broadcast Schedule
Missoula Montana – February 1 & 2, 2025
Saturday, February 1st, 2025 (Mountain Standard Time)
10:00 Men’s Pro Singles Quarters Mulkerrins (IRE) vs Burgos (AZ)
10:45 Men’s Pro Singles Quarters Fink (AZ) vs Langmack (AZ)
11:30 Men’s Pro Singles Quarters Esser (AZ) vs L. Cordova (MEX)
12:15 Men’s Pro Singles Quarters Canales Jr (AZ) vs Ure (IL)
1:00 Women’s Pro Singles Semifinals Keeling or Munroe vs Holden or Heffernan
1:45 Women’s Pro Singles Semifinals Esser or Marble vs McMahon or Ruiz
3:30 Men’s Pro Singles Semifinals Langmack vs Mulkerrins
4:30 Men’s Pro Singles Semifinals Ure vs L. Cordova
Sunday, February 2nd, 2025 (Mountain Standard Time)
10:00 Men’s 5th Place Final Burgos vs Canales
10:45 Women’s Pro Final Heffernan vs McMahon
11:30 Men’s Pro Final L. Cordova vs Mulkerrins
Watch all the action LIVE on ESPN+. Get interviews, some live coverage and extras at Patreon.com/wphlive
Follow the brackets beginning Friday, January 31, 2025, here: https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=42362
Check out all of the important 2025 R48 Montana Red tournament information below.
2025 R48 Montana Red
- Date: January 31-February 2, 2025
- Site: Peak Racquet Center, 4990 Buckhouse Ln., Missoula, MT 59804
- Tournament director: WPH + Don Schmidt
- Tournament sponsor: JR WPH
- Pro Events: R48 Men’s pro singles
- List of R48 Montana R48 Men’s pro champions: Carroll (2018, 2019, 2020, 2023), D. Cordova (2024)
- Defending Montana Red R48 champion: D. Cordova
- Number of ranked R48 and WR48 pros entered: 21
2025 Montana Red starting times and brackets HERE
2025 Montana Red R48 Press Release HERE
2025 Montana Red Broadcast Schedule on ESPN+: Saturday, February 1, 10 am-7 pm MST, Sunday, February 2, 10 am-1 pm MST
Current Race 4 Eight Rankings HERE
Martin Mulkerrins 5-Tournament Win Streak – By the Numbers 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
2024/25 Race 4 Eight schedule HERE
WPH Coaching Center Instructional Videos HERE
2024 JR WPH Portfolio HERE
Support the sport and become a WPH Patreon HERE
WPH RACE 4 EIGHT: The World Players of Handball’s 2024/25 Race 4 Eight XIV Powered by ESPN features nine Race 4 Eight stops from California to Mexico, all culminating with The Player’s Championship. 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
