Day 3: Sunday
Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 11/6/26
The eleventh Race 4 Eight Memorial concluded with Sunday’s R48, WR48, and SR48 finals and playoffs, as one of handball’s best events paid tribute to those that have meant so much to us in the community; by playing handball, of course!
R48 Memorial Final: Mulkerrins vs. Ure
R48 #1 Martin Mulkerrins entered the 2026 R48 Memorial seeking his nineteenth R48 title and third title of the 2026/27 season. Mulkerrins would have to defeat the defending R48 Memorial champion and three-time R48 champion Ray Ure, who entered Sunday’s final on a 232-day 4-Wall winning streak, having won the 2026 Aces Player’s Championship, the 2026 USHA Four Wall Nationals, and the 2026 R48 Red Montana.
Ure dominated game one of the final, never allowing Mulkerrins to set his feet or employ his gameplan.
Game two would be different, as Mulkerrins erased a 4-7 deficit with an overhand two-wall serve, ceiling shot, kill shot pattern. The slow game disrupted Ure’s rhythm, allowing Mulkerrins to dictate the pace. Ure would excavate himself from the Mulkerrins pattern, hitting overhand drives down the walls rather than going to the ceiling, eventually arriving at match point, 14-13. After a frenetic 14-shot rally, Ure had the shot he wanted, a left-handed back wall opportunity from the short line. Ure nearly whiffed the shot, handing Mulkerrins the serve. Mulkerrins scored two consecutive points on Ure errors and served for the game at 15-14. An overhit serve to the left that came around the revolving door cost Mulkerrins his chance to force a third, with Ure clinching the title on his third attempt.
“Staying relaxed,” Ure told ESPN’s Kara Mack. “I know I can rack up a few points in a row (after getting down in the second game). I missed a few opportunities and was not really settled. He slowed it down and I needed to get out of the loop – serve, ceiling wrap. I knew how I was playing, I felt very confident. I’m glad I was able to execute. This has been my best court to play on. It would be amazing if I could keep this going.”
“I feel like I played well, just didn’t convert enough opportunities,” Mulkerrins would later say.
Final: Ure def Mulkerrins 15-7, 18-16
R48 Memorial Playoffs:
5th place playoff: Lucho Cordova dominated the fifth place playoff, outscoring his two opponents by a combined score of 50-18, including an impressive 25-10 win against Coleman McGrath in the final.
9th place final: Sam Esser completed the Tucson Sweep in his homecoming in the ninth place final, defeating Ivan Burgos, Max Langmack, and Shorty Ruiz successively to win ninth in his first start on tour in nearly one year.
17th place final: Loren Collado returned to the tour for the first time since the R48 LAAC in March to win 17th, defeating Moses Gardea in the deep 17th draw.
R48 Memorial Finishes:
1st: Ure
2nd: Mulkerrins
3rd: Canales/Doyle
5th: Lucho
6th: McGrath
7th: Hernandez/Lenning
9th: Esser
10th: Ruiz
11th: Langmack/Danos
13th: Trejo/Streibig/Chapman/Burgos
17th: L. Collado
WR48 Memorial Final: Heffernan vs. Ni Churraoin
Ciana Ni Churraoin entered Sunday’s WR48 Memorial final seeking her second WR48 title in her first start in two seasons. To win her second WR title, CNC would have to end the 17-match, five-tournament WR48 win streak against the defending WR48 Memorial champion and WR48 #1 Niamh Heffernan.
Ni Churraoin and Heffernan played an instant classic in the final, with almost nothing separating the WR stars. Both Ni Churraoin and Heffernan appeared to be nervous, as Ni Churraoin was aiming for her second WR title, while Heffernan was aiming for her sixth consecutive title.
With rallies averaging 18 seconds and several reaching 50+ seconds, the intensity and strategy was sensational during the 90-minute battle. Ni Churraoin erased an 11-14 first-game deficit to win 16-14, while Heffernan evened the match in the second, denying Ni Churraoin when she was just three points from the title at 12-12.
Ni Churraoin and Heffernan played nearly even in the tiebreaker, as both covered the court exceptionally well and converted a high percentage of offensive opportunities. Ni Churraoin caught a final streak at the end of the third game, scoring the final five points of the match to halt Heffernan’s 17-match, five-tournament WR winning streak.
“It was tough for sure,” Ni Churraoin told ESPN’s Kara Mack. “We play together, train together, and we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It was a momentum heavy game. I’m trying to focus on my game. Niamh will pick a lot more balls than most people. Trying to find the balance between her knowing my shots and playing my own game. This is the first 4-Wall tournament of the season so it’s nice to win it. We took our weekly session to Tucson. Knowing no matter how tough the game is, I’ve put myself through harder training. I love a tiebreaker.”
Final: Ni Churraoin def Heffernan 16-14, 12-15, 15-10
WR48 Memorial Playoffs:
Third place playoff: Mollie Dagg and Aoife Holden battled in a close one game to 25 third place final, with Dagg narrowly edging the current national champion at WR48 #2, 25-22.
Fifth place playoff: Danielle Daskalakis and Leah Minogue played a winner-take-all fifth place final, with the winner earning prize money and ranking points and the loser earning neither. Daskalakis escaped by the most narrow margin, edging Minogue 25-23.
WR48 Memorial Finishes:
1st: Ni Churraoin
2nd: Heffernan
3rd: Dagg
4th: Holden
5th: Daskalakis
SR48 Memorial Final: Lenning vs. Streibig
SR48 #1 Sean Lenning and SR rookie Jeff Streibig met for the second consecutive SR final, with Lenning defeating Streibig in the 2026 SR Aces Player’s Championship final on his way to winning his second consecutive SR Aces Player’s Championship and first Stalsberg Cup in May.
Sean Lenning was ruthless in the 19-minute destruction of Jeff Streibig in the SR Memorial final, hitting 14 aces and 14 rally-enders against just four errors in a flawless performance against the National Handball Captain.
“Just pushed myself harder than usual,” Lenning would tell ESPN’s Kara Mack. “It’s hard to play on Sundays. I feel like I let people down yesterday and I’m glad I could do better today. (Told myself) Just quit being a baby. This might give me some confidence to be able to push myself.
Final: Lenning def Streibig 15-1, 15-1
SR48 Memorial Playoffs
Third place playoff: Boxer Rosales dominated the third place SR final against Dan Mcnabney, as Mcnabney could not cope with Boxer’s pace and unorthodox shot making.
Fifth place final: Sal Duenas stunned multiple-time national champion Leo Canales, Sr. in the fifth place SR final, edging the Mexican legend 25-25
SR48 Memorial Finishes:
1st: Lenning
2nd: Streibig
3rd: Rosales
4th: Mcnabney
5th: Duenas
Saturday Night BBQ
Thank you to Fred Lewis and Don Curry for hosting an outstanding Saturday Night Memorial BBQ at Don Curry’s home. Players and fans were treated to ribs, cake, and much more. Thank you to Fred and Don for making Saturday night so special for the players, fans, and supporters of the event.
Thank you!
Thank you to the WPH staffers Dave Vincent, David Fink, Steve Soto, Linda Manning, Kara Mack, Brenda Hays, Lolita Vincent, Che Lowenstein, Ashley Ruiz, Shorty Ruiz, Scarlett Ruiz, Noel Aguilar, Richie Estrella, Doug Woods, Ryan Watkins, Kris Gurrad, Joy Velde, Rene Sitter and the TRC, plus Scott Cleveland, Jeff Healam, Fred Banfield, Abraham Montijo, Doug Clark, John A. Bike, Nick Flores and Jim Verhaeghe for another outstanding Memorial. Big ‘Thank You’ to Fred Lewis and Don Curry for the Saturday BBQ, plus countless volunteers, employees, board members and staff for making this event so memerable!
Watch replays from the 2026 Memorial on the ESPN App. Search for ESPN+.
Follow the draws and results from the 2026 Race 4 Eight Tucson Memorial HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer