Salt Lake City, UT, WPH Press, 5/3/26
The final days of the 2026/27 Race 4 Eight season crowned the R48, WR48, and SR48 Races Player’s Champions, in addition to the Race 4 Eight Playoffs.
R48 Men’s Pro Final: Ure vs. Doyle
Ray Ure and Mark Doyle combined for the youngest final in R48 Men’s Pro history (46), with Ure aiming for his second R48 title and second title of the 2026/27 season and Doyle appearing in his second R48 final in thirteen months and seeking his first R48 title.
Weekly sparring partners Ure and Doyle knew what to expect from one another in the first Race 4 Eight final contested between current collegiate teammates. Ure built a 7-2 lead in the first game, as Doyle struggled to adjust the Ure’s pace. Doyle scored four consecutive points to cut Ure’s deficit to one at 6-7, but Ure dominated from there, scoring seven straight points to serve for the first game at 14-6. A late Doyle rally came up short, with Ure clinching the first game on his fourth attempt, 15-10.
Ure was in complete control in game two, dominating the front court and the back court and never allowing Doyle into the rallies. Ure clinched the match and his first Race 4 Eight Player’s Championship in dominant fashion, ascending to a career-high season-ending number two ranking.
“I’m super happy,” Ure would tell ESPN’s Kara Mack. “After L.A. I was disappointed. It’s nice to get some quality wins. The loss in L.A. pushed me to get in the court more. It’s always a battle facing Mark. It’s a nice way to end it for me and the best way to end it as teammates to be in a final together. Thank you to everyone along the way, my parents, my coaches, and everyone who has helped mentor me throughout the years.”
Final: Ure def Doyle 15-10, 15-2
R48 Playoffs
In a rematch of the 2026 LAAC Race 4 Eight final, Mulkerrins dominated Leo Canales, building a 15-6 halftime lead and leaving Canales scoreless in the second half.
“Delighted to win the Player’s Cup (Stalsberg Cup),” Mulkerrins would tell Kara Mack. “Sean was amazing yesterday. Delighted with the season. It’s a long haul. I think I’ve been consistent. The standard this weekend was just fantastic. What we saw yesterday was so positive for the sport. We’re just so fortunate to have the opportunity to coach and teach handball. It’s great to be able to give back in some shape or form. The pro tour is an amazing opportunity for us to play. I really appreciate the WPH. Excited to go to new places next season. Nothing will change for myself and my goals for next season.”
Lucho Cordova was too strong for Dylan Hernandez in the 9th place final, while Ayden Brule defeated Boxer Rosales in the 17th place final.
Fifth place playoff: Mulkerrins def Canales 25-6
Ninth place playoff: Lucho def Hernandez 25-8
17th place playoff: Brule def Rosales
R48 Finishes
1st: Ure
2nd: Doyle
3rd: Lenning/Danos
5th: M. Mulkerrrins
6th: Canales
7th: Burgos/McGrath
9th: Lucho
10th: Hernandez
11th: Streibig/Bike
13th: A. Cordova/Chapman/D. Mulkerrins/Langmack
17th: Brule
WR48 Final: Heffernan vs. Holden
WR48 #1 Niamh Heffernan met WR48 #2 Aoife Holden for the third time in a final this season. Heffernan defeated Holden in two games in their previous finals this season and Sunday’s match would be no different.
Having already secured the Stalsberg Cup for finishing the season number one, Hefferan played with a composed focus in the final. Heffernan was nearly flawless in the first game, combining for 18 aces, kills, and passes against just two errors.
Holden found a few openings in the second but never threatened, as Heffernan clinched her second consecutive WR48 Player’s Championship, second consecutive Stalsberg Cup, and fifth consecutive WR48 title.
“Feels great,” an ecstatic Heffernan would tell Kara Mack. “I knew coming in here would be a tough game. I needed to get a get start coming in here and focus point by point and focus on my serve and my game. Thanks to all my family and it was really cool having my parents come over here.”
Heffernan def Holden 15-2, 15-7
WR48 Playoffs
Third place playoff: Daskalakis def Pecaut 25-11
Fifth place playoff: Entzeroth def Bell 25-8
WR48 Finishes
1st: Heffernan
2nd: Holden
3rd: Daskalakis
4th: Pecaut
5th: Entzeroth
SR48 Final: Lenning vs. Streibig
Sean Lenning was appearing in his fifth SR final in his fifth SR start, while Jeff Streibig was appearing in his first SR final in his first SR start. Lenning and Streibig faced one another earlier in the event, with Lenning defeating Streibig in two games in Friday’s R48 Men’s Pro round of 16.
The 2026 Races final would follow a similar script, as Lenning’s serve, power, and kills overwhelmed the National Handball Center Captain. With the score tied at seven in the first game, Lenning shifted to another gear, keeping Streibig off-balance and cruising to his second consecutive SR48 Player’s Championship, first SR48 Stalsberg Cup, and fourth SR48 title.
“Seems right (to sweep the Player’s Championship and the Stalsberg Cup),” Lenning told Kara Mack. “It’s always nice to play Jeff. I can’t read his hops, so that makes it tough. I’m just adapting to what my body is capable of. I still have a lot of work to do. I’m on the path. Hopefully next season I’ll still have some juice left in me. On to the next one.”
Lenning def Streibig 15-9, 15-4
SR48 Playoffs
Third place playoff: Rosales def Campbell 25-0
Fifth place playoff: Martinez def Watkins 25-0
SR48 Finishes
1st: Lenning
2nd: Streibig
3rd: Rosales
4th: Campbell
5th: Martinez
Thank you!
Thank you to the Stalsberg family for another outstanding year of hospitality and an incredible event. The WPH is so grateful to the Stalsberg family’s generosity and passion for handball. Thank you to the entire Aces Team for working tirelessly for months to make the 2026 Races Player’s Championship such a huge success. Thank you to all of the Race 4 Eight pros, volunteers, and WPH broadcast team for a phenomenal season.
Follow all of the brackets from the 2026 WPH Race 4 Eight Aces Player’s Championship HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
2026/27 Season-Ending Race 4 Eight Rankings
Salt Lake City, UT, WPH Press, 5/3/26
The 2026/27 Race 4 Eight Championship concluded with the Aces Race 4 Eight Player’s Championship, crowning the 2026 Player’s Champions, Stalsberg Cup champions, and finalizing the 2026/27 R48 Elite 8, WR48 Fab 4, and SR48 Fab 4.
Martin Mulkerrins clinched the 2026/27 Stalsberg Cup, finishing the 2026/27 R48 season with two titles and three finals in five starts. Ray Ure won the 2026 Aces Player’s Championship, catapulting him to a career-high number two season-ending ranking. 2025/26 Stalsberg Cup champion Lucho Cordova finished the season at number three, while 2026 R48 LAAC finalist Leo Canales, 2025 R48 Portland Classic finalist Ivan Burgos, Mark Doyle, Daniel Cordova, and Sean Lenning rounded out the 2026/27 R48 Elite 8.
Niamh Hefferan clinched her second consecutive WR48 Player’s Championship, second consecutive Stalsberg Cup, and fifth consecutive WR48 title with her 2026 Aces Player’s Championship title. Three-time 2026/27 WR48 finalist Aoife Holden finished the season at number two, with one-time 2026/27 finalist Clodagh Munroe at number three and two-time 2026/27 WR semifinalist Suz Entzeroth at number four.
Sean Lenning won his second consecutive SR48 Player’s Championship, first SR Stalsberg Cup, and fourth SR48 title with his 2026 Aces Player’s Championship title. 2026 LAAC SR finalist Rafa Martinez finished the season at number two, two-time 2026/27 SR semifinalist Boxer Rosales finished the season at number three, and 2026 SR Aces Player’s Championship Jeff Streibig finished the season at number four.
See all of the rankings below.
The methodology used for the 2025/26 season is attached here:
More Methodology:
In the current 2025/26 season, the WPH will count all five stops toward the season’s rankings (for Elite Men). Right now, there are 9 events that count toward the rankings. How will those 9 stops get eliminated throughout the season?
Here is how we will get down to five events:
At the completion of PDX 2025 we will drop Memorial 2024 and Portland 2024, leaving us with 8 events
At the completion of Memorial 2025 we will temporarily have 9 events
At the completion of Missouri 2026 we will drop Icebreaker 2024 and Montana 2025, leaving us with 8 events
At the completion of LAAC 2026 it will be the last event prior to SLC 2026 so we will drop Juarez 2025, LAAC 2025, HOF 2025, Texas 2025, and SLC 2025, leaving us with four events
At the completion of SLC 2026 in addition to the prior four events we will finish the season with five events