After spending the previous week broadcasting and covering the USHA Four-Wall Nationals in Orange County, the WPH stays in Southern California for the WPH Outdoor 3-Wall “X” Fest- The Xrossover Revolution and Junior 1-Wall Challenge. The unique event features the best men’s and women’s small ball and big ball players in the world playing in both codes on the famed 3-Wall courts at Venice Beach from June 19th-21st. The men’s and women’s player with the most combined points between small ball and big ball will become the first WPH “Xrossover” champion. The 2015 WPH Outdoor 3-Wall “X” Fest is also the official WPH Outdoor Cup Stop #2 and will award WPH Outdoor ranking points for men’s and women’s big ball singles and doubles play.
The WPH is thrilled to present the “Venice Mega Clinic” for all junior players on Friday, June 19th. Juniors will have the opportunity to work with several of the greatest WPH Outdoor superstars in the world, including Ricky Ruiz, Sal Duenas, Timbo Gonzalez and Tracy Davis.
“The idea for the 2015 WPH Outdoor 3-Wall “X” Fest came about a few months ago when David Fink and I had lunch with the great Fred Lewis,” stated WPH Executive Director David Vincent. “Fred was discussing the importance of developing more small ball players and how much every handball players enjoys playing at Venice Beach. So, over the next few days my mind started spinning about fusing the two forms of the game. The Xrossover Revolution was born! The top players certainly bought in, as we will see many of the best small ball and big ball players in the game at Venice Beach.”
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The stellar field at the 2015 WPH Outdoor 3-Wall “X” Fest- The Xrossover Revolution and Junior 1-Wall Challenge features all of the top eight WPH Outdoor men’s stars, the top six WPH Outdoor women stars, the current 3-Wall men’s small ball national champion, the current small ball and big ball men’s national doubles champions, the current women’s small ball national champion, the current women’s small ball doubles national champion and many more!
Juan Santos has assumed the Men’s WPH Outdoor #1 ranking on the heels of an outstanding second half run in the 2014 WPH Outdoor season that witnessed the “Professor” collecting dominating victories at La Mirada and the Vegas 3WallBall Championships. Santos continued his outstanding play in the first WPH Outdoor stop in 2015, cruising to the title at May’s Vegas lte. Santos will be aiming to not only win Cup Stop #2, but also to “Xrossover” successfully with the small ball.
Tansiha Groomes is the undisputed WPH Outdoor women’s #1 star and holds one of the greatest winning percentages of any professional athlete, having lost just one singles match in 13 WPH Outdoor starts. Groomes won the 2015 WPH Outdoor Cup Stop #1 in Las Vegas at the end of May and will be aiming to continue her unprecedented winning streak in Venice Beach. “I am really looking forward to the event,” stated Groomes while watching the big ball national doubles final at Los Caballeros Sports Village. “I’ve been practicing with the small ball and I am comfortable hitting it, I just need to adjust to the bounce.”
Groomes with have to deal with not only former 3-Wall national champion Tracy Davis and 2014 Women’s All-Around Champion Danielle Daskalakis, but Irish stars Catriona Casey and Cianna Ni Churraoin. “Catriona has not played a lot of 3-Wall, but I can assure you she will prepare herself for this event,” stated Vincent. “Casey nearly won her first big ball 3-Wall event last summer at La Mirada, defeating Ashley Moler and Tracy Davis en route to the final and I would bet that Catriona will head to Venice Beach early Monday morning (after he Nationals victory) to put in up to 40 hours of court time during the week at Venice Beach before the event starts.”
Junior players from Orange County, L.A., Mexico and other parts of the U.S. are expected to attend the Venice Mega Clinic and also participate in the Junior 1-Wall Challenge.
The 2015 WPH Outdoor 3-Wall “X” Fest- The Xrossover Revolution and Junior 1-Wall Challenge will not be broadcasted live, but matches will be filmed and uploaded in the weeks following the event. To follow all of the action from Venice Beach, Like the World Players of Handball on Facebook, follow the WPH on Twitter @wphlive.tv and @dfwph and go to wphlive.tv. To follow all of the draws and scores, click Here