San Francisco, CA, WPH Press, 12/18/22
The famed Olympic Club played host to the 2022 Olympic Club Singles Invitational R48 Pre Qualifier on the third week of December, featuring a number of current, aspiring and former R48 pros, in addition to junior and amateur divisions.
“We were very excited to have one of the best fields in years for the OC Singles,” stated 2022 Olympic Club Singles Invitational tournament director and R48 pro Loren Collado. “We also had a strong junior division, which helped the kids prep for the junior nationals the following week in Pleasanton, CA.”
OC R48 Pre Qualifier
Former R48 #2 and former R48 finalist Emmett Peixoto returned to tournament play and advanced to Sunday’s semifinals with grueling Saturday wins against Faustro Castro and Rene Lopez. “I am so tired right now I can’t even move,” stated Peixoto after his two Saturday wins.
Olympic rowing hopeful Coleman McGrath, NorCal’s Erik Torres, and R48 veteran Stephen Cooney joined Peixoto in the semifinals.
Cooney advanced to the final when Torres injured his back early in the first game of their semifinal. “Erik was playing great (in this tournament), so it was a shame he got injured,” stated Cooney.
Peixoto needed all of his guile and experience to overcome Coleman McGrath in the other semifinal, escaping an overtime in game one and pulling away in game two. “I tried to tell people that I’ve never seen anyone in the sport hit the ball as hard as Coleman on every shot,” stated Peixoto.
Cooney entered the final against “The Rock” having never defeated Peixoto. Cooney finally overcame his nemesis on Peixoto’s home court, dropping “The Rock” in two games. “I kept up the intensity,” stated Cooney, who was jumping rope and doing various calisthenics between matches. “I played good for the amount I’m playing and Emmett was a little behind the pace. The $300 R48 travel stipend is mighty.”
Semifinals
Cooney def Torres, inj fft
Peixoto def McGrath 17-15, 15-9
Final: Cooney def Peixoto 15-8, 15-4
Thank you to the Olympic Club and Loren Collado for running a great event.
2022/23 Race 4 Eight Pre Qualifier Champions Through the OC Singles R48 Pre Qualifier
o Martin Mulkerrins – The Davidson, College Station, TX, October 2022 HERE
o Adam Bernhard – The UT Pre Qualifier, Austin, TX, November 2022 HERE
o Kristen Hughes – The UT Pre Qualifier, Austin, TX, November 2022 HERE
o Dylan Hernandez – The LAAC Pre Qualifier, Los Angeles, CA, December 2022 HERE
o Stephen Cooney – The OC Singles R48 Pre Qualifier, San Francisco, CA, December 2022
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer