WPH Icebreaker Fun Facts: 2020-2024 Icebreaker Series

WPH Press, Tucson, AZ

The WPH created the Icebreaker 3-Wall pro tour Championship to “break the ice” during the pandemic, allowing the best handball players in the world to compete and showcase their talents to the world. The Icebreaker tour has attracted virtually all of the best players from North America, providing riveting theatre for the WPH’s worldwide audience.

The WPH Icebreaker Series continued with the 2024 Ice Bowl at Clark Park, the twenty-fifth Icebreaker event at Clark Park.

Icebreaker Full List of Champions and Results HERE

Icebreaker Pro Player Bios HERE

Check out the Icebreaker Fun Facts from 2020 through August of 2024

2020-2024 Icebreaker Fun Facts

Icebreaker Fun Facts: Post 2024 Ice Bowl

• Leo Canales won his first Icebreaker in his second Icebreaker final at the 2024 Ice Bowl – the Ice Bowl was Leo’s first WPH pro singles title in seven finals appearances (5 Race 4 Eight finals, 2 Icebreaker finals)
• Sam Esser made his second Icebreaker final at the 2024 Ice Bowl – Esser is now 0-2 in Icebreaker finals
• Danielle Daskalakis won her second Icebreaker title at the 2024 Ice Bowl – DD outscored her three Ice Bowl opponents by a combined score of 90-18 (83%)
• Every player who openly complained about his or her draw lost immediately at the Ice Bowl, including one player who petitioned to have his or her draw changed five minutes before the start of his or her first match #itneverhelps
• Oscar Siordia won his second Icebreaker big ball singles title at the 2024 Ice Bowl – Siordia defeated Chava Cordova in both finals
• Team Cordova bounced back from semifinal singles losses in the pro small ball singles to stun the world’s best 3-Wall big ball players in winning the 2024 Ice Bowl big ball pro doubles – Team Cordova lost only one game in their four matches (the first game they played in the round of 16)
• Three Cordovas appeared in 2024 Ice Bowl finals – Lucho/Danos in the pro big ball doubles (won) and Andres Cordova in the B big ball doubles (lost)
• Jab Bike became the first WPH Sportsmanship Award Winner at the 2024 Ice Bowl that did not compete in the event – Jab drove 16 hours in three days solely to help the WPH run the event, doing everything from refereeing to picking up trash and much more
• Tom Flores was honored for his lifetime of giving back to the sport at the 2024 Ice Bowl – Tom earned the WPH’s greatest honor – The WPH Lifetime Achievement Award for promoting the sport, hosting hundreds of tournaments, introducing hundreds of players to the sport, and inspiring new and current players for decades
• Lucho Cordova’s two-tournament Icebreaker winning streak ended in the semifinals of the 2024 Ice Bowl – Lucho lost to Sam Esser in two games
• Danos Cordova defeated Shorty Ruiz for the second consecutive Icebreaker in the quarterfinals at the 2024 Ice Bowl
• Oscar Siordia played seven matches in 26 hours in 100+ degree heat at the 2024 Ice Bowl – joining Siordia in the seven-match club were Samzon Hernandez and Chava Cordova
• The father-son team of Javi and Xavier Flores stunned the pro doubles Ice Bowl defending champions Chopper Hernandez and Albert Pizano in the opening round of the pro big ball doubles at the 2024 Ice Bowl in what was widely considered to be the upset of the decade – Team Flores then lost to Team Cordova and also lost in the quarterfinals of the B Doubles

Icebreaker Fun Facts: Post 2024 Julybreaker

• Lucho Cordova won his sixth Icebreaker at the 2024 Julybreaker, giving him the most titles in Icebreaker history
• Leo Canales advanced to his first Icebreaker final at the 2024 Icebreaker, in addition to his three Race 4 Eight finals appearances
• The 2024 Julybreaker was the first Icebreaker played under the newly installed permanent Clark Park Lights – the evening session at the 2024 Julybreaker was not only played under the lights, but also during a dust storm and monsoon that saw rain miss Clark Park by less than a mile
• Lucho Cordova authored the largest tiebreaker comeback in history at the 2024 Julybreaker, rallying from a 1-12 third game deficit to score the final 14 points of the match to defeat Sam Esser
• The 2024 Julybreaker was the twenty-fourth Icebreaker at Clark Park, with the Icebreaker Series kicking off in March of 2020
• After defeating Albert Pizano 21-20 in the second game of their first Icebreaker meeting in December of 2023, Lucho Cordova allowed Pizano just one point in two games in the quarterfinals at the 2024 Julybreaker
• USHA 19-and-under 3-Wall national champion Andres Cordova and USHA 19-and-under 3-Wall national finalist Ayden Brule both competed in the 2024 Julybreaker one week after playing in the junior national final at Clark Park – both lost in the opening round: A. Cordova lost to Pizano, Brule lost to Ruiz
• The eleven Julybreaker main draw matches featured three tiebreakers and four overtime games
• The Julybreaker A singles featured a four-player round robin, with Mikaila Esser, Mike Morgan and Dan McNabney are going 2-1 in their three matches – Clark Park Queen (CPQ) Mikaila Esser won the title based on the tiebreaker calculations
• Six of the ten players in the Julybreaker pro singles live in Tucson – the six Tucson pros won three matches and lost five

Icebreaker Fun Facts: Post December 2023 R48 Icebreaker

• Lucho Cordova won his fifth Icebreaker at the 2023 R48 Icebreaker, tying him with David Fink for the most men’s Icebreaker titles in the history of the Icebreaker Series – Cordova’s fifth Icebreaker title was also his tenth Race 4 Eight title, tying him for third all-time on the Race 4 Eight tour
• Andres Cordova registered his best R48 finish of his career at the 2023 R48 Icebreaker (10^th) to win MVP honors, defeating R48 top 16 pro Jeff Streibig and former Icebreaker champion Abraham Montijo in the ninth place playoffs
• David Fink played three Cordovas at the 2023 R48 Icebreaker (2-1), while Henry Fink played two Cordovas in the R48 Icebreaker junior singles (0-2) – that’s a lot of Cordovas!
• Jab Bike scored his best R48 finish at the 2023 R48 Icebreaker (5^th), defeating Leo Canales (#5), Ivan Burgos (#10) and Shorty Ruiz (#9)
• Danos Cordova’s six match Race 4 Eight win streak and six-match Icebreaker win streak ended in the semifinals of the 2023 R48 Icebreaker, as Danos squandered a 21-10, 18-10 lead against David Fink
• Sean Lenning has won fourteen USHA 3-Wall National singles championships but has not won an Icebreaker in two Icebreaker starts
• The 2023 R48 Icebreaker featured the most fans of any Icebreaker in history, much due to the outstanding BBQ provided by WPH grill-masters Scott Cleveland, Con Man and Montana Russ
• Leo Canales stormed back into form after an opening round loss to Jab Bike, outscoring Mark Doyle and Andres Cordova 50-15 to win ninth
• Lucho Cordova won his last three games against Sean Lenning (game two of the semifinals) and David Fink (first and second game of the finals) by a combined score of 63-14 (82%)
• Mark Doyle (IRE) finished 11^th in his first Icebreaker appearance at the 2023 R48 Icebreaker and has now finished 11^th, 10^th, and 11^th in his three starts on the 2023/24 Race 4 Eight season
• The 2023 R48 Icebreaker featured three main draw tiebreakers, with the finalists playing all three – Fink (def Esser, Danos), Lucho (def Burgos)
• WPH Outdoor big ball star Alberto Pizano qualified for the first-time at the 2023 R48 qualifier and nearly took 10-time R48 champion Lucho Cordova to a tiebreaker in the round of 16
• Jeff Streibig led the 2023 Icebreaker in fairways hit, sending twelve balls onto the 15^th fairway on the Randolph Golf Course – Streibig also led all golfers in fairways hit during the weekend
• Race 4 Eight Icebreaker donors Gary Maushardt, Doug Clark, the WPH board of directors and private donors have enabled the best handball players in the world and the best athletes in the world to compete for phenomenal prize money and to showcase their incredible skills to the world throughout the Race 4 Eight Tour (2011-2023) and Icebreaker Series (2020-2023)

David Fink: 2023 WPH Outdoor Icebreaker Pro #1

• Oldest #1 in pro handball history (46)
• Undefeated against players in their teens and twenties on the 2023 WPH Outdoor Icebreaker tour
• Undefeated in tiebreakers on the 2023 WPH Outdoor: 3 (Canales, Esser, Danos)
• Outscored his three tiebreaker opponents 33-4 in three 2023 WPH Outdoor Icebreaker tiebreakers
• Most match wins on the 2023 WPH Outdoor Icebreaker: 9 (tied with Danos)
• Most titles in WPH Outdoor Icebreaker Pro history: 5 (tied with Lucho)
• Only player to ever be ranked #1 on the R48 Men’s Pro, SR48 Pro and WPH Outdoor
• Most match wins on the R48 Men’s Pro, SR48 Pro, WPH Outdoor Icebreaker Tour

August 2023 Icebreaker Fun Facts: Post August 2023 Ice Bowl

• Danos Cordova won his first Icebreaker at the 2023 Ice Bowl, winning all eight games he played in the event and outscoring his four opponents by a combined score of 168-69 (71%)
• Shorty Ruiz advanced to his fifth Icebreaker pro singles final at the 2023 Ice Bowl (0-5 in finals)
• The same nine players finished in the top nine of the July Clarkbreaker and the August Ice Bowl (Danos, Ruiz, Lucho, Fink, Esser, Canales, Burgos, Bike, Perez)
• Ruiz (2^nd), Lucho (3^rd), Burgos (4^th) and D. Perez (9^th) were the only players to finish in the same position in the 2023 Clarkbreaker and the 2023 Ice Bowl
• Anthony “Chopper” Hernandez became the fourth different player to win a Men’s Pro Big Ball singles title at the 2023 Ice Bowl: Morales (1), Medina (3), Siordia (1), Hernandez (1)
• Anthony “Chopper” Hernandez became the second Big Ball pro to slam at the Ice Bowl, taking the doubles with partner Alberto Pizano (Morales, 2021)
• The 2023 Ice Bowl featured the largest 12-and-under bracket in Icebreaker history (13 players) – of the 13 junior players, four have dads that are or have been ranked on the Icebreaker pro series
• The 2023 Ice Bowl featured 60 players in five divisions, making the 2023 Ice Bowl the second largest Icebreaker draw in history (2022 Clarktember Icebreaker – 69)
• Current 3-Wall junior national champion Ayden Brule won his first Icebreaker title at the 2023 Ice Bowl, clocking four hours and twenty minutes of court time in his three matches to win the A singles
• Sam Esser recorded his best Icebreaker finish at the 2023 Ice Bowl (fifth) since making the final at the July 2022 Icebreaker
• Alberto Pizano won his first pro Icebreaker title at the 2023 Ice Bowl, teaming with “Chopper” Hernandez to win the Big Ball Pro doubles after losing to Hernandez in the Big Ball pro singles final earlier in the day – Phoenix’s Pizano called his Ice Bowl experience, “without a day, one of the best experiences of my life.”
• Jab Bike backed up his MVP performance from the July 2023 Clarkbreaker with a seventh-place finish at the 2023 Ice Bowl, overcoming Danny Perez in two hours in the round of 16 in a battle of rocket launchers
• Mikaila Esser rallied from a one-game deficit to defeat Ashley Ruiz to win her record-breaking fifth Icebreaker title

July 2023 Icebreaker Fun Facts: 2023 Clarkbreaker

• Lucho Cordova’s streak of four consecutive Icebreaker singles titles came to an end at the July 2023 Clarkbreaker, losing to Shorty Ruiz in the semifinals
• The Flying Cordovas have faced Team Ruiz/Esser in all five Icebreaker small ball doubles finals – The Flying Cordovas lead Team Ruiz/Esser 4-1 in those five matchups
• Mikaila Esser’s come-from-behind victory (trailed 4-8 in the tiebreaker) against Ashely Ruiz at the 2023 Clarkbreaker gave Esser four Icebreaker singles titles, distancing herself from Ruiz (2) and Daskalakis (1) for the most Women’s Icebreaker titles
• After two rain delays in the first 21 Icebreaker events, the 2023 Clarkbreaker endured five rain delays (two on day one, three on day two)
• After losing in the finals of the last three Icebreakers in which he played, David Fink won his fifth Icebreaker singles title at the 2023 Icebreaker, defeating Shorty Ruiz for the fourth time in an Icebreaker final
• David Fink’s (45) four 2023 Clarkbreaker opponents were a combined 77 years younger than him: A. Cordova (18), J. Bike (24), L. Canales (27), S. Ruiz (35)
• David Fink outscored his four 2023 Clarkbreaker opponents by a combined 174-58 (75%)
• Current national men’s age group champions Adam Bernhard (35+, 40+) and Ayden Brule (19-and-under) went a combined 0-3 in the 2023 Clarkbreaker
• John “Jab” Bike became the first player to win Icebreaker MVP honors by entering the event outside of the Race 4 Eight top 25 and upsetting two players in the Race 4 Eight and Icebreaker top 10
• Ivan Burgos became the first player to win a game against Lucho Cordova at Clark Park since 2020, winning game two and forcing a tiebreaker in their quarterfinal matchup – Lucho had won 41 consecutive singles games in Icebreakers prior to dropping game two against Burgos
• David Fink (5), Lucho Cordova (4), and Mikaila Esser (4) have won the most Icebreaker singles titles
• Shorty Ruiz (4) has lost in the most Icebreaker singles finals without winning a title

2022-April 2023 Fun Facts

• Lucho Cordova won his fourth consecutive Icebreaker at the December 2022 R48 Icebreaker, tying him with David Fink for most Icebreaker titles in history
• In winning his fourth consecutive Icebreaker at the 2022 R48 Icebreaker, Lucho became the first player to ever win four straight Icebreakers
• Lucho Cordova (2022) and Killian Carroll (2021) are the only players to be ranked #1 simultaneously on the Icebreaker Series and the R48 tour
• The December 2022 R48 Icebreaker featured six main draw tiebreakers
• After advancing to the semifinals in each of his previous two Icebreaker starts, Brant Bidegain was bounced in the round of 32 of the December 2022 R48 Icebreaker by David Schiller
• Undefeated Icebreaker players: Carroll (10-0), A. Morales (3-0)
• Most Icebreaker titles: Fink (4), Lucho (4), Medina (3), Carroll (3)
• Oldest Icebreaker ranked pro player: Fink (45)
• Youngest Icebreaker ranked pro: Esser (24)
• Youngest Icebreaker champion: Carroll (28)
• Coldest Icebreaker match: 43 degrees at the start of Icebreaker #5 (Moler vs. Mitchell)
• Warmest Icebreaker match: 117 degrees at the start of the Icebreaker #11 final (Fink vs. Carroll)
• Furthest distance traveled to compete in an Icebreaker: 2,640 miles (Carroll traveling from Boston, MA to Tucson, AZ)
• Shortest distance traveled to compete in an Icebreaker: 2.1 miles (Esser/Mitchell)
• Tallest Icebreaker doubles team: Langmack/Bernhard (155 inches)
• Number of Icebreakers played under the lights (2): August 2022 Ice Bowl, September 2022 Clarkbreaker
• There have been 21 Icebreakers played at Clark Park (2020-2023)
• 12 states have been represented in Icebreaker action (AZ, CA, TX, NY, FL, MO, MN, WI, ID, CO, IN, IL)
• 3 countries have been represented in Icebreaker action (U.S. Mexico, Ireland)
• 2 rain delays have occurred at the Icebreaker events (both at the 2022 Ice Bowl)
• The youngest Icebreaker participant was 14 (Brule) and the oldest was 55 (Canales, Sr.)
• There have been five Big Ball Singles Icebreakers – the winners have been A. Morales (1), B. Medina (3), Siordoa (1)
• In five Icebreaker Contender brackets (qualifiers), 8 players have qualified: Max Langmack, Danny Perez, John Chapman, Dylan Key, Victor Sanchez, Armando Ibarra, Leo Canales, Sr., Fink (Big Ball)
• 92 players have entered the Icebreaker Contenders
• Clark Park is named after WPH mega donor Doug Clark
• The tallest match is Icebreaker history was Max Langmack vs. Adam Bernhard (twice): 155 inches
• Adam Bernhard has received the most broken ribs as a result of inadvertent elbows in the history of the Icebreaker (one, courtesy of TGG, August 2022)
• Three-time Icebreaker champion Brian Medina became the first #1 Icebreaker singles seed to lose before the semifinals in Icebreaker history at the 2022 Clarkbreaker, losing to Jerry Bear Vicencio #sorrychamp
• Shorty Ruiz/Sam Esser and the Flying Cordovas have appeared in all four Small Ball Icebreaker Doubles finals (FC’s have won three, Ruiz/Esser have won one)
• The only players to win singles titles in their first Icebreaker starts: Fink, D. Hernandez, A. Morales, Carroll, Medina, M. Esser
• Lucho Cordova went undefeated on the 2022 WPH Icebreaker Series, winning all 16 of his matches and serving 4 donuts in 32 games played
• Lucho is known on tour as El Poderio (Power) and Drawing Board – all his opponents can be heard uttering, “Back to the drawing board” after two lopsided games against El Poderio
• In 16 matches in Lucho’s four 2022 Icebreaker starts, Lucho won 32 of 32 games, four titles, outscored his opponents by a combined 528-165 (76%), only six opponents scored 10 or more points in any game (Langmack, Torres, Canales, Jr., Bike, Danos, Fink), and outscored his opponents 120-32 (July), 120-33 (August), 120-29 (September), 168-71 (December)
• The 2022 Clarkbreaker featured three Cordova brothers in the quarterfinals (Lucho, Danos, Andres), which is a first in the history of pro handball
• The 2022 Clarkbreaker was the first final between brothers (Lucho def Danos) – Lucho holds a combined 3-1 advantage against Danos in Race 4 Eight and Icebreaker finals
• Shorty Ruiz (3) and Danos Cordova (3) have appeared in the most small ball singles Icebreaker finals without ever winning an Icebreaker title
• Samzon Hernandez has won north of 400 handball tournaments in his illustrious career but has not yet won an Icebreaker title (0-3 combined in singles and doubles through September of 2022)
• Bill Mehilos (42) was 20 years older than his round of 16 opponent Ivan Burgos (22) at the 2022 Clarkbreaker (Mehilos won 15-1, 15-10)
• David Fink (45) was 27 years older than his round of 16 opponent Andres Cordova (18) at the 2022 Ice Bowl (Fink won 15-3, 15-1)
• Brant “Ted Lasso” Bidegain finished tied third in his first two Icebreaker starts (August 2022 Ice Bowl, September 2022 Clarkbreaker) – can you think of any other player that has finished in the top three of his first two pro stops!  #Icant
• Brant “Ted Lasso” Bidegain is the highest ranked firefighter on the Icebreaker Series #saveslivesanddominatesthetour
• In his first two Icebreaker starts (2022 Ice Bowl, 2022 Clarkbreaker), Bidegain’s only losses have come against the most winning players in Icebreaker history (Fink – 4, Lucho – 4)
• Andres Cordova (18) became the youngest player to defeat a former Icebreaker finalist at the 2022 Clarkbreaker – Cordova also became the youngest Icebreaker quarterfinalist with his R16 win against Ruiz at the 2022 Clarkbreaker
• After finishing third in his first Icebreaker start in August of 2022 (loss to Samzon), Oscar Siordia won the closest Icebreaker final in history to claim his first Icebreaker title against Chava Cordova (15-14 in the tiebreaker)
• Chava Cordova has come to closest to winning an Icebreaker singles title without actually winning one, losing 15-14 in the Clarkbreaker final, missing his final kill shot attempt by one inch
• Sam Esser advanced to his first WPH pro singles final at the July 2022 Icebreaker (lost to L. Cordova) – Esser then lost in the first round of his next start in August (Bidegain), his second round in September (Bidegain), and first round in December (Bernhard)
• The tallest Icebreaker doubles team in history was Max Langmack and Adam Bernhard (155 inches) #lookoutfortheelbows
• Shorty Ruiz had advanced to the semifinals or better in all of his Small Ball singles Icebreaker starts (8) until his round of 16 loss to Andres Cordova at the July 2022 Icebreaker
• Three-time Big Ball Icebreaker champion Brian Medina faced match point in his first Icebreaker 2022 start against Eddie Flores at the July 2022 Icebreaker (15-14)
• In his eight singles victories in the first two Big Ball Icebreakers in 2022 (July and August), Brian Medina has won four tiebreakers #MrClutch
• Mikaila Esser has won the most Women’s Icebreaker singles titles through December of 2022 (3). Ashley Ruiz (2) and Danielle Daskalakis (1) are the only other women to have won Icebreaker titles
• In four Women’s Icebreaker starts through August of 2022, Tracy Davis has finished 4^th, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th
• Sal Duenas was the only player to win a match in the pro small ball singles and big ball pro singles at the 2022 Clarkbreaker
• Through five Big Ball singles Icebreakers there have been three different champions (A. Morales, B. Medina, O. Siordia) and five different finalists (J. Tellez, S. Ruiz, L. Cordova, S. Hernandez, C. Cordova)
• Sean Lenning is the only Small Ball Icebreaker finalist to have played in just one event through August of 2022 (lost to K. Carroll in April 2021)
• Five of the top seven ranked men’s players on the Race 4 Eight tour (September 2022) have advanced to an Icebreaker final (only Leo Canales, Jr, and Martin Mulkerrins have not)
• Shorty/Ashley Ruiz and Sam/Mikaila Esser are the only married couples to have appeared in Icebreaker singles finals
• In 21 Icebreaker events held from March of 2020 through April of 2023 there have been two camera operators (D. Vincent, C. Lowenstein)
• Tucson pros to have won Icebreaker singles titles: Fink (4), M. Esser (3), A. Ruiz (2), A. Montijo (1)
• Most lopsided final in Icebreaker history: L. Cordova def S. Esser 15-4, 15-0 at the July 2022 Icebreaker
• Closest Men’s Icebreaker final in history: Oscar Siordia (CA) def Chava Cordova (CA) 15-9, 6-15, 15-14
• Closest Women’s Icebreaker final in history: M. Esser def A. Ruiz 4-15, 15-10, 15-13 at the March 2021 Icebreaker
• Inaugural Big Ball Icebreaker Doubles champions (Clarkbreaker, September 2022): Big Ball Pro Doubles: Chava Cordova (CA)/Antonio Chavez (CA) def Alberto Pizano (CA)/Anthony Hernandez (CA) 15-14, 15-7, Big Ball B Doubles: Javier Flores/Beni Gonzalez def Fernando Zapata/Julio Perez 15-8, 15-12
• Women finishing in the top four of the first five Icebreaker events: Esser (AZ), Ruiz (AZ), Davis (CA), Daskalakis (NY), Tuohey (WI), *Ni Churraoin (IRE) *has never won an Icebreaker match
• In five Big Ball Icebreaker finals, the ten finalists have been from CA (Medina, S. Hernandez, J. Tellez, A. Morales, O. Siordia, C. Cordova), AZ (S. Ruiz), and Mexico (L. Cordova)
• The only Icebreaker pros to have not lost in a final are Medina (3), Carroll (3), L. Cordova (3), Daskalakis (1), Morales (1), Siordoa (1)
• Killian Carroll Icebreaker Stats (through Killian’s three 2021 Icebreaker starts)

Total matches: 10, Overall record: 10-0, Total points scored in 6 matches: 374, Total points lost in 6 matches: 205, Percentage of points won: 65%, Games won in 10 matches: 20, Games lost in 10 matches: 2, Overtime games played: 4, Overtime record: 3-1, Tiebreakers played: 2, Tiebreaker record: 2-0

Clark Park Court Facts

• The Clark Park courts were initially built in the 1970’s as 4-Wall courts – four more four wall courts were added in the 1980’s
• The refurbishing from 4-Wall courts to 3-Wall courts was decades in the making – WPH engineers/Clark Park quarterbacks/CP Founding Fathers Jeff Healam and Benny Young met numerous times with Tucson Mayor Rothschild and Tucson City Council from 2006-2019 to pitch blueprints to turn the courts into a 3-Wall mecca
• The 4-Wall to 3-Wall Clark Park project was greenlighted in 2019, and with the help of 50+ donors, the WPH staff, and the City of Tucson, construction started in the summer of 2019
• The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on November 14, 2019, with Tucson Mayor Rothschild, WPH representatives and donors, and other Tucson City officials cutting the ribbon and opening the courts to the public
• David Vincent, David Fink, Shorty Ruiz, and Abraham Montijo played the inaugural match at Clark Park following the ribbon-cutting ceremony (small ball doubles)
• The Clark Park 3-Wall courts are 40×20
• The ceiling stops 15 feet from the front wall on the two western-most 3-Wall courts (closest to the golf course) and 14 feet from the front wall on the three eastern-most courts (the 4-Wall courts were built ten years apart, thus accounting for the differing ceiling lengths)
• The Clark Park side walls run 44 feet from the front wall (four feet past the long line)
• The long line is in at Clark Park
• Clark Park grand opening, November 14, 2019 HERE

Icebreaker History (2020-2024)

Icebreaker #1 – March 2020: David Fink (AZ) def Shorty Ruiz (AZ) 7-15, 15-10, 15-4

Icebreaker #2 – September 2020: David Fink (AZ) def Shorty Ruiz (AZ) 21-4, 21-6

Icebreaker #3 – November 2020: Dylan Hernandez (CA) def Erik Torres (CA) 21-12, 21-11

*Icebreaker #4 – January 2021: David Fink (AZ) def Stephen Cooney (IRE) 21-2, 21-10 *non-ranking event

*Icebreaker #5 – January 2021: Leo Canales, Jr. (TX) def Sam Esser (AZ) 21-6, 21-19 *non-ranking event

*Icebreaker #6 – February 2021: Ashley Moler (AZ) def Mikaila Mitchell (AZ) 21-0, 21-16 *non-ranking event

Icebreaker #7 – February 2021: David Fink (AZ) def Shorty Ruiz (AZ) 21-11, 21-14

Icebreaker #8 – March 2021, Mikaila Esser (AZ) def Ashley Ruiz (AZ) 4-15, 15-10, 15-13

Icebreaker #9 – April 2021 Killian Carroll (MA) def Sean Lenning (AZ) 16-14, 15-10

Icebreaker #10 – May 2021

Ashley Ruiz (AZ) def Tracy Davis 21-14, 21-4 (CA)

Abraham Montijo (AZ) def Adam Bernhard (TX) 21-13, 21-2

Icebreaker #11 – May 2021

Big Ball Singles: Alfredo Morales (CA) def Josue Tellez (CA) 15-4, 15-6

Big Ball Doubles: Alfredo Morales (CA)/Boxer Rosales (ID) def Josue Tellez (CA)/Darryl Garcia (CA) 21-9

Icebreaker #12 – July 2021: Killian Carroll (MA) def Daniel Cordova (TX) 16-14, 15-3

Icebreaker Ice Bowl #13 – August 2021

Killian Carroll (MA) def Daniel Cordova (TX) 21-11, 21-9

Danielle Daskalakis (NY) def Mikaila Esser (AZ) 17-21, 21-15, 11-2

Icebreaker #14 (Big Ball) – September 2021: Brian Medina (CA) def Shorty Ruiz (AZ) 15-4, 15-9

Race 4 Eight Icebreaker #15 – December 2021: David Fink (AZ) def Luis Cordova (MEX) inj. fft.

Icebreaker #16 (Small Ball Doubles) – March 2022: L. Cordova (MEX)/D. Cordova (MEX) def S. Ruiz (AZ)/S. Esser (AZ) 15-4, 15-1

Icebreaker #17 – July 2022

Lucho Cordova (MEX) def Sam Esser (AZ) 15-4, 15-0

Big Ball Singles: Brian Medina (CA) def Lucho Cordova (MEX) 15-9, 15-9

Icebreaker #18 – August 2022:

Lucho Cordova (MEX) def David Fink (AZ) 15-7, 15-2

Big Ball Singles: Brian Medina (CA) def Samzon Hernandez (CA) 12-15, 15-4, 15-12

Mikaila Esser (AZ) def Ashley Ruiz (AZ) 15-5, 15-6

Shorty Ruiz (AZ)/Sam Esser (AZ) def Lucho Cordova (MEX)/Danos Cordova (MEX) 15-4, 15-9

Icebreaker (Clarkbreaker) #19 – September 2022

Lucho Cordova (MEX) def Danos Cordova (MEX) 15-6, 15-6

Ashley Ruiz (AZ) def Mikaila Esser (AZ) 15-8, 15-3

Big Ball Singles: Oscar Siordia (CA) def Chava Cordova (CA) 15-9, 6-15, 15-14

Lucho Cordova (MEX)/Danos Cordova (MEX) def Shorty Ruiz (AZ)/Sam Esser (AZ) 15-12, 15-2

Big Ball Pro Doubles: Chava Cordova (CA)/Antonio Chavez (CA) def Alberto Pizano (CA)/Anthony Hernandez (CA) 15-14, 15-7

Big Ball B Doubles: Javier Flores (CA)/Beni Gonzalez (CA) def Fernando Zapata (CA)/Julio Perez (CA) 15-8, 15-12

Icebreaker #20 (R48 Icebreaker #2) – December 2022

Lucho Cordova (MEX) def David Fink (AZ) 21-16, 21-8

Mikaila Esser (AZ) def Ashley Ruiz (AZ) 21-7, 15-21, 11-4

Icebreaker #21 (USHA National 3-Wall Doubles & WPH Icebreaker Pro Doubles)

(Small Ball Doubles) – March 2023: L. Cordova (MEX)/D. Cordova (MEX) def S. Ruiz (AZ)/S. Esser (AZ) 21-16, 21-12

Icebreaker #22 (Clarkbreaker II) – July 2023

David Fink (AZ) def Shorty Ruiz (AZ) 21-11, 21-2

Mikaila Esser (AZ) def Ashley Ruiz (AZ) 14-21, 21-16, 11-9

Lucho Cordova (MEX)/Danos Cordova (MEX) def Shorty Ruiz (AZ)/Sam Esser (AZ) 15-11, 15-4

Icebreaker #23 (Ice Bowl II) – August 2023

Danos Cordova (MEX) def Shorty Ruiz (AZ) 21-3, 21-4

Big Ball Singles: Anthony “Chopper” Hernandez (CA) def Alberto Pizano (AZ) 12-10, 10-12, 12-5

Big Ball Doubles: Anthony “Chopper” Hernandez (CA)/Alberto Pizano (AZ) def Brian Medina (CA)/Gilberto Rosales (ID) 12-8, 11-12, 12-10

Junior Singles: Kelvin Lindsey (AZ) def Johnny Lindsey (AZ) 11-6, 11-5

A Singles: Ayden Brule (AZ) def Jose Maldonado (AZ) 21-17, 20-21, 11-2

Icebreaker #23 (R48 Icebreaker #3) – December 2023

Lucho Cordova (MEX) def David Fink (AZ) 21-6, 21-6

Mikaila Esser (AZ) def Ashley Ruiz (AZ) 16-21, 21-2, 11-1

Icebreaker #24 (Julybreaker) – July 2024

Lucho Cordova (MEX) def Leo Canales (AZ) 16-14, 15-13

Icebreaker #25 (Ice Bowl) – August 2024

Leo Canales (AZ) def Sam Esser (AZ) 15-7, 15-13

Danielle Daskalakis (CA) def Mikaila Esser (AZ) 15-1, 15-13

Big Ball Singles: Oscar Siordia, Jr. (CA) def Chava Cordova (CA) 15-8, 15-10

Big Ball Doubles: Lucho/Danos Cordova def Samzon Hernandez/Bozer Rosales 15-12, 15-12

Big Ball B Doubles: Rafa Avila/Sam Cruz def Andres Cordova/Moses Gardea 15-12, 9-15, 15-12

Icebreaker Finishes by Event

Men’s Small Ball Icebreakers

2020

Icebreaker #1 (8-man event): March 2020

1^st: Fink (AZ)

2^nd: Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: Canales (TX), Montijo (AZ)

Icebreaker #2 (4-man event): September 2020

1^st: Fink (AZ)

2^nd: Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: Montijo (AZ)

4^th: Esser (AZ) (no matches won)

Icebreaker #3 (4-man event): November 2020

1^st: D. Hernandez (CA)

2^nd: E. Torres (CA)

3^rd: R. Palma (CA)

4^th: L. Collado (CA) (no matches won)

*Icebreaker #4 (2-man event): December 2020

1^st: Fink (AZ)

2^nd: Cooney (CA) (no matches won)

*non-ranking event

 2021

*Icebreaker #5 (2-man event): February 2021

1^st: L. Canales, Jr. (TX)

2^nd: Esser (AZ) (no matches won)

*non-ranking event

Icebreaker #6 (4-man event): March 2021

1^st: Fink (AZ)

2^nd: Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: L. Canales, Jr. (TX)

4^th: Esser (AZ) (no matches won)

Icebreaker #7 (8-man event): April 2021

1^st: K. Carroll (MA)

2^nd: S. Lenning (AZ)

3^rd: Fink (AZ)/Ruiz (AZ)

5^th: L. Canales, Jr. (TX)

6^th: Montijo (AZ)

7^th: L. Cordova (MEX)/D. Hernandez (CA) – neither won a match

Icebreaker #8 (4-man event): April 2021

1^st: Montijo (AZ)

2^nd: A. Bernhard (TX)

3^rd: M. Langmack (MO)

4^th: N. Mattioni (FL) (no matches won)

Icebreaker #9 (12-man event): June 2021

1^st: Carroll (MA)

2^nd: D. Cordova (TX)

3^rd: Fink (AZ)/Ruiz (AZ)

Icebreaker #10 (16-man event): August 2021

1^st: Carroll (MA)

2^nd: D. Cordova (TX)

3^rd: Fink (AZ)/Ruiz (AZ)

Race 4 Eight Icebreaker #11: December 2021

1^st: Fink (AZ)

2^nd: L. Cordova (MEX)

3^rd: Ruiz (AZ), Canales (AZ)

2022

Icebreaker #1: July 2022

Small Ball Pro Singles

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: Esser (AZ)

3^rd: Ruiz (AZ)/Torres (CA)

Icebreaker #2 (Ice Bowl): August 2022

Small Ball Pro Singles

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: D. Fink (AZ)

3^rd: B. Bidegain (CA)/L. Canales (AZ)

Icebreaker #3 (Clarkbreaker): September 2022

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: D. Cordova (MEX)

3^rd: B. Bidegain (CA)/A. Montijo (AZ)

Icebreaker #4 (R48 Icebreaker): December 2022

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: D. Fink (AZ)

3^rd: Mulkerrins (IRE)/D. Cordova (MEX)

2023

Icebreaker #1 (Clarkbreaker): July 2023

Small Ball Pro Singles

1^st: D. Fink (AZ)

2^nd: S. Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: Canales (AZ)/L. Cordova (MEX)

Icebreaker #2 (Ice Bowl): August 2023

1^st: D. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: S. Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: Fink (AZ)/L. Cordova (MEX)

Icebreaker #3 (R48 Icebreaker): December 2023

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: Fink (AZ)

3^rd: Lenning (WA)/D. Cordova (MEX)

2024

Icebreaker #1 (Julybreaker): July 2024

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: L. Canales (AZ)

3^rd: D. Cordova (MEX)/S. Esser (AZ)

Icebreaker #2 (Ice Bowl): August 2024

1^st: L. Canales (AZ)

2^nd: S. Esser (AZ)

3^rd: D. Cordova (MEX)/L. Cordova (MEX)

Women’s Icebreakers

2021

*Women’s Icebreaker #1 (2-woman event): January 2021

1^st: A. Ruiz (AZ)

2^nd: M. Esser (AZ) (no matches won)

*non-ranking event

Women’s Icebreaker #2 (4-woman event): April 2021

1^st: M. Esser (AZ)

2^nd: A. Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: D. Daskalakis (NY)

4^th: T. Davis (CA) (no matches won)

Women’s Icebreaker #3 (4-woman event): April 2021

1^st: A. Ruiz (AZ)

2^nd: T. Davis (CA)

3^rd: M. Esser (AZ)

4^th: Ciana Ni Churraoin (TX) (no matches won)

Women’s Icebreaker #4 (6-woman event): August 2021

1^st: D. Daskalakis (NY)

2^nd: M. Esser (AZ)

3^rd: T. Davis (CA)

4^th: A. Ruiz (AZ)

2022

Women’s Icebreaker #5 (6-woman event): August 2022

1^st: M. Esser (AZ)

2^nd: A. Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: A. Tuohey (WI)

4^th: T. Davis (CA)

*Women’s Icebreaker #6 (Clarkbreaker) (3-woman event): September 2022

1^st: A. Ruiz

2^nd: M. Esser

*Non-ranking event

Women’s Icebreaker #7 (4-woman event): December 2022

1^st: M. Esser (AZ)

2^nd: A. Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: B. Camacho (AZ)

2023

Women’s Icebreaker #8 (3-woman event): July 2023

1^st: M. Esser (AZ)

2^nd: A. Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: B. Camacho (AZ)

Women’s Icebreaker #9 (3-woman event): December 2023

1^st: M. Esser (AZ)

2^nd: A. Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: Munroe (IRE)

2024

Women’s Icebreaker #10 (6-woman event): August 2024

1^st: D. Daskalakis (CA)

2^nd: M. Esser (AZ)

3^rd: A. Ruiz (AZ)

Men’s Big Ball Icebreakers

2021

Men’s Big Ball Icebreaker #1: June 2021

1^st: A. Morales (CA)

2^nd: J. Tellez (CA)

3^rd: Gonzalez (NY)

4^th: Ruiz (AZ)

Doubles

1^st: Morales (CA)/Rosales (ID)

2^nd: Tellez (CA)/D. Garcia (CA)

Men’s Big Ball Icebreaker #2: September 2021

1^st: B. Medina (CA)

2^nd: S. Ruiz (AZ)

3^rd: Chavez (TX)

4^th: Gonzalez (NY)

2022

Men’s Big Ball Icebreaker #3: July 2022

1^st: B. Medina (CA)

2^nd: L. Cordova (MEX)

3^rd: Pizano (AZ)

4^th: Ruiz (AZ)

Men’s Big Ball Icebreaker #4: August 2022

1^st: B. Medina (CA)

2^nd: S. Hernandez (CA)

3^rd: O. Siordia (CA)/C. Cordova (CA)

Men’s Big Ball Icebreaker (Clarkbreaker) #5: September 2022

1^st: O. Siordia (CA)

2^nd: C. Cordova (CA)

3^rd: S. Hernandez (CA)/J. Vicencio (CA)

2023

Men’s Big Ball Icebreaker (Ice Bowl) #6: August 2023

1^st: A. Hernandez (CA)

2^nd: A. Pizano (AZ)

3^rd: G. Rosales (ID)/I. Chapa (CA)

2024

Men’s Big Ball Icebreaker (Ice Bowl) #7: August 2024

1^st: O. Siordia (CA)

2^nd: C. Cordova (CA)

3^rd: A. Pizano (AZ)

Small Ball Doubles Icebreakers

2022

Small Ball Doubles Icebreaker #1: March 2022

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)/D. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: S. Ruiz (AZ)/S. Esser (AZ)

Small Ball Doubles Icebreaker #2: August 2022

1^st: S. Ruiz (AZ)/S. Esser (AZ)

2^nd: L. Cordova (MEX)/D. Cordova (MEX)

Small Ball Doubles Icebreaker (Clarkbreaker) #3: September 2022

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)/D. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: S. Ruiz (AZ)/S. Esser (AZ)

Small Ball Doubles Icebreakers

2023

Icebreaker Pro Doubles w/ USHA Masters Nationals: March 2023

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)/D. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: S. Ruiz (AZ)/S. Esser (AZ)

Clarkbreaker Pro Doubles: July 2023

1^st: L. Cordova (MEX)/D. Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: S. Ruiz (AZ)/S. Esser (AZ)

Big Ball Doubles Icebreakers

2022

Big Ball Icebreaker #1 (Clarkbreaker): September 2022

Pro

1^st: C. Cordova (CA)/A. Chavez (CA)

2^nd: A. Pizano (AZ)/A. Hernandez (CA)

B

1^st: J. Flores (CA)/B. Gonzalez (CA)

2^nd: F. Zapata (CA)/J. Perez (CA)

2023

Men’s Big Ball Icebreaker (Ice Bowl) #2: August 2023

Pro

1^st: A. Hernandez (CA)/A. Pizano (AZ)

2^nd: G. Rosales (ID)/B. Medina (CA)

2024

Men’s Big Ball Icebreaker (Ice Bowl) #3: August 2024

Pro

1^st: Team Cordova (MEX)

2^nd: G. Rosales (CA)/S. Hernandez (CA)

B

1^st: R. Avila (CA)/S. Cruz (CA)

2^nd: A. Cordova (MEX)/M. Gardea (NM)

Icebreaker Contenders (Qualifiers)

2021

Small Ball Contenders #1 (April 2021): Contender champion: Max Langmack (KS)

Small Ball Contenders #2 (May 2021): Contenders: Danny Perez (AZ) (champion)/John Chapman (CO) (finalist)

*both Perez and Chapman qualified

Big Ball Icebreaker Contenders #1 (May 2021): Contender champion: David Fink (AZ)

Small Ball Contenders #3 (June 2021): Contenders champion: Dylan Key (AZ)

Small Ball Contenders #4 (August 2021): Contenders: Victor Sanchez (TX), Armando Ibarra (CO), Leo Canales, Sr. (TX)

*All events are small ball unless otherwise indicated

*Non-ranking event means that only two players entered, thus not qualifying as an official Icebreaker title

David Fink

Icebreaker Senior Statistician