Thursday, May 28, 2015

IRT Fresno Summer Kickoff Preview

The final event of the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 2014-15 season begins today in Fresno, California with the Fresno Summer Kickoff. There's a good field of 28 players with all the top players except for Ben Croft, who has reportedly had shoulder surgery. He also missed the previous event in Edinburg, Texas.

There could be a Mexican standoff in Fresno, as veterans and doubles partners Alvaro Beltran and Javier Moreno are scheduled to meet in the Round of 16. Moreno will need to beat Francisco Troncoso to make that happen though.

Also potential Round of 16 matches are David Horn versus Daniel De La Rosa and Jose v. Jose, as Jose Rojas and Jose Diaz could square off.

Race for #1

Finally, of course, the interest in Fresno will likely be about Kane Waselenchuk, who has been the season ending IRT #1 for the past six seasons, but has been #2 the last few months, as injury kept him out events early in the season.

Rocky Carson is the #1 IRT player, and could finish as #1, if Waselenchuk fails to win in Fresno. But Waselenchuk's won all but one event he's entered this season, and that loss was a withdrawal due to his inner ear injury, which also prevented him from playing in three other events this season.

Thus, if you've bet on Carson to finish #1, you should have got very favourable odds, because Waselenchuk's the clear favourite.

You can follow this weekend’s action via the IRT Network beginning at 10 AM PDT Friday.

2015 Fresno Summer Kickoff
Fresno, California

First round


Brian Pineda v. Carlos Borjas
Matthew Barserian v. Mauro Rojas
Brian Watson v. Terry Mumby
Set Cubillos v. John Wolfe

Round of 32

Q8: Majeed Shahin v. Herb Yamashiro
Q1: Robert Collins v. Brian Pineda or Carlos Borjas

Q4: Felipe Camacho v. Matthew Barserian or Mauro Rojas
Q5: David Horn v. Miguel Rodriguez Jr.

Q6: Javier Moreno v. Francisco Troncoso
Q3: Matthew Majxner v. Brian Watson or Terry Mumby

Q2: Jose Diaz v. Set Cubillos or John Wolfe
Q7: Hiroshi Shimzu v. Teobaldo Fumero

Round of 16

1 Rocky Carson v. Q8
8 Jansen Allen v. Q1

5 Marco Rojas v. Q4
4 Daniel De La Rosa v. Q5

3 Alvaro Beltran v. Q6
6 Charlie Pratt v. Q3

7 Jose Rojas v. Q2
2 Kane Waselenchuk v. Q7

Follow the bouncing ball….

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