Final IRT Rankings for 2012-13

Kane Waselenchuk finished #1 on the season ending International Racquetball Tour (IRT) rankings for the 8th time, which is the most ever and two ahead of Cliff Swain's six #1 finishes. Waselenchuk did so with nine tournament wins during the 2012-13 IRT season.

Rocky Carson, a three time winner on tour this season, finished #2 for the third consecutive season. Carson's been in the top 10 for 14 seasons, which is third most all time behind Swain (with 20) and Jason Mannino (15).

Alvaro Beltran is #3, which ties his highest season ending ranking. He was 3rd in 2007-08 also.

Jose Rojas finished #4, which was up one position from earlier in the month, but a semi-final finish in the season ending Ektelon Nationals put Rojas ahead of Chris Crowther, who finished #5.

Ben Croft, Tony Carson and Shane Vanderson finished 6th, 7th and 8th, respectively. Vanderson didn't play all of the events, but performed well enough to finish in the top 10 for a tenth consecutive season.

Daniel De La Rosa finished in the top 10 for the first time, as he is #9. That's one position ahead of where he was prior to the Ektelon Nationals.

Mexican veteran southpaw Javier Moreno rounds out the top 10 in 10th, and with three Mexicans - Beltran, De La Rosa, and Moreno - and a Canadian (Waselenchuk) this is the first time four non-Americans (only 6 six Americans) are in the IRT's season ending top 10.

The IRT seems more international than ever.

The 2013-14 IRT season will kick off in September with the Novasors Kansas City Open September 12-15.

IRT Rankings - May 24, 2013

Rank - Player - Country - Points

1 Kane WASELENCHUK (Canada) 4022
2 Rocky CARSON (USA) 3454
3 Alvaro BELTRAN (Mexico) 2470
4 Jose ROJAS (USA) 1972
5 Chris CROWTHER (USA) 1892

6 Ben CROFT (USA) 1846
7 Tony CARSON (USA) 1482
8 Shane VANDERSON (USA) 1276
9 Daniel DE LA ROSA (Mexico) 1123
10 Javier MORENO (Mexico) 1063

11 Alex ACKERMANN (USA) 974
12 Andy HAWTHORNE (USA) 966
13 Marco ROJAS (USA) 930
14 Jose DIAZ (USA) 845
15 Alejandro LANDA (Mexico) 800

16 Anthony HERRERA (USA) 776
17 Jansen ALLEN (USA) 729
18 Brad SCHOPIERAY (USA) 647
19 Nick MONTALBANO (USA) 610
20 David HORN (USA) 533

Follow the bouncing ball....

Final LPRT rankings for 2012-13

Paola Longoria's is the #1 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) player in the 2012-13 season ending rankings as a result of her undefeated season. Rhonda Rajsich finished #2 with Samantha Salas #3 and Susana Acosta #4.

This marks the first time that three of the top four women's pro racquetball players are Mexican, or simply not American, at season's end.

In all, five players in the season ending top 10 are Americans and five aren't, which ties the most non-Americans (or fewest American depending on your perspective) in a season ending women's pro top 10. In addition to Longoria, Salas and Acosta, Cristina Amaya of Ecuador is #9 and Maria Jose Vargas of Bolivia is #10.

There were also five in the top 10 in 2010-11 (Longoria, Salas, Acosta, Amaya and Jennifer Saunders).

Vargas's ranking at #10 is a career high, and not only her first season ending top 10 but her first top 10 at any point in her young career. Vargas is also the first ever Bolivian player in the top 10.

Grace Hughes at 7th is also in the top 10 season ending rankings for the first time.

The next LPRT event is the Suncoast Open - an out of season shootout, so no ranking points will be awarded for it - on June 27-30, 2013 in Sarasota, Florida.

LPRT Rankings - May 20, 2013
Season Ending Rankings

Rank - Name - Country - Points

1 Paola Longoria (Mexico) 2140.00
2 Rhonda Rajsich (USA) 1320.00
3 Samantha Salas (Mexico) 718.50
4 Susy Acosta (Mexico) 594.00
5 Cheryl Gudinas (USA) 549.50

6 Adrienne Fisher (USA) 435.75
7 Grace Hughes (USA) 413.50
8 Kerri Wachtel (USA) 348.75
9 Cristina Amaya (Colombia) 339.75
10 Maria Jose Vargas (Bolivia) 321.75

11 Krystal Csuk (USA) 319.00
12 Da'monique Davis (USA) 318.75
13 Jennifer Saunders (Canada) 294.50
14 T.J. Baumbaugh (USA) 255.75
15 Jackie Paraiso (USA) 227.00

16 Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) 152.50
17 Hailey Miller (USA) 150.75
18 Sheryl Lotts (USA) 139.75
19 Linda Scales (USA) 133.50
20 Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) 117.00

Follow the bouncing ball....

World Racquetball Tour - Sonora Open

Polo Gutierrez won the Sonora Open - a World Racquetball Tour (WRT) event - on the weekend in Hermosillo, Mexico. He defeated Sebastian Franco in the final.

Gutierrez beat Anthony Herrera in one semi-final, 14-15, 15-6, 11-3, while Franco defeated Alejandro Cardona in the other.

The next WRT will be the Vina del Mar Open in Chile, June 5-9. Then they will be in Flagstaff, Arizona for the Flagstaff Open June 20-23.

Sonora Open
Hermosillo, Mexico

Quarter finals

Polo Gutierrez d. David Horn, 15-9, 15-6
Anthony Herrera d. Felipe Camacho, 15-3, 15-4

Alejandro Cardona d. Erick Sandoval, 15-7, 15-8
Sebastian Franco d. Gilberto Mejia, 15-6, 15-8

Semi-finals

Polo Gutierrez d. Anthony Herrera, 14-15, 15-6, 11-3
Sebastian Franco d. Alejandro Cardona

Final

Polo Gutierrez d. Sebastian Franco

Follow the bouncing ball….