Qualifying at the Canadian Open Racquetball Classic

There were excitement and upsets as play began Thursday at the second Canadian Open Racquetball Classic at the Cedar Springs Health and Racquet Club in Burlington, Ontario. The tournament is a Tier 1 event on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) - the men's professional racquetball tour, and also features the top Canadian women's players.

Thursday was qualifying day for the main IRT draw of 16. The top eight seeds automatically qualify, and the other eight come from two qualifying rounds.

Two Canadian men qualified for the Round of 16. One was Mike Green of Burlington, Ontario, a four time Canadian Champion, who defeated Kris Odegard of Saskatoon, 11-6, 5-11, 11-0, 11-4. Odegard had beaten Simon Rainville of Montreal, 11-7, 11-1, 11-2, in the first qualifying round.

The other player will come from the match between Ryan Smith, current Canadian Junior Champion in 18 and under, playing in his hometown of Burlington, and Eric Desrochers (Ancaster, Ont.), a former Canadian Junior Champion, who are still playing.

In women's play, the first round matches brought two upsets as Quebec players took out Saskatchewan players. Claudia Courcy of Sherbrooke, Que. defeated Brandi Jacobson Prentice of Saskatoon, 15-5, 10-15, 11-9. Courcy is ranked 20th in Canada and Jacobson Prentice 11th.

Also, Frederique T. Lambert of Montreal, Que., ranked 19th in Canada defeated Alison Schlichemeyer of Saskatoon, the 12th ranked women's player nationally, 15-4, 15-11.

In other women's action, Denise Haynes of Clare, Nova Scotia defeated Lysa-Ann Landreville of Rock Forest, Que., 15-5, 15-5, and Genevieve Brodeur of Sherbrooke, Que. beat Carolyn Peddle (Edmonton), 15-12, 15-3.

A results summary is below with the IRT Round of 16 pairings. Play continues through Sunday at the Cedar Springs Health and Racquet Club in Burlington.

For more information see the Racquetball Canada website : www.racquetball.ca, or the IRT website : www.irt-tour.com, or contact Evan Pritchard, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Racquetball Canada at evan333@mts.net, or Adrian Webb, Canadian Open tournament director at (519) 575-3370.

RESULTS SUMMARY : SOMMAIRE DES RÉSULTATS

Men's IRT - Qualifying Round 1 - Thursday : IRT Hommes jeudi

Tim Landeryou (Saskatoon) d. Francis Guillemette (Montreal), 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6.
Kris Odegard (Saskatoon) d. Simon Rainville (Montreal), 11-4, 11-4, 11-7.
Nathaniel Husulak (Saskatoon) d. Michael Burgess (Winnipeg), 11-13, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4.
Scott Campbell (Brandon, Man.) d. Barret Husulak (Saskatoon), 11-4, 11-6, 11-2.
Lee Connell (Saskatoon) d. Tripp Isley (USA), 11-6, 11-5, 11-7.
James Landeryou (Saskatoon) d. Mathieu Messier (Montreal), 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9.
Sam Rutkowski (Rochester, NY) d. Patrick Patenaude (Montreal), 11-7, 11-1, 11-2.

Qualifying Round 2 - Thursday : IRT Hommes jeudi

Chris Crowther (Riverside, Calif.) d. Tim Landeryou (Saskatoon), 11-3, 11-3. 11-6.
Ben Croft (Lake Bluff, Ill.) d. Nathaniel Husulak (Saskatoon), 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-2.
Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) d. Scott Campbell (Brandon, Man.), 11-5, 11-4, 11-3.
Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Lee Connell (Saskatoon), 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 11-3.
Agustin Tristan (Mexico) d. James Landeryou (Saskatoon), 11-2, 11-4, 11-2.
Andy Hawthorne (Akron, Ohio) d. Sam Rutkowski (Rochester, NY), 11-3, 11-7, 11-3.
Mike Green (Burlington, Ont.) d. Kris Odegard (Saskatoon), 11-6, 5-11, 11-0, 11-4.
Eric Desrochers (Ancaster, Ont.) vs. Ryan Smith (Burlington, Ont.), in progress.

Round of 16 - Friday : IRT Hommes vendredi

Alvaro Beltran (Mexico) vs. Augstin Tristan (Mexico)
Shane Vanderson (Cleveland) vs. Andy Hawthorne (Akron, Ohio)
Jason Thoerner (Peoria, Ill.) vs. Chris Crowther (Riverside, Calif.)
Jason Mannino (San Diego) vs. Ben Croft (Lake Bluff, Ill.)
Cliff Swain (Boston) vs. Mike Green (Burlington, Ont.)
Rocky Carson (Laguna Niguel, CA) vs. Sudsy Monchik (USA)
Mitch Williams (Pueblo, Col.) vs. Hiroshi Smimizu (Japan)
Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, MI) vs. Ryan Smith (Burlington, ON) or Eric Desrochers (Ancaster, Ont.)

Women's Round 1 - Thursday : Femmes Round 1 Jeudi

Claudia Courcy (Sherbrooke, Que.) d. Brandi Jacobson Prentice (Saskatoon), 15-5, 10-15, 11-9.
Frederique T. Lambert (Montreal) d. Alison Schlichemeyer (Saskatoon), 15-4, 15-11.
Denise Haynes (Clare, Nova Scotia) d. Lysa-Ann Landreville (Rock Forest, Que.), 15-5, 15-5.
Genevieve Brodeur (Sherbrooke, Que.) d. Carolyn Peddle (Edmonton), 15-12, 15-3.