This year's event will feature World #1-ranked Frederico Collignon of Belgium, who has dominated this and other tournaments worldwide for the last several years, as he defends both Singles and Doubles titles against #2-ranked Billy Pappas from the USA. Other top challengers include several members of the U.S., U.K., German, and French National Foosball Teams, such as: Terry Moore (USA), Robert Mares (USA), Dave Gummeson (USA), #3-ranked Rob Atha (UK), Djamal Allalou (Germany), Tim Ludwig (Germany), Olivier Covos (France), and more.
The women's side of the competition is expected to be especially intense with local favorite and World #1-ranked Samantha Di Paolo (Italy), having won the ITSF World title three out of four of the last years, playing fiercely all season. But Di Paolo is facing tough competition again in Austria's Verena Rohrer, Canada's Moya Tielens, Hungary's Ivett Györe, and USA's Stayce Fowler, among other tour leaders.
Participation in the tournament is limited to ITSF World Series Class event Champions, World Tour "points" leaders, and the National Champions from all 45 ITSF member countries. Players will compete in specially formatted Singles and Doubles events for men, women, juniors and seniors. In a true test of all around foosball skills, competition will take place on all five ITSF "Official" styles of tables: Brunswick's Tornado Table Soccerâ„¢, Bonziniâ„¢, Garlando, Roberto-Sport and Lehmacher Tec Ball.
The tournament is sanctioned by the ITSF and hosted by the Italian Table Soccer Federation (Federazione Italiana de Calcio Balilla) and its president, Massimo Ragona. Sponsors of the event include the Casino de la Vallee and the Community of St. Vincent - "the Riviera of the Alps." Spectators and press are welcome to attend and there is no admission fee to enter the tournament arena. Warm-up events begin on Thursday at 2:00 p.m., and the first round of Singles and Doubles competitions will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Friday. A special Opening Ceremonies will be at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 26th. All finals will be on Sunday the 28th.
This will be the final stop on the 2007 ITSF World Pro Table Soccer Tour. Other major tour events took place this year in France, Austria, Italy, Belgium and the United States, with even more qualifying events in countries as diverse as Australia, the Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Japan, Poland, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. And for 2007, there will be more than 70 tour stops worldwide in the largest world table soccer tour ever!!
For additional details about this event and/or the sport of table soccer, please see the following websites:
www.table-soccer.org - ITSF Website/International Rankings
www.table-soccer.org/world_championships/index.php5 - ITSF World Championships Tournament Information
www.table-soccer.org/partners - ITSF Official Table Manufacturers 00004000
For more information, photos, or for an electronic version of this release, please contact:
Damien Sadrant or Christine Cabrera, ITSF, Tel: +33-240-20-52-38
Larry Davis, ITSF Media Commission President, Tel: 1-563-580-9485
Massimo Ragona, President, FICB, Tel: +39- 0125-58-465
Author Information
Damien Sadrant, Christine Cabrera
International Table Soccer Federation (ITSF)
