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Women's Professional Racquetball Organization
The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour is the latest name for the women's professional racquetball tour. It features the world's best players and several events each season - running from September to May - that are mostly played in the USA. History Women's professional racquetball has existed since the 1970s but the women's pro tour began in 1980, when the Women's Professional Racquetball Association (WPRA) was created. The tour was run by International Management Group, and did well in the early 1980s in part due to the great rivalry between Lynn Adams and Heather McKay. The WPRA lasted until 1994, when the Women's International Racquetball Tour (WIRT) was created. In 2000, the United States Racquetball Association (USRA) took over administration of the WIRT, and renamed it the Ladies Professional Racquetball Association (LPRA). This led to significant growth under the supervision of the USRA, which had a three year plan for the LPRA. In 2005, the players took over control ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
IMG (business)
IMG, originally known as the International Management Group, is a global sports, fashion, events and media company headquartered in New York City. The company manages athletes and fashion celebrities; owns, operates and commercially represents live events; and is an independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. History IMG was founded in 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio, by Mark McCormack, an American lawyer who spotted the potential for athletes to make large incomes from endorsement in the television age. He signed professional golfers Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus as his first clients who collectively are known as The Big Three. McCormack died in 2003. In 2004, Forstmann Little, led by Theodore J. Forstmann, acquired the company; Forstmann served as chairman and CEO until his death in late 2011. On June 1, 2006, IMG Media acquired Tiger Aspect Productions, the producer of the British television series '' Mr. Bean'' and the company, alo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The state's List of capitals in the United States, capital is Richmond, Virginia, Richmond and its most populous city is Virginia Beach, Virginia, Virginia Beach. Its most populous subdivision is Fairfax County, Virginia, Fairfax County, part of Northern Virginia, where slightly over a third of Virginia's population of more than 8.8million live. Eastern Virginia is part of the Atlantic Plain, and the Middle Peninsula forms the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Central Virginia lies predominantly in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont, the foothill region of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which cross the western and southwestern parts of the state. The fertile Shenandoah Valley fosters the state's mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Angélica Barrios
Angélica Barrios (born May 5, 2000) is a Bolivian racquetball player. Barrios is the current Pan American Champion in Mixed Doubles, winning the title at the 2023 Pan American Racquetball Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and a former Pan Am Champion in Women's Singles. She is also the first Bolivian to win a medal at the World Games, as she won bronze at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. 2015–2019 – Success at World Juniors and medals for Bolivia In 2015, Barrios was the runner-up at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships in the Girls U14 Singles division, losing to Bolivian team mate Romina Rivero, 15–11, 15–11, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Two years later Barrios won Girls U16 Singles at World Juniors in Minneapolis by defeating Mexican Ana Laura Flores, 15–2, 15–13, in the final. In her first year of U18, Barrios lost to Montserrat Mejía of Mexico in semi-finals of Girls U18 Singles at the 20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
US Open Racquetball Championships
The UnitedHealthcare US Open Racquetball Championships is the premier professional racquetball event. It is a Grand Slam event with men and women competing from the International Racquetball Tour and Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, respectively. Beginning in 2014, the US Open added a pro doubles division. The US Open also has divisions for amateur players, and hundreds of people participate each year. Overall, there were 708 participants in 2021, and 732 participants in 2019. The 2021 UnitedHealthcare US Open was October 6–10 in Minneapolis, which was the 11th year since the event began in 1996 that it was in the Twin Cities. United Health Care was the title sponsor for the ninth consecutive year. The first 14 years the tournament were held in Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Michelle Gould (racquetball)
Michelle Gould (née Gilman; born December 22, 1970) is a retired American racquetball player. She was the dominant player in the 1990s, finishing as the #1 player on the women's pro tour seven of those 10 seasons. Gould was once called "the best, man or woman, to ever play" racquetball. She had a strong drive serve. Injuries led to her retirement in 1999. Professional career Gould first appeared in the women's pro tour season ending top 10 at #2 in 1989–90, and then finished #1 in seven of the next eight seasons. After her final season at #1, Gould disappeared from the top 10. Gould's professional career was highlighted by winning the first two US Open Racquetball Championships in 1996 and 1997. During one stretch of her pro career (Oct 1995 – May 1997), Gould won 18 consecutive tournaments, and 30 of 33. International career Gould won her firstInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championship in 1992 by defeating Canadian Heather Stupp in the final, which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Jackie Paraiso
Jackie (Jacqueline) Paraiso (born September 14, 1966) is an American racquetball player. Paraiso was the #1 player on the women's pro racquetball tour at the end of the 1991-92, 1998–99, and 1999-2000 seasons. She is a seven time World Champion in women's doubles, which are more World Championships than any other player. Professional career Paraiso finished in the top 10 at season's end on the women's pro tour 16 times between 1986–87 and 2003–04, including her three #1 finishes. Paraiso's best pro season was 1998-99, when she was in the finals of all seven events, winning six of them, including the 1998 US Open Racquetball Championships beating Christie Van Hees in three straight games, to finish at #1. That success carried over to the 1999-2000 season, when Paraiso won four of the five tournaments and a second US Open and again was #1 at season's end. International career Paraiso has made more appearances on Team USA than any other racquetball player - man or woma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Angela Grisar
Angela Grisar (born May 2, 1973) is a Chilean retired racquetball player. She was the first South American woman's racquetball player to finish in the top 10 on the women's pro tour, doing so six straight seasons (2003-04 to 2008–09). She won numerous medals for Chile in international competitions, including at fouInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Championships and three Pan American Games. International career Grisar was runner up in singles at the World Championships twice: in 2004, when she lost to Cheryl Gudinas in the final in Anyang, South Korea, and 2006, Canadian Christie Van Hees in the final in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Grisar has also been runner up in doubles twice at Worlds. She did it in 2006 with Fabiola Marquez, when they lost to Americans Laura Fenton and Aimee Ruiz, and in 2012 with Carla Muñoz, when they lost to Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas. Her latest medal at Worlds came in 2014, when she was a bronze medalist in Women' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Kerri Wachtel
Kerri Wachtel (born Kerri Stoffregen, November 9, 1974) is a retired American racquetball player. Wachtel was the #2 women's professional player at the end of the 2006–2007, and was #5 at the end of the 2008-09 Women's Professional Racquetball Organization season. She is a former US Open Champion. Career Professional Wachtel was a top 10 player on the women's pro tour every season between 2000–01 and 2013–14, except for 2005-06 when she took some time off to have children. But upon her return to competition she had arguably her best season as she reached a career high in the rankings, finishing #2 behind Rhonda Rajsich in 2006-07. In ten of the twelve seasons Wachtel was in the top 10, she was ranked #5 or higher. Her career highlight was winning the 2001 US Open Racquetball Championships - the most prestigious pro racquetball title. She defeated Jackie Paraiso in the final, 15-13; 12-15; 15-11; 15-10. Junior and collegiate Wachtel won the US 18 & under Girls title in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Christie Van Hees
Christie Van Hees (born July 5, 1977) is a Canadians, Canadian retired racquetball player. Van Hees won two Racquetball World Championships, World Championships in women's singles and was the number one Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, women's professional player at the end of the 2004-2005 season. Professional career Van Hees's three US Open Racquetball Championships - the most prestigious pro racquetball title - are the third most by a woman behind Paola Longoria with six and Rhonda Rajsich with four. Van Hees won in 2000 and 2005, defeating Rajsich in the finals both years, and then again in 2006, when she defeated Cheryl Gudinas in the final. Her 2005 victory helped Van Hees finish that season as the #1 player in the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, women's professional rankings. Canadian and international career Van Hees has won six Canadian Championships in 1997, 1998, 2000, and three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008. Van Hees has won two International Rac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Kristen Walsh Bellows
Kristen Walsh Bellows (nee Walsh, May 5, 1982) is a retired American racquetball player. She represented the USA on four occasions, winning gold in Women's Singles at the 2005 Pan American Championships. On the women's professional racquetball tour, Walsh Bellows won once, and was twice ranked 4th in the season ending rankings. She was also a five-timUSA Racquetball(USAR) collegiate champion (three singles and two doubles titles). 1995-2001 - Junior years Walsh Bellows won her 1st USA Junior title in the Girl’s U12 division in 1995, when she won both singles and doubles with Jesi Fuller. She also played at theInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Junior Championships that year, when she and Fuller won Girls U12 Doubles. In 1996, Walsh Bellows and Fuller won Girls U14 Doubles in both the USA Junior Championships and the IRF World Junior Championships. She also won Girls U14 Singles at World Juniors, but not in the USA. Walsh Bellows played doubles with Krystal Csuk ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Cheryl Gudinas
Cheryl Gudinas (born May 11, 1967) is an American retired racquetball player. Gudinas won three ww.internationalracquetball.com International Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Championships in Women’s Singles (2000, 2002, 2004), and was the #1 player on the women's pro racquetball tour from 2000-2004, finishing in the top 10 on tour a record 21 seasons. Professional career Gudinas's professional career is highlighted by her two US Open Racquetball Championships in 2002 and 2004, which helped her attain the #1 position on the women's pro tour. She was a top 5 player on the women's pro tour from 1993-94 to 2010-2011, including four seasons as the #1 player from 2000-2004. Her 20 years ranked in the season ending top 10 is a record for women's pro racquetball. Gudinas fell to the #11 spot this past season partly due to missing the first few tournaments of the season with a foot injury. International career Gudinas won three consecutivInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF) W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Rhonda Rajsich
Rhonda Rajsich (born October 7, 1978) is an American racquetball player. She has been World Champion in Women's Singles twice, and Pan American Champion 6 times (4 times in Women's Singles & twice in Women's Doubles), as well as US Open champion four times. Rajsich was the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour season ending rankings four times – three straight seasons from 2005–06 to 2007-08 and then again in 2010–11. She is of Serbian descent. Junior career Rajsich played racquetball several years as a junior with some success, although most of it came in doubles. She won Girls U12 Doubles at the 1991 World Junior Championships with Vanessa Tulao. Rajsich and Tulao won Girls U14 Doubles at the USA Racquetball Junior Olympics in 1992 and 1993. In 1994, they won Girls U16 at both the World Junior Championships and the USA Racquetball Junior Olympics. In 1995, Rajsich began a streak of three consecutive Girls U18 Doubles at the USA Racquetball Junior O ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
