Sea-Tac Pickleball Skills tournament

Sea-Tac Pickleball Skills Tournament is happening Saturday & Sunday September 15 & 16, 2012. This will be the closest USAPA tournament to us in the Lower Mainland, BC.  There will be divisions in Men's doubles, women's doubles, mixed doubles, ladies singles, and mens singles. *You will need to be a member of the USAPA, which is a different membership than Pickleball Canada.* Of course each of those divisions are broken up further into USAPA ratings classes: 3.5 and under (beginner), 4.0 (intermediate), 4.5 (advanced) 5.0 (4.5 & 5.0 players only or the tops.) This tournament draws North Americas top pickleball players: Steve Wong, Chris Miller, Billy Jacobsen, Mark Friedenburg, Tim Nelson, Jenifer Lucore, Darcy Jacobsen, and many others. This tournament is proof that Canada needs to adopt the player ratings of the USAPA for all it's tournaments. Many pickleball groups in Canada have already started to adopt this rating, but many tournaments in Canada are just simply recreational or competitive, which can be very diverse in their abilities. If you are a competitive pickleballer in BC, and you want to up your skills, experience then make a push to be at this great semi-local tournament. Go to USAPA tournament schedule to download your entry form.

1st Ever Canadian pickleball nationals

If you are a Canadian (or American) pickleball fanatic, then being in Abbotsford, BC, Canada last weekend, July 7, 8, 2012 was THE place to be. The first ever canadian pickleball nationals drew 180 participants from all over North America. It was neat to talk with players from California, Arizona, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Washington, and many others. There were some that had played in countless tournaments, and others who were entering with virgin experience, but in the end everyone enjoyed the experience. American Pickleball champions: Billy & Darcie Jacobsen, Chris Miller, and Jennifer Lucore displayed their pickleball prowess winning many golds. Asked why they would come up to Abbotsford, and they replied, "This is the first ever Canadian nationals for pickleball, and British Columbia is a growing hotbed for pickleball." 2012 Pickleball Canada National Open Championship on July 7 -8, 2012:  Here is the list of winners (highlighting our Abbotsford/Chilliwack winners)

20  Events     GOLD                SILVER              BRONZE

OPEN Singles Mens Billy Jacobsen (Seattle,WA) Chris Miller (WA) Brian Lam (Coquitlam, BC)

OPEN Singles Womens Jennifer Lucore (San Deigo,CA) Darcie Jacobsen (Seattle, WA)

OPEN Doubles Mixed Zhekhovskaya/Zhekhovsky (Surrey,BC) Caldwell/Orcutt (Surrey,BC) Iggulden/Iggulden (Surrey,BC)

OPEN Doubles Mens Jacobsen/Miller (Seattle, WA) Skinner/Zhekhovskiy (Surrey,BC) Power/Wagner (Kelowna,BC)

OPEN Doubles Womens Lucore/Jacobsen (Seattle,WA, California) Lerner/Zhekhovskaya (Surrey,BC) Orcutt/lehman (Surrey, Nanaimo,BC)

Under 55 Doubles Mixed Schwarz/Schwarz (Kelowna ,BC) Lam/Postler (Coquitlam,BC/Kelowna)Fosbery/Fosbery (Kelowna,BC)

Under 55 Doubles Mens Schwarz/Fosbery (Kelowna,BC) Power/Wagner (Kelowna,BC) Gene Latray/Ken Franz (Abbotsford, BC)

Under 55 Doubles Womens Schwarz/Fosbery (Kelowna,BC) Iggulden/Coss (Surrey,BC) Saunders/Power (Kelowna, BC)

55+ Doubles Mixed, NicholsBourne (Vernon, BC) Jmaeff/Jmaeff (Kelowna,BC) Stern/Savoy (Nanaimo, BC)

55+ Doubles Mens, Ellis/Iggulden (Surrey, BC) Evans/Priebe (Regina,SK/Surrey,BC)McWilliam/Morgan (Kelowna,BC)

55+ Doubles Womens, Postler/Edwards (Surrey, BC) Jackson/Jmaeff (Kamloops/Kelowna,BC) Debbie Holley/Claire Pool (Abbotsford, BC)

60+ Doubles Mixed, Kusch/Lerner (Surrey, BC) Saunders/Saunders (Kelowna,BC) Gillis/Mah (Surrey, BC)

60+ Doubles Mens, Kusch/Touchet (Surrey, BC) Bourne/Banns (Surrey, BC) Matt Khan/Henry Meerkerk (Abbotsford, BC)

60+ Doubles Womens, Kathy Parkes/Judy Van Aert(Chilliwack,BC/Langley,BC) Crawford/Peusepp (Kelowna, BC) Roper/Kusch (California, USA/Surrey, BC)

65+ Doubles Mixed, Hill/Oehlenschlaeger (Nanaimo,BC) Darvill/Griffiths 
(Ladner,BC/Chilliwack,BC) Jetalina/Jetalina (Surrey, BC)

65+ Doubles Mens, Darvill/Meltsner (Ladner, BC/Blaine,WA) Ross/Saunders (Surrey,BC/Kelowna,BC) Hill/Parkes (Surrey,BC/Chilliwack, BC)

65+ Doubles Womens, Hill/Jetelina (Surrey, BC) Booth/Brown (Kelowna, BC) Mandy Witt/Gerry Logan (Abbotsford, BC)

70+ Doubles Mixed, Kennedy/Loskot (Surrey,BC/CA) Haworth/Hill (Chilliwack,BC/AZ) Orlosvky/Orlovsky (North Vancouver, BC)

70+ Doubles Mens, Jetelina/Kennedy (Surrey,BC) Mezei/Metivier (Surrey, BC) Ed Burke/Jerry Rudolph (Kelowna,BC/ (Abbotsford, BC)

70+ Doubles Womens Haworth/Loskot (Chilliwack/BC/Surrey,BC) Stockman/Griffiths (Lynden,WA,Chilliwack,BC)Penink/Thompson (Kelowna, BC)

USAPA Nationals Champions playing at Canadian nationals

2 of pickleballs top players are coming to play at the Canadian Pickleball Nationals in Abbotsford, July 7-8, 2012. Billy Jacobsen (top Left) and Chris Miller (Right) have won gold in men's open singles & men's open doubles. I've seen youtube clips of these 2 gentleman playing, and you can tell why they are the best. It will be great to see these 2 and many more in Abbotsford next week. If you haven't decided if you were coming, make plans now to witness North America's best pickleball players and supporters. We at Pickleball International will be on hand selling pickleball supplies both days. come by to watch and say Hi to us at the booth.