I Dig Sports
ITTF Pan American Cup 2025: Continents Top Players Set to Battle for World Cup Spots
The Americas most prestigious table tennis tournament is set to electrify Burlingame, California, as the 888 Table Tennis Centre prepares to host the 2025 ITTF Pan American Cup from 18-23 February. With a record USD 20,000 in prize money and coveted ITTF Singles World Cup qualification spots on the line for players who make it to the semifinals, the tournament promises to showcase the best table tennis talent from across the American continent.
Last years edition of the ITTF Pan American Cup in Corpus Christi, Texas, delivered remarkable moments that will be remembered in the regions table tennis history. Brazils Bruna Takahashi claimed a dramatic seven-game womens singles victory over Amy Wang, showcasing extraordinary resilience in a nail-biting final that ended 11-9 in the deciding game. On the mens side, Canadas Edward Ly wrote his own underdog story. Entering as the thirteenth seed, Ly defeated higher-ranked opponents, culminating in a stunning victory over top seed Nicolas Burgos. His four-game triumph demonstrated the unpredictable and thrilling nature of the Pan American Cup.
Host Team USAs performances further highlighted the growing competitive strength of the region, with Amy Wang and Lily Zhang both making significant impacts and later competing in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. This years tournament continues to build on that momentum, bringing together an exceptional line-up of players from across the continent.
The tournament will feature a stellar lineup of 32 players across two categories:
Mens Singles:
- Hugo Calderano (Brazil)
- Edward Ly (Canada)
- Alberto Miño (Ecuador)
- Rogelio Castro (Mexico)
- Heber Moscoso (Guatemala)
- Jorge Campos (Cuba)
- Adrián Pérez (Cuba)
- Horacio Cifuentes (Argentina)
- Eric Jouti (Brazil)
- Kanak Jha (United States)
- Eugene Wang (Canada)
- Nandan Naresh (United States)
- Daniel González (Puerto Rico)
- Brian Afanador (Puerto Rico)
- Santiago Lorenzo (Argentina)
- Marcos Madrid (Mexico)
Womens Singles:
- Adriana Díaz (Puerto Rico)
- Bruna Takahashi (Brazil)
- Amy Wang (United States)
- Lucia Zavaleta (Costa Rica)
- Marbella Aceves (Mexico)
- Daniela Fonseca (Cuba)
- Brianna Burgos (Puerto Rico)
- Giulia Takahashi (Brazil)
- Daniela Ortega (Chile)
- Lily Zhang (United States)
- Mo Zhang (Canada)
- Ana Codina (Argentina)
- Paulina Vega (Chile)
- Arantxa Cossio (Mexico)
- Ivy Liao (Canada)
- Rosalba Aguiar (Cuba)
The tournament will also feature a unique two-stage format designed to test the players skill and consistency:
- Preliminary Stage: 18-19 February 2025
- Main Draw: 21-23 February 2025
Competition Format:
- Two individual events: Mens Singles and Womens Singles
- Preliminary Stage: Knock-out system
- All preliminary matches played best of five games
- Top eight (8) players from the preliminary stage will qualify for the Main Draw
With USD 20,000 in prize money at stake, the Pan American Cup offers players a critical opportunity to showcase their skills, earn valuable ranking points, and secure a coveted spot in Macao. Table tennis enthusiasts can follow the high-stakes competition, which promises intense matches and world-class performances. The tournament represents a gateway to the world stage of table tennis, offering players a crucial platform to demonstrate their talents on an international stage.
Event Details:
- Date: 18-23 February 2025
- Venue: 888 Table Tennis Centre, Burlingame, California, United States
- Prize Money: USD 20,000
- Qualification: ITTF Singles World Cup (14-21 April 2025)
ITTF Participation Program: New Olympic Cycle Heralds Expanded Global Vision for 2025
The ITTF Participation Program enters an exciting new phase in 2025, marking the start of the LA 2028 Olympic cycle. Building on four years of remarkable success that saw over 110 Member Associations actively engaging with the program, this fifth year promises enhanced support structures and innovative development initiatives.
The true strength of table tennis lies in its grassroots. Through our Participation Program, were shaping a sustainable future by empowering our Member Associations and opening doors for young players worldwide, said Petra Sörling, ITTF President.
By participating in the ITTF Participation Program, Member Associations can access:
- Project Funding Financial support for national projects and initiatives
- ITTF Youth Development including the renewed ITTF Hopes structure
- Equipment Support Access to essential Table Tennis and Para Table Tennis equipment
- Specific Consultancy Tailored guidance from ITTF experts
- Online Services With 15 topics available
The Programs allocation will be based on rotation, MA category, regional focus, pro-activity principles, and responsiveness. Seven languages are available, ensuring accessibility for all.
The ITTF Participation Programme is dedicated to growing table tennis worldwide, with a special focus on supporting emerging Member Associations, said Mikael Andersson, ITTF Sports Development Director.
The Programs impact through 2021-2024 has been transformative, achieving:
- Engagement from 110 Member Associations globally
- Support delivery in seven languages
- Over 40% female participation across activities
- Strengthened partnerships with Special Olympics, NOCs, and government authorities
Building on four successful years of cooperation, the Participation Program continues to strengthen the bond between Member Associations and ITTF. With our focus on youth development globally and the 2026 Youth Olympic Games ahead, were enhancing our support for coach development and national teams programs, ready to welcome more Member Associations than ever before in 2025, commented Yelena Druzhkova, ITTF Head of Development Programs
For more information on the 2025 ITTF Participation Programme, please check the brochure.
Ireland optimistic over Hansen and Bealham fitness
Injury doubts Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham remain in contention to feature in Ireland's Six Nations game against Scotland on Sunday, but Tadhg Furlong and Joe McCarthy look set to again be unavailable.
Winger Hansen, 26, left the field in the first half of Saturday's win over England as a blood substitution after sustaining a cut knee though he did return to finish the victory.
Tight-head prop Bealham, meanwhile, had an ankle injury following the England game but scrum coach John Fogarty said that the Connacht pair "looked good" in training on Wednesday morning.
"They trained just now and it looks positive for both of them. They took part in the full session," said Fogarty.
The news was less positive concerning British and Irish Lions tight-head prop Furlong and lock McCarthy with Fogarty saying the Murrayfield contest is likely to "come too soon" for the Leinster duo.
Furlong missed the England game because of a calf injury with concussion ruling McCarthy out of the Aviva Stadium contest.
Ireland are already short of options for the number three jersey given Furlong's injury and with Ulster's Tom O'Toole serving the last match of a six-game ban this weekend.
Bealham was replaced for the final 21 minutes of the England game by Tom Clarkson.
'Win at any cost must be Scotland message against Ireland'
Scotland must harness the "emotional intensity" of trying to topple Ireland for the first time in eight years when the sides meet in the Six Nations on Sunday, according to Irish legend Gordon D'Arcy.
The Scots have won just one of their past 15 matches against Ireland, in 2017 under Vern Cotter, and have lost 10 in a row.
Gregor Townsend's side opened their campaign with a bonus-point win over Italy at Murrayfield, with Ireland doing likewise against England in Dublin.
D'Arcy says Scotland need to use the pain of that long winless run to fuel a big performance.
"The Scottish team talk this week, it writes itself, doesn't it?" D'Arcy told the BBC's Scotland Rugby Podcast.
"It's beautifully simple and it's win at any cost.
"Ireland will not have the same level of emotional intensity for this match as Scotland will have. If Scotland don't find a way to harness that and get this one performance out of them, that will be disappointing.
"Ireland, when you've beaten a team X amount of times in recent years, you can't get everybody in and go, 'we hate them, but we beat them last year'. So you can't really have that same level of hatred.
"So the motivation for Ireland has to be way more dispassionate and way more clinical and almost methodical. What did Dennis Leamy call Leinster? Boringly efficient. That's the type of performance that Ireland need."
Massy isn't Paris.
Not for the tourists, who stay central in search of golden-hour boulevards, bakeries and Breton stripes.
Not for the locals either, who distance themselves from the city's pretensions by describing themselves as Massicois, rather than Parisians.
But, in reality, they are too close to be anything but.
A 40-minute train ride from the sights, Massy is one of the banlieues that ring the French capital.
A satellite limbo town, it is part of Paris' sprawl, but left out of the sell made around the world.
What is for certain in these suburbs, though, is football's dominance.
As you walk up from the station, through Massy's gauntlet of squat apartment blocks, you pass youngsters wearing kits from around the world - Arsenal, Juventus and Real Madrid. The letters P, S and G are spray-painted on to spare surfaces.
It is not surprising. Paris is perhaps the most productive city in the world in forming football talent.
But Paris is not entirely pre-occupied by football.
One rugby club in particular still holds out.
Massy, formed in 1971, are in the third tier, attracting crowds of around 2,500 to a compact stadium. Their impact, though, is oversized.
In the clubhouse, small, framed photos line the walls. The subject of each wears a blue France shirt. Bastareaud stares down from one.
Cameron Woki - a star of the 2022 Grand Slam team - is two spots along. Sekou Macalou, part of the squad at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, is there. Yacouba Camara, who played at Japan 2019, is too. Jordan Joseph, named as the best young player in the world in 2018 and now a fully-fledged international, is another.
It is an extraordinary wellspring of talent. Not least for its location.
In the 1970s, the French national team was made up almost entirely of players south of the Loire River, drawing on the sport's small-town heartlands.
By the 1990s, that watershed was less distinct.
Jimmy Marlu, a product of Massy, was one of the first Parisians to break into the France team. Serge Betsen, also born and brought up in the capital, was of the same era., external
Since the turn of the century, though, the trickle has grown to a torrent, with around 50 Parisian players, the vast majority with family backgrounds outside mainland France, having represented France's men's team.
France have not picked a team without a player trained at Massy for the past five years.
More than 200 players have come from the club to represent their country at age-grade, sevens and senior level, both men's and women's.
Leo Barre is one of the latest.
The 22-year-old full-back, who scored a try in last year's 33-31 win over England, comes from the wealthy Versailles area, but would make the 30-minute trip to Massy as a 12-year-old, drawn by its successful youth scheme and values.
"It was incredible to arrive at the club like this and see the number of international players that have come through it," he says. "But also to see the atmosphere in the dressing room. There was no difference - whatever colour, origin, or social class, we were all the same.
"We were all playing for the same shirt, for Massy."
France's Ntamack to miss England game after red card
The disciplinary committee determined that the mid-range entry point of a six week/match suspension was appropriate for Ntamack's foul play.
After taking into account his guilty plea and previous disciplinary record, that punishment was reduced by 50%.
Ntamack was making his first international appearance for more than a year against Wales.
A serious knee injury caused the Toulouse star to miss a home Rugby World Cup in 2023 and last year's Six Nations, while he did not feature in his country's autumn internationals because of a calf problem.
After Saturday's game at Twickenham, France's remaining Six Nations fixtures are against Italy (23 February), Ireland (8 March) and Scotland (15 March).
France travel to Twickenham (16:45 GMT kick-off) having thrashed Wales in round one, buoyed by a 53-10 victory in this fixture two years ago.
Meanwhile, England's loss in Dublin leaves Steve Borthwick's side on a record seven-match losing run against tier one nations.
"We are the England rugby team and we want to win and we know the expectations that come with it," senior coach Richard Wigglesworth told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
"I have no problem with people wanting to see more wins because that is what I want and what we are all working towards.
"The outcome that we want is to win, so we are not avoiding that."
England are also set to make changes in the back row and in the back three, with Tom Willis understood to be in line for a first Test start at number eight.
Wigglesworth says the coaches need to weigh up consistent selection with picking the right team to beat France.
"What England did for many, many years was chop and change the team, so you end up with low levels of cohesion and low levels of trust in the coaches," he said.
"And that didn't work for a long time.
"We know what hasn't worked in the past and we don't want to be panicked into making the same mistake.
"But we have to weigh up all those things and get the right team on the field."
Increased Point Fund Highlights New ACT Season
BARRE, Vt. Following Mondays announcement of a multi-year partnership between Milton CAT and the American-Canadian Tour, officials released Wednesday an increased point fund for the upcoming season.
The Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour will see a 50-percent increase in season ending point fund money to full time participants, with the champion set to earn $20,000.
Not only has the champions share of the point fund doubled, officials have also allocated an additional $10,000 increase that will be dispersed among the top-10 finalists.
Traditionally the ACT point fund has been paid out to the top-15 full-time drivers, but officials are further prepared to pay out any full-time driver and push that 50-percent increase even higher.
More still is the separate Rookie of the Year point fund which pays an additional $1,000 to the Rookie of the Year. All other full-time freshman drivers will also receive a portion of the separate rookie point fund.
This is not the first time that American-Canadian Tour ownership partners Cris Michaud and Pat Malone have increased the point funds for the international touring series. When the two first purchased ACT in 2017, they immediately made a 35-percent increase that has only been eclipsed by Wednesdays announcement.
Pat and I are proud to grow the ACT point fund once again with the help of Milton CAT, said ACT managing partner Cris Michaud. Like us, Milton CAT believes in rewarding our racers after a hard-fought season across the region. Last year we gambled to bring the base purses up to a $5,000 to win, $500 to start format and the racers supported us completely. Now, were taking the next step to increase the point fund and further support those that support the Tour.
Were excited to get things started at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour embarks on a record-breaking season with over $70,000 in season ending awards, all 14 championship events paying at least $5,000 to win, five of those events paying above and beyond the $5,000 benchmark and the special $100,000 Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank in October.
Cole Vanderheiden Joins Forces with Mike VanderEcken
PAPILLION, Neb. With the upcoming season approaching, 17-year-old Cole Vanderheiden is set to drive a 410 Sprint Car at Iowas Knoxville Raceway for Mike VanderEcken, a 2012 Hall of Fame inductee at the historic Iowa track.
Vanderheiden, a Nebraska native, is coming off an impressive 2024 season and a strong Chili Bowl Nationals debut in early January. The move to 410 Sprint Cars represents a significant step forward in his career and he is eager to work alongside VanderEcken, a veteran car owner with over three decades of experience in the sport.
Im really looking forward to working with Mike and his team in 2025, Vanderheiden said. Mike brings a wealth of experience as a car owner, and I believe well make a great team.
Hes a respected figure in Knoxvilles racing history, and Im thrilled to be starting this next chapter of my career.
VanderEcken, who will be celebrating his 36th year as a car owner this year, shared his enthusiasm about the partnership, noting Vanderheidens growing skill set and relentless drive for success as key factors in his decision to offer the Nebraska racer a full-time ride at Knoxville.
I watched this kid run weekly at Husets [Speedway] on DirtVision and he caught my eye, VanderEcken said. After seeing how impressive he looked in his Chili Bowl debut, I sent him a message on Facebook that next morning to let him know that I was interested. He messaged me back shortly after but it wasnt until late last week that we solidified our plans for 2025.
I would love to see him get the Rookie of the Year and finish top 10 in points.
Vanderheiden is set to compete in all 410 events at Knoxville for VanderEcken Motor$port$, with the partnership making its debut at the Sprint Car Capital of the World on April 18 and 19 during the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series weekend.
Editors Note: In a nod to our 90 years of history, each week SPEED SPORT will look back at the top stories from 15, 30 and 60 years ago as told in the pages of National Speed Sport News.
15 Years Ago 2010
News: USAC has elected Jeff Stoops as chairman of its board of directors and nominated Feld USAC Motorsports President Charlie Mancuso to that board of directors.
Stoops, a long-term board member; replaces retiring chairman John Capels, who held the position for eight years. Stoops is a former sponsor and car owner and is the president of Stoops Freightliner.
Mancuso joins the board of directors for the first time but is no stranger to the motorsports industry. Mancuso oversees Feld Motorsports, which owns various motorsports companies, including the IHRA NitroJam Drag Racing Series, Monster Jam Series, AMA Supercross Series, AMA Arenacross Series, Freestyle Motocross and Nuclear Cowboyz.
Other members of the USAC board of directors include Tony George; Brett Frood, EVP of Stewart-Haas Racing; Curt Brighton, CEO of Hulman and Company; Sterling Pratz, CEO of Autonet Mobile; Peter Morse, partner at Barnes and Thornburg; and Ricky Johnson, seven-time AMA Motorcyle Champion.
Winners: Bobby Gerhart scored a record sixth ARCA victory Saturday at Daytona Intl Speedway, but most of the attention went to the sixth-place finisher of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.
IZOD IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick drove a smart race in the beginning, but after she went three-wide with Nelson Piquet, Jr. on lap 53, she got punted across the infield grass and fell back to 24th place. What she did after that showed she has true potential in this form of racing as she was able to battle back to as high as fifth with three laps to go before finishing sixth.
Shortly after winning the race, the grizzled Gerhart was happy that his victory was being overlooked because of the attention Patrick brought to this race.
Im glad she was here, Gerhart said. It brought some much-needed attention to the series. I actually welcome the opportunity to have a national platform.
Not even Gerhart could meet the IndyCar Series driver, who was mobbed by fans and media after the race. Patricks team owner, Kelley Earnhardt, said the crowd around Patrick was bigger than what Dale, Jr: has been involved in in quite some time.
I didnt see her or talk to her all week, said Gerhart. How about that? But I did notice this extremely large group of media outside her trailer near mine. I thought they were coming to see me.
As for Patricks race, it was certainly a learning experience.
I definitely learned how to use the fenders a little bit, Patrick said. I felt the fenders, too. I dont care that l did because now I know what it felt like to be pushed up the track. I wanted to be smart, make it to the end and learn something in this race.
It was really cool to come back in the top-five again. I really said, what the heck, I made it this far, so I jumped up high and didnt have many takers up there. It was a lot of fun. I was bumped from the side, bumped from the front, bumped from the back. I had so much fun in a race car today: I cant wait to do it again.
30 Years Ago 1995
News: Plans for a proposed race track near Vicksburg, Miss., are progressing according to American Racing League President Jim Belisle.
Speculation that the project was in jeopardy was dashed by Belisle, who hopes to create several identical tracks for use by a spec-car racing series in the near future.
Belisle told NBBN Monday that construction on Mississippi National Speedway should begin before the end of this month.
We will start to push dirt and build levies, Belisle said. We have to build levies as part of the sewer system. In all we have 3 million cubic yards of dirt to move, so it is a large project.
We will have the facility complete, including both race tracks and hotel construction by 1996 to hold our first event in June of that year, added Belisle, who also updated this newspaper on the progress of a second ARL track in Reno, Nev.
We have acquired the site in Reno and we have some more site planning to do there, but we hope to begin construction there in the third quarter of this year and have it completed by the end of 1996, Belisle said. Once the levy system is built, we can begin moving dirt for the actual construction at the Vicksburg (Miss.) site, Belisle concluded. The weather is good enough there to build 12 months a year.
Winners: If Kenny Schrader could pick winners like he does drivers for the Daytona ARCA 200, hell have friends lining up to take him to the dog track.
Driving instructor Andy Hillenburg gave the Winston Cup regular his second consecutive victory in the ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Supercar Series opener, holding his own in a wild dash to the finish in a traditional slam-bang event.
Hillenburg held off Gary Bradberry, defending winner Mike Wallace, Joe Ruttman and Bob Hill in a sprint to the caution flag with three laps remaining, and then took the checkered flag under the caution as safety crews cleaned up the debris resulting from a wild ride taken by Pennsylvania chauffeur Andy Belmont.
Defending ARCA champion Bobby Bowsher was up front on a restart with nine laps remaining, and held his own for three circuits in a tight nine-car pack before being shuffled back. Belmont, who started 23rd but ran in the top 10 most of the race, was bumped by Bowsher as he tried to get by, got up in the air, briefly atop Bowshers car, and then rolled violently six times before coming to a stop. Unhurt, Belmont leaped to the roof of has battered car to let his spotters and the crowd know he was OK.
Hillenburg, a 31-year-old Indianapolis native, came from the 20th starting position to notch hls first career ARCA and superspeedway triumph in Schraders Air Orlando Chevrolet Lumina.
Bradberry placed second in his own Chevrolet followed by Wallace in the Duron Paints Ford, Ruttman in the Roulo Brothers Chevrolet and Hill in the Friskies/Clement Mack Chevrolet.
60 Years Ago 1965
News: Scotlands Jim Clark, the road racing champion of the world in 1963, will make his third attempt to win the annual 500-mile classic at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this year as the No. 1 driver of a three-car team entered by Colin Chapman of Team Lotus, Ltd.
Clarks fellow drivers have not yet been selected, but all three will be in the cockpits of new Lotus powered by Ford rear-engine creations similar to those which have attracted so much attention at Indianapolis during the last two years.
Clarks two previous performances at Indianapolis have been outstanding and he holds the present one-lap and four-lap qualifying records of 159.337 and 158.828 miles per hour, respectively.
As a newcomer to the 500 in 1963, he led the field for 28 laps and finished second to Parnelli Jones, forcing the winner to a new race record of 143.137 mph.
Last year, after boosting the official track record close to 160 mph to win the No. 1 starting position, he charged to the front twice during the early stages of the contest, but failed to finish due to suspension failure caused by tire trouble.
Ten of the 11 entries received to date are rear-engine cars and all top-ranking favorites probably will be driving equipment of this type when they shoot at Clarks records during the official time trials on the weekends of May 15-16 and May 22-23. Practice will be permitted beginning May 1.
Other drivers already assigned to cars include Len Sutton, Jim Hurtubise, Lloyd Ruby, Bob Veith, Walter Hansgen and rookie Mickey Rupp.
Winners: Sundays second annual 250-mile ARCA late model stock car classic at Daytona Intl Speedway produced 27 caution laps, 10 lead changes, plus several demolished cars, and when it was all over, 47-year-old Ignatius (Iggy) Katona pulled into victory lane with his oil-spattered 1964 Ford.
Katona averaged 132.684 mph for the 250 miles, far off the 154.103 mph record set last year by Nelson Stacy. Katona banked $5,450 of the $37,000 purse for his one hour, 53-minute ride.
Finishing second, three car lengths back was Andy Hampton, also driving a 64 Ford. Rounding out the top 10 were Benny Parsons, 64 Ford; Harry Pick, 64 Mercury; Jack Bowsher, 65 Ford; Ralph ODay, 64 Plymouth; Blaine Kaufman, 64 Ford; Junior Spencer. 64 Ford; Danny Byrd, 64 Ford; and Harold Smith, 64 Mercury.
Only 13 of the 33 starters were running at the finish, and eight cars dropped out before 25 miles became history.
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