2009 World Senior Doubles

We'd like to send a shout out to the 116 participants in the 2009 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Senior Doubles Championships in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada this past weekend. This was the largest World Senior Doubles event ever. The previous participation high was 65 players in Mexico in 2008. There were 27 players from the USA, 7 from Guatemala, 1 from Mexico, and 81 from the host country.

Gary Mazaroff and Cheryl McKeeman organized the tournament: Mazaroff at the IRF level and McKeeman at the local level. McKeeman told us there was an "amazing level of play" with some "awesome racquetball."

She also thought it was great that the Guatemalans came to play, as they were very social with all the other players. McKeeman was so keen on the Guatemalans that she said "I would go to Guatemala to play."

Special notice for Vicki Panzeri, who won women's 40+ with partner Yuni Cobb, and in doing so gave up only 14 points across 12 games (each game to 11) including five donuts. She also won 45+ mixed doubles with partner Rick Howick, who also won the 40+ mixed with Cobb.

Panzeri, who played college basketball at Western Washington State, was a women's pro player on that tour in the 1980s reaching the finals 5 times and winning once in the 1984-85 season.

2009 IRF World Senior Doubles Championships
Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Champions by division

Men's 35+ Alan Lawson & Benjamin Doniego (USA)
Men's 40+ Alan Lawson & Benjamin Doniego (USA)
Men's 45+ Rick Gartel & Steve Majocha (Canada)
Men's 50+ Mark May & Terry Chong (Canada)
Men's 55+ Marvin Meissner & Ellis Wean (Canada)
Men's 60+ Barry Hendricks & Jon Walker (USA)
Men's 65+ Glenn Cunningham & Robert Cox (USA)
Men's 70+ Ron Ciccone & Jack McBride (Canada)
Men's 75+ Dave Roddan & Tevie Smith (Canada)

Women's 40+ Vicki Panzeri & Yuni Cobb (USA)
Women's 45+ JoAnne DiTommaso & Deborah Holley (Canada)
Women's 50+ Marion McBride & Noreen Hansen (Canada)
Women's 55+ Cheryl McKeeman & Penny Pratt (Canada)
Women's 65+ Gail Schaefer & Mildred Gwinn (USA)

Mixed 40+ Rick Howick & Yuni Cobb (USA)
Mixed 45+ Rick Howick & Vicki Panzeri (USA)
Mixed 50+ Diana Hambley & Rick Mattson (Canada)
Mixed 55+ Ralph Switch & Cheryl McKeeman (Canada)
Mixed 60+ Bob Bear & Marion McBride (Canada)
Mixed 65+ Jack McBride & Marion McBride (Canada)

Follow the bouncing ball....