Pan America but status quo for World Cup qualification

(by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor)
Pan America but status quo for World Cup qualification
Preparations complete, organisers working through the night to apply the final touches, a landmark event is ready to start.

The first ever ITTF Pan America Cup, an event which brings together the two continents of Latin America and North America, commences in San José, Costa Rica on Friday 28th July; however, it must be noted that each continent retains its representation at the forthcoming Uncle Pop Women’s World Cup and Liebherr Men’s World Cup to be staged later in the year.

In the past, the Latin America Cup and the North America Cup have been staged as totally separate events; the winners of the respective Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles event at each tournament qualifying for the relevant World Cup event.

The situation still applies in that each continent is eligible to be represented in both the Men’s World Cup and the Women’s World Cup.

“Regulation 2.2: The winner of each Continental Cup, plus the second and third highest finishers from Asia and Europe and the highest finisher from the Continent other than the one of the winner from the Panam Cup shall qualify, for a total of ten players.”

Thus should a player from North America win the Men’s Singles event in San José, the highest placed player from Latin America will also gain a place. The same applies if vice versa and in the Women’s Singles event.

It was a matter of discussion amongst delegates at the meeting on Thursday 27th July; however, for Alexander Zamora, the President of the Costa Rica Table Tennis Federation, as well as for Jorge Herrera and Tony Kiesenhofer, the respective representatives present from Latin America and North America, the focus was that an exciting new tournament awaits.

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