FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                            March 12, 2008

INTERNATIONAL TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONS TO COMPETE FOR SHARE OF $13,000 IN CARY CUP CHAMPIONSHIP

Athletes prepare for Olympic Trials, citizens invited to participate in clinic

CARY, NC – More than 300 international athletes will gather in Cary to compete in the 2008 Butterfly Cary Cup Championship – the largest round robin table tennis competition in the USA –March 13-16, 2008 at the Bond Park Community Center, 150 Metro Drive in Cary.  As part of the Cary Cup Championship, top U.S. National Team members, Canadian Team members and International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Pro-Tour Players will vie for their share of over $13,000 total in prize money at the Cary Cup. A 4-star sanctioned competition by USA Table Tennis, the Cary Cup is the last major competition for elite American and Canadian athletes to compete against one another prior to the upcoming North American Olympic Team Trials to be held April 4-6 in Vancouver , Canada . 

“We’re pleased to host this event that attracts more international participants than any other non-team event in the country,” said Cary ’s Recreation Manager Dwayne Jones.  “Everyone is invited to come out and catch some of the world’s most talented table tennis players in action.  Even better, this is your chance to show off your table tennis skills during a free clinic.”

Local table tennis players and those interested in learning to play are invited to participate in a clinic on Friday, March 14, 3-4 p.m. ; interested players should bring a racquet.  Also, local players of all ages and skill levels are invited to sign up for the April Middle Creek Open – the second event on the 2008 Butterfly North Carolina Point Tour on Saturday, April 19 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. ; registration is first come, first serve and is limited to 48 players. 

Numerous top Canadian and Nigerian athletes who competed in the first round of the 49th World Team Championships in Guangzhou China in February 2008 will participate in this year’s Cary Cup Championship.  Athletes from these two highly skilled teams will battle it out against the other international players from China , Africa , the Middle East , and Europe .

More than 30 top seed athletes are expected to play including Nigerian Segun Toriola, currently ranked #106 in the world and an active ITTF Pro Tour Player. Other top competitors include Zhen Wang ( Canada #2), Han Xiao ( US #5) and Eric Owens ( US #13).

The Butterfly Cary Cup is supported by many corporate and governmental sponsors, including Martin-Kilpatrick Corporation – the distributor for Butterfly table tennis equipment in North America and the major sponsor of the Cary Cup Championship.  Also, the Cary Table Tennis Association and the Town of Cary support the annual event.

For more, including a complete schedule of events, visit Table Tennis at www.townofcary.org or call (919) 601-1914.

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