USA WINS THIRD STRAIGHT TITLE AT WORLD CUP – OF TABLE SOCCER

Nantes, France - Perhaps it's time for the men's U.S. National Soccer Team to take note – or lessons – from the U.S. National TABLE Soccer Team. Having decisively defeated their nearest competitor Denmark in the final, they've just won their third consecutive World Cup title at the 2011 International Table Soccer Federation's combined World Championships and World Cup – of "Foosball" held last weekend in Nantes, France.

Yes, you read that right: foosball, a.k.a. "table soccer." You know, it's that game with miniature soccer men attached to rods that spin around to hit a little ball on a kitchen table sized soccer field. As it turns out, there's much more to it than that, as nearly 500 of the world's most elite players from up to 40 countries faced off this weekend in Nantes, France at the ITSF's combined World Cup and World Championship tournaments.

Not that the U.S. foosball team had it easy. World #1-ranked Team Germany, #2 Netherlands and arch-rival France all had their sights on an upset, as did others from as far away as Brazil, India, Japan and South Africa. Each team, having selected eight of their nation's best players, competed in a combination of doubles and singles events. And in a true test of all around foosball skills, competition took place on five different official styles of tables: Tornado Table Soccer™, Bonzini™, Garlando, Lehmacher Tech-Ball, and Roberto-Sport.

In the World Championships portion of the tournament the USA's Men's teams grabbed still more victories, with Brandon Moreland and Tom Yore teaming up to defeat World #1-ranked team Frédéric Collignon and Davy Dehoest of Belgium in Men's Doubles. Meanwhile, USA's Steve Corioso and Steve Mori took the World Championship title in Senior Doubles over Germany, with Mori also earning second place in Senior Singles.

So who is the U.S. National, 2011 World Cup of Table Soccer Championship team? They are: Dan Barber (CO), Robert Mares (CO), Jesse Maynard (TN), Ryan Moore (KY), Brandon Moreland (TX), Bruce Nardoci (NC), Tony Spredeman (WI), Matt Steward (LA), and Tom Yore (FL). The women's World Cup event also featured an exceptional USA team: Tommie Bagley (CO), Shelly Langley (CO), Jan Maynard (TN), Dallas Smith (TX), Joy Steward (LA), Melanee Tosh (TX) and Cissi Whipple (TX). Additional qualifiers for the combined event include seniors Steve Corioso (CA), Marty Jones (NC), Charles Mackintosh (NC), Steve Mori (UT) and juniors Daniel Colter (MS), Evan Jones (NC) and Collin Taylor (NC).

The combined tournaments were sanctioned by the ITSF and hosted by the French Table Soccer Federation (Fédération Française de Football de Table). Sponsors included Region Pays de la Loire, Ville de Nantes, and SUBWAY® Restaurants among others. Media partners included EuroSport2, Kozoom Production, Nantes 7 and Presse Ocean.

Other ITSF 2011 World Tour events are scheduled to take place in China, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Kingdom and more. In fact, this year's tour is expected to be the largest worldwide table soccer pro tour ever!!

For additional details about this event and the sport of table soccer, please see the following websites:

www.ustsf.org – USTSF official web site / Pro Tour & U.S. National Team sponsorship opportunities
www.itsfworldtour.com – Complete results, pairing brackets and more!!

Or contact: Christine Cabrera, ITSF, Tel: +33-240-479-084; Email: info@table-soccer.org
Larry Davis, USTSF Media Advisor, Tel: +1-563-580-9485; Email: larry.davis@ustsf.foosball.com