1999 Harlingen Winter Open
Viktor Subonj wins $1000 event
The strongest contingent yet traveled down to the Texas/Mexico border to compete in this years Winter Open, November 13 & 14 at the Harlingen Table Tennis Club. With $1000 in prize money, players in the top ten in the U.S. competed against each other. Viktor Subonj at 2566 (USATT rating), led the power group from Houston and ran away with first place in the A division. Mexico was also well represented with contenders from Monterey an Rionosa.
Unfortunately, Mexico was running the Mexican Open at the same time.
Many of that countries top players chose to go for the title in Mexico
City. (The Mexican Open ended up being won
by Houston's Eric Owens over Canada's Horatio
Pintea.) Never the less, the tournament filled out all the way
down to the 'E' division. We were treated to the first major tournament
of Mexican phenom, Rudolfo Garza, Jr. He is a true prodigy and placed
second in the E's at only 9 years old! Sue
battled bravely throughout and was the only one in that division (other
than the winner Jose' Choquehuanca) to take a game off of him. 
While Houston dominated the A's with Viktor taking first, Taju Oshodi second, and Roxanna Subonj third, Sergio Muniz seized top honors for the below the border gang by winning the 'B' division. A Houston/San Antonio combo took the top place in doubles as Taju and Julie Chase sailed through without losing a game. Harlingen and the surrounding Rio Grand Valley area is a Mecca for those wishing to escape the ravages of winter and to find the most delicious citrus fruits in the U.S.!
Sue and Terry went shopping
in the Weslaco region and scored
quite a haul. Bob
Salmeron was the perfect Tournament Director as he arranged
a reception for all of the tournament participants at Tuscany's Restaurant
in downtown Harlingen. There was coverage in the paper and TV showed
up on Sunday to do stories on Viktor and Rudolfo. The Harlingen Table
Tennis Club also featured their new
playing shirts. Very nice!
A Division:
Viktor Subonj, Houston
Taju Oshodi, Houston
Roxanna Subonj, Houston
Amir Hormozi,
Corpus Christi
Randy Medcalf,
Houston
Akin Popoola,
Harlingen
B Division: Sergio Muniz, Mexico - Vergil Datu, Harlingen
C Division: Rudolfo Garza, Sr., Mexico - John Miller, Austin
D Division:
E: Division: Jose' Choquehaunca, Harlingen - Rudolfo Garza Jr.,
Mexico
Be sure to make plans to come to the Spring Open in March of 2000!
