World Championship Starts Next Friday

The first pitch at the International Softball Federation’s (ISF) VII Jr. Men’s (fast pitch) World Championship (19-and-under) is just over a week away, with teams from ten countries set to compete in Summerside, Prince Edward Island (Canada).  Argentina, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, United States, and Venezuela will all participate in the event, which will take place June 24-July 3 in VIV Field.

Australia comes in as the defending Jr. Men’s world champion, having won the last event, which took place in April of 2001 in Sydney, Australia.  Japan won the silver medal and Canada took the bronze.  It was Australia’s second straight ISF Jr. Men’s World Championship gold medal after having won the 1997 event by beating New Zealand in the grand final.  The last Jr. Men’s world champion other than Australia was Canada, who won the 1993 event in New Zealand, defeating the host team in the grand final.

Of note is that Denmark, who qualified for this event by winning the IV Junior European Softball Championship in 2004 in France, will be making their first-ever appearance in an ISF Jr. Men’s World Championship.

Play begins next Friday (June 24) with the United States taking on the Czech Republic at 10:00 a.m. (local time), followed by Japan taking on Denmark at 12 Noon.  New Zealand will face Argentina that afternoon at 2:00 p.m., and then following the 4:00 game between Australia and Mexico, Opening Ceremonies will take place, featuring, among other highlights, the Summerside Community Choir girls, a welcome from ISF President Don Porter, and the ceremonial first pitch.

The official website of the VII Jr. Men’s World Championship has rosters of all ten teams, press releases from the organizing committee, news from the teams, the full game schedule, and more.  Visit http://www.2005worldsoftball.com/ for information on this year’s ISF world championship, which is the highlight of the world governing body’s year-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of the first-ever softball world championship (five women’s teams competed in February of 1965 in Australia).

The ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF).  Softball (women's fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta.  There are 126 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.

MEDIA: For more information, please contact ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@internationalsoftball.com, (1.813) 864 0100, ext. 229, or (1.813) 453 8762 (cell).