2023 Tournament of Champions: The untold story of the Selkirk Sweep

 

The Historic Selkirk Sweep at the 2022 Tournament of Champions

The 2023 Tournament of Champions (TOC) professional pickleball event marked an unprecedented achievement, with players representing Selkirk Sport accomplishing a historic sweep of the gold medals across all divisions. Established in 1984, the TOC is renowned as the longest-running and most prestigious major on the pro circuit. Taking place annually in picturesque Heber City, Utah, the TOC attracts the top athletes in the sport. In 2023, it cemented itself as an unforgettable showcase of excellence from Team Selkirk. Electrifying Men's Doubles Final Culminates in Dramatic Selkirk Victory The Men's Doubles final pitted Selkirk's Tyson McGuffin and James Ignatowich against Riley Newman and AJ Koller of Team Takeya. Known for their energetic playing style and ability to feed off big-game moments, Tyson and James entered the match focused on executing their patterns and supporting each other throughout. After getting dominated early and falling behind 0-2, Tyson and James demonstrated their gritty determination and made pivotal in-game adjustments to mount an epic comeback. With the Utah crowd passionately cheering them on, Tyson raised his level of play while James came through in the clutch, blasting untouchable shots from the baseline. After taking a close game to five, a series of sensational rallies culminated with James sealing a marathon point following Tyson's slip and tumble to give Selkirk the dramatic win. An emotional Tyson and James celebrated capturing their first title together amidst the electric atmosphere. Mixed Doubles Final Victory Secured After Opponent's Injury Tyson McGuffin paired up with fellow Team Selkirk member Catherine Parenteau in Mixed Doubles and faced a tough test against veterans Pat Smith and Tina Pisnik in the semi-finals on Friday night. After grinding out a close two-game win late into the evening, Tyson and Catherine returned on Saturday morning for the final against Smith and Pisnik. However, after winning a competitive first two games, Pat suffered an apparent concussion that forced him to withdraw from the match. Though anti-climactic, the default victory gave Tyson and Catherine their first TOC gold together as Catherine quickly shifted her focus to the Women's Doubles final. Parenteau Leans on Partner Todd to Capture Women's Doubles Title Despite limited time to prepare together, Catherine Parenteau and fellow Selkirk athlete Parris Todd exuded confidence entering the Women's Doubles championship match against Utah natives Allyce Jones and Callie Smith. However, the Utah pair came out firing and dominated the opener. Catherine and Parris regrouped heading into Game 2, playing more patiently and controlling the action with precise shot-making. After leveling the match, they rode their momentum to a gritty 11-5 win in the deciding game to give Selkirk another gold. McGuffin Wins Singles and Historic Triple Crown Eyeing an unprecedented achievement, Tyson McGuffin battled Connor Garnett in the Men's Singles final. Tyson felt comfortable after training extensively with Garnett leading up to the event. Though he cruised in the first game, Connor forced Tyson into countless long rallies in Game 2 and shocked the heavy favorite by taking a massive lead. Recognizing the urgency, Tyson tapped into his reputation for comeback ability and clawed all the way back to pull out the game and punctuate the victory with an around-the-post winner. By capturing the singles title, Tyson completed the extraordinary feat of winning gold in all 3 divisions at the same TOC for his first career Triple Crown. Parenteau Caps Selkirk Sweep With Triple Crown of Her Own Watching Tyson's triumph provided added motivation for Catherine Parenteau ahead of the Women's Singles final against Salome Devidze. Using a tactic of moving Salome side-to-side to create angles, Catherine executed her game plan effectively and kept her opponent off balance. With fitness on her side, Catherine grinded through long rallies and secured a two-game sweep. Her singles gold completed a rare same-day triple crown, making Catherine and Tyson the first mixed doubles partners to accomplish the feat together. Catherine's dominant performance put the finishing touch on the memorable Selkirk sweep. The 2022 TOC will be remembered for the skill, intensity and determination demonstrated by Selkirk athletes. Powered by Catherine Parenteau and Tyson McGuffin's breakthrough triple crowns, Selkirk's sweep across all pro divisions illustrated the brand's impressive depth, with Parris Todd and James Ignatowich also standing atop the podium. With their passion and perseverance on full display, Selkirk's stars made history on the game's biggest stage.

1. 00:13 Tyson McGuffin wins his first ever Triple Crown at the Tournament of Champions.
2. 00:33 The Tournament of Champions is the longest ongoing major pickleball tournament.
3. 01:06 Tyson McGuffin sees the Tournament of Champions as a special and historic event to win.
4. 01:18 The crowd at the Tournament of Champions is very enthusiastic and engaged.
5. 01:56 Tyson McGuffin and James IGN bring a lot of energy and hype to their team.
6. 02:36 Tyson and James focus on executing what works for them going into the final.
7. 03:19 Tyson and James adapt their strategy during the match to mount a comeback.
8. 04:11 James IGN scores a rare golden pickle point against Riley Newman and AJ Krew.
9. 04:55 James hits a big two-handed backhand winner on match point.
10. 05:18 Tyson trips and James plays 1 vs 2 to win the decisive point and match.
11. 05:59 Tyson and James win their first title together in dramatic fashion.
12. 06:46 Catherine and Tyson win the mixed doubles semi-final match late on Friday night.
13. 08:29 Catherine and Tyson win the mixed doubles final by default after Pat Smith had to withdraw.
14. 08:57 After mixed doubles, Catherine refocuses quickly on women's doubles final with partner Paris.
15. 10:41 Catherine and Paris defeat the Utah pair in the women's doubles final.
16. 12:42 Tyson beats Connor Garnett in the men's singles final to complete his Triple Crown.
17. 13:27 Tyson comes back from a big deficit in game two to force a third game.
18. 14:22 Tyson celebrates his historic Triple Crown win emotionally with the crowd.
19. 15:02 Tyson credits his support team for helping him achieve the Triple Crown.
20. 15:45 After watching Tyson's win, Catherine is inspired to win the women's singles title.
21. 17:07 Catherine completes her own Triple Crown by winning women's singles.