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Fallsview crowns new WPT title winners

NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario – (PRESS RELEASE) -- With the first-ever WORLD POKER TOUR(R) (WPT) Canadian tournament stops in the history books, Fallsview Casino Resort has crowned its two new WPT title winners - one each for the inaugural WPT Canadian Open and the WPT North American Poker Championship (NAPC).

From October 22 through October 28, the Fallsview Casino Resort welcomed a combined field of 793 local and U.S. poker players for the two events, which had a combined prize pool of almost $5.7 million. Many professional poker players were among the entrants in both tournaments-including Daniel Negreanu, Isabelle Mercier, Gavin Smith, John Juanda, Alan Cunningham, Dan Harrington, Barry Greenstein, Joe Sebok, Brad Booth, and more. In the end, 10 out of the 12 final table players in the two events were from Canada, with an amateur Canadian player taking the NAPC title and a young American poker pro capturing the first-ever Canadian Open title.

"We were thrilled and overwhelmed with the amazing turnout and support of the two WPT events from the spectators, press and players," said Greg Medulun, Manager of Corporate Communications for Fallsview Casino Resort. "We couldn't have asked for better results for WPT's first foray into Canada."

Playing through a field of 497 players, 27-year-old amateur poker player Soren Turkewitsch of Oshawa, Ontario, battled the remaining five players in an eight-hour final table of the NAPC on October 30 to take home a first-prize of over $1.3 million. Turkewitsch, an automobile factory worker, secured his $10,300 entry by winning a $90 satellite tournament, which he parlayed into a $160 satellite tournament win then a seat in the NAPC. The NAPC was Turkewitsch's first major poker tournament.

Placing second in the NAPC was professional poker player Jason "Bigbird" Sagle of Sudbury, Ontario, who won over $600,000. John Lam of Toronto placed third; Jim Worth of Oakville, Ontario, placed fourth; John Juanda of Alhambra, California, placed fifth; and Marc Karam of Ottawa, Ontario, placed sixth. The final table, which was taped in front of a live audience in the Avalon Ballroom at Fallsview Casino Resort, will air on the Travel Channel in the spring of 2007.

The final table for the WPT Canadian Open, which drew 296 players to Fallsview Casino Resort, was held on October 30. Placing first was 25-year-old Scott Clements of Mt. Vernon, Washington, who claimed the first-ever WPT Canadian Open title and more than $250,000 in prize money.

Finishing behind Clements in the Canadian Open was poker pro Tony O'Hagan of Paris, Ontario, who placed second; Vince Sassa of Toronto placed third; Terris Preston of Toronto placed fourth; Steve Buttery of Windsor, Ontario, placed fifth; and Dang Trinh of Toronto placed sixth.

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