FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 17, 1996

1996 Portland Badminton Classic

(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.) - Donna Beach and Andrea Edstrom, 
resident athletes at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado 
Springs, Colo., took their second consecutive women's 
doubles title by winning the Portland Classic, November 15-
17, at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Ore. 

Beach and Edstrom teamed to defeat Eileen Tang (Chino, 
Calif.) and Shannon Hsu (Costa Mesa, Calif.) in the finals 
of women's doubles, 18-14, 15-6. The finals match-up was a 
replay of the women's doubles final at the St. Louis Classic 
in October, where Beach and Edstrom also prevailed. Both 
events are National Team Qualifiers and are included in USA 
Badminton's five-tournament "Classic" series, the national 
grand prix circuit for badminton.

In men's doubles action, James Horng (Chinese-Tapei) and 
Morten Auscher (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) defeated Mike Edstrom 
and Stanley Wo, both resident athletes at the Olympic 
Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., 15-2, 15-6. This 
was Auscher's second consecutive men's doubles title, as he 
also won men's doubles at the  St. Louis Classic last month. 

The women's singles title was taken by Cindy Shi of China, 
who dominated competition on her way to a finals victory 
over Becky Wu (Los Angeles, Calif.) 11-7, 11-6. Wu, who won 
the women's singles title at last month's St. Louis Classic, 
was denied her second straight Classic championship.

Ignatius Rusli (Orange, Calif.), breezed to the men's 
singles title, defeating Ronny Oetomo (Marina Del Rey, 
Calif.) handily in the finals, 15-5, 15-2. Rusli is the 
former National Badminton Team assistant coach.

In mixed doubles competiton, the duo of Trisna Gunadi 
(Alhambra, Calif.) and Eileen Tang (Chino, Calif.) remained 
hot, as they followed their St. Louis Classic win by taking 
the Portland title over Horng and Hsu.

The next event in USA Badminton's Classic series is the 
Southern California Badminton Association Classic, December 
6-8 at the Orange County Badminton Club in Orange, 
California.


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(FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT MIKE COLIAS AT USA BADMINTON, 
(719) 578-4808)