It’s Not Ping Pong – 12 Annual Butterfly Cup

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Photo by Tom Nguyen.

Cary, NC- Last year, the Town of Cary was fortunate to snag the Olympic Table Tennis qualifier trials which were hosted at Bond Park Community Center. This weekend, Cary will play host to international talent competing in USATT National Level Table Tennis Championship competition, this time for $16,500 in prize money. This isn’t Ping Pong!

Butterfly Cup

The Butterfly Cary Cup has been held at Cary’s Bond Park Community Center for 12 years. The Cary Table Tennis Association partners with the Town to put on this annual event, named for the company that produces paddles (Butterfly).

The event is the largest round-robin table tennis in the country and will draw over 177 players from Canada, China, France, and the USA. While registration for the event is full, spectators can experience the excitement of table tennis from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16. The main event finals and Sandpaper divisions will be held Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. There is no charge to watch any part of the championships.

Athletes scheduled to compete include:

  • Zhen (Eugene) Wang, 2012 Cary Cup Champion & Canadian National Team member
  • Hongtao Chen, 2012 Cary Cup Runner Up & Canadian National Team Member
  • Damien Provost, French League – Division 1 Pro Tour Player
  • Xiao Zhou, three-time Shandong Provice Girls Champion
  • Jim Butler, two-time former US National Champion

“We’re excited to once again offer Cary citizens the chance to catch top players in the world of table tennis playing here in our backyards,” said Sam Trodgon, Bond Park Community Center Supervisor. Trodgon added that $16,500 in prize money will be awarded at the end of the ceremony on Sunday.

To view the schedule click here.

In recent years, the Town of Cary has become a prestige site for top table tennis events. In 2012, the Town hosted the US Olympic Table Tennis Trials, the North American Olympic Table Tennis Trials, and the North American Table Tennis Championships. The Butterfly Cary Cup is held annually at Bond Park Community Center in partnership with the Cary Table Tennis Association.