Longest running state foosball championship in Wilmington this weekend

WILMIGTON, NC (WWAY) — The longest running state foosball championship in the nation is happening right here in Wilmington.

It is the 40th Annual North Carolina State Foosball Championship, and people have traveled from all over the nation for it. The president of Bonzini USA Alan Cribbs says there are players from at least eight different states and even players from Canada that will be competing this weekend. Cribbs says these people eat, drink and breathe foosball.

Jim Landon says he’s been training several hours a week all year for it.

“It’s very competitive,” Landon said. “There’s no doubt about that.”

Landon says players come from around the nation just to get their name on this banner.

“If you can get your name on that board, you are more or less going down in history,” Landon said.

Cribbs says they compete for the title, but it’s the atmosphere that brings them back year after year.

“I think it’s the energy and the cause,” Cribbs said.

That cause is the boys and girls club. Cribbs says this year they have already raised about ten thousand dollars for the organization. Landon says that’s a bonus for a fun event.

“It’s always great to help out people any way you can and this is just another way we can do that,” Landon said.

The boys and girls club will be at the event Saturday. Cribbs says he also expects the foosball world champion to make an appearance. The tournament will start at noon.