EIGHTH ANNUAL VIRGINIA PICKLEBALL CLASSIC May 15-17, 2026.
This is a USA Pickleball Sanctioned Tournament. Being sanctioned means that you must be a member of USA Pickleball (www.usapa.org). Membership costs $12 and is valid for one year.
Tournament Description
The Path to Nationals!
Golden Ticket Tournaments provide a path for amateur and junior players to play in the USA Pickleball National Championships, the premier tournament in the sport of pickleball. Whether you’re chasing championship glory, seeking the ultimate competitive challenge, or simply looking for unforgettable moments on the court, Golden Ticket Tournaments are where your Nationals journey begins.
Golden Ticket Tournaments offer participants an unrivaled player experience including an exclusive gift at USA Pickleball-operated events and the opportunity to compete at some of the best pickleball venues across the country. Only at these tournaments will gold medal winners receive a “Golden Ticket,” granting them priority registration for the USA Pickleball National Championships. Players who compete but do not win gold will still have a pathway to Nationals through the Tiered Point System (TPS).
Requirements
All players must have a USA Pickleball membership at the Challenger or Champion level.
Join or renew at: https://usapickleball.org/
This tournament is sanctioned by USA Pickleball at the MMP level. Referees will be present for all pre-medal and medal matches.
Rules & Equipment
All USA Pickleball rules apply. Official Rule Book: https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/official-rules/
Players must ensure their paddle is on the Approved Equipment List:
https://equipment.usapickleball.org/
Doubles Registration
Players registering for doubles events have five (5) days for their partner to register for the same event before being moved to the Waitlist. Teams may return to the Main Draw once both players are registered and paid, if space allows. Players are responsible for finding all partners. Agreement to play is between partners
Maximum team counts may be adjusted during registration as needed. Players can change skill level or age group until registration closes. No changes after that time.
Registration Fee, $60 covers registration, referees and volunteers' meals. Pickleball Brackets charges $5 for one event and $10 for two or more events. There are discount codes for early registration and for players that have participated in the past.
If you are having problems with your USAP membership renewal this is what they said to do:
Log into your account
Select "View Profile"
Navigate to "Individual Membership"
Click the three dots next to your membership
Cancel auto-renewal
Click on your membership again
Select "Renew"
Follow the prompts to checkout
Please visit www.vapickleball.com for the latest information about the tournament and others in the area.
Open players may sign up for either Seniors or Regular Open but not both for any given style of play (gendered doubles, mixed doubles, singles).
All matches will have referees to the extent that referees are available. All pre-medal and medal matches will have referees as required for sanctioning.
We are continuing our Paddle Raffle with the best paddles on the market!
We are planning on using all 24 courts at Pouncey Tract. This should allow for large brackets, but keep in mind we have sold out for the last 3 years.
To the extent available, we will live stream as many events as possible.
