The tournament that opened with 15 countries participating is now down to its final six, with four more games set for Monday, before the medal games take place when the event wraps up Tuesday.

BEIJING, CHINA – Day 7 at the International Softball Federation’s XI Women’s World Championship here concluded the round robin portion of the tournament, which is also serving as a qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition. The 15-country tournament that started on Sunday is now down to eight teams and concludes on Tuesday.

The tournament, which is also softball’s Olympic Test Event and a qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition, is being played at the new softball stadium built for the Games that will take place just under two years from now.

BEIJING, CHINA – Only eight of the 15 teams are going to be left standing come Saturday night, and the list of which those might be is starting to become just a little bit clearer following Day 5 at the International Softball Federation’s (ISF) XI Women’s World Championship here.

BEIJING, CHINA – Wednesday night’s final game of Day 4 was perhaps its best as Venezuela beat Chinese Taipei, 3-2, in an extra inning here at the International Softball Federation’s (ISF) XI Women’s World Championship.

BEIJING, CHINA – The third day of round robin play here today saw four teams come away with perfect 3-0 won-lost records in the ten-day tournament that ends on September 5. The International Softball Federation’s (ISF) XI Women’s World Championship is also a qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition as well as the sport’s Olympic Test Event.

BEIJING, CHINA– The second day of play at the International Softball Federation’s (ISF) XI Women’s World Championship began with a bump in the road, but the teams soon were on their way to softball that entertained crowds all day long at the new venue built here for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition.

BEIJING, CHINA – The International Softball Federation’s (ISF) XI Women’s World Championship began here today with elaborate Opening Ceremonies in the new stadium built for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition. As the nearly 40-minute ceremony ended, fireworks were sent up in the air from the warning track in the outfield.

To-date, seven of the 16 teams that will participate have already been determined. From Asia, in addition to the host (China), Chinese Taipei, DPR Korea, and Japan have all qualified. And, Greece, Italy, and the Netherlands have emerged as the teams that will represent Europe.

Australia will get the chance to win their third straight International Softball Federation (ISF) Jr. Men’s World Championship (19-and-under) tomorrow as they, along with Japan and Canada, advanced to the final day of play after today’s action in Summerside, Prince Edward Island (Canada).