NEW FLASH: Vanessa Hellebuyck Wins WSOP Gold Bracelet in Event 22
Queen for a Day: Parisian Wins 2010 Ladies Poker Championship
Vanessa Hellebuyck was the winner of the $1,000 buy-in Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship at the 2010 World Series of Poker. This marked not only Hellebuyck’s first career WSOP gold bracelet victory, but was also her first time ever to cash in Las Vegas. Hellebuyck lives in Paris, France. She is married and has two children. She final tabled three major events on the European Poker Tour (EPT) held earlier this year -- in Berlin, San Remo, and Monaco. Her best finish to this point had been a fifth place showing in Monaco. In addition to being a serious part-time poker player, Hellebuyck is also an accomplished pianist. Hellebuyck collected $192,132 for first place. She also became only the second non-American ever to win the Ladies Championship. The first was Svetlana Gromenkova from Russia, who won in 2008. Hellebuyck also became only the third gold bracelet winner in WSOP history from France. The other two winners were Patrick Bruel and David Benyamine.This year’s Ladies Championship attracted another strong turnout, as 1,054 players attended. The tournament began with former WSOP gold bracelet winner Linda Johnson, the “First Lady of Poker,” welcoming the huge field and encouraging more women to participate in and enjoy the game of poker. Johnson also mentioned the WSOP Ladies Championship held thirty years ago was a turning point in her life. After cashing in that 1980 competition, Johnson decided to play poker professionally and went on to pioneer many important causes which improved the game for everyone – male and female alike.Indeed, the World Series of Poker is proud to honor women in poker and will maintain the tradition of holding a Ladies Championship event, which dates back to 1978.A full report of this event will be posted shortly.For official tournament results and additional details, please CLICK HERE.