10-Mar-04:
A WHOLE NEW MALL GAME
AS NICOL KICKS OFF
CANARY WHARF CLASSIC
Alan Thatcher reports from Canary Wharf
 Premiership football joined forces with world-class squash
today as Peter Nicol kicked off the 14-day countdown to the
Canary Wharf Squash Classic, which takes place from March 23-26 at the
East Wintergarden in London's prestige Docklands business district.
World No.3 Nicol played Fulham footballer Ian Pearce, a former
Surrey squash junior, on an inflatable court in Canary Wharf's Jubilee
Place shopping mall as hundreds of office workers and passers-by stopped
to admire the action.
Nicol said: "Ian has clearly lost none of his touch. It was great fun and
we had a terrific response from everyone we met. I wish all courts were
this size. It would save a lot of running."
 A co-promoter of the event, Nicol was delighted to report: "We have almost
sold out of tickets for the finals night on March 26 and the other days
are heading that way as well. It would be marvellous to have a full house
on all four nights of our inaugural event."
Pearce, who recently transferred across London from West Ham, was cup-tied
last week as Fulham went out of the FA Cup to Manchester United, but hopes
to be back in the side this weekend as Fulham face crisis club Leeds
United at Loftus Road, the ground they share with Queens Park Rangers.
Nicol, a former Fulham season-ticket holder, added: "It was great to see
Ian travel across London after a hard morning's football training outside
in the cold. It's always nice to see athletes from other sports having a
great respect for squash. We spoke to hundreds of workers, shoppers and
passers-by, and quite a few came on court to join in the fun."
 Dozens of Canary Wharf-based squash enthusiasts queued up to take on the
former world champion, who recently retained the
Tournament of Champions
title in New York after being taken ill during the
National Championships
in Manchester.
After attending the England Squash 75th anniversary dinner, Nicol was due
to fly off to compete in another new tournament in
Bermuda before returning to London.
He added: "I hope the weather is a
bit warmer when I get back."
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Ticket Hotline:
020 7418 2201
Venue Box office
ONLINE TICKET SALES
HAVE NOW CEASED
SEATING PLAN
click for larger view
Pool Matches (Tue-Thu)
£15.00 to £22.50
FINALS (Fri)
£20/£25
The Court ... in the Wharf
One for the future!
Photos by David Boulger
and the Sunday People |
