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Rock Star Jumps In To Launch Squash For 2016
Day
Squash For 2016 Day
is tuning up for a high-volume launch on Saturday May 23rd with a leading rock
star staging a spectacular stunt to support the game’s bid for inclusion in the
2016 Olympics.
Phil Buscke,
a guitarist with New Zealand hard rock band The Datsuns, will be dressed in his
Squash For 2016 T-shirt as he does a bungee jump from Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Buscke, who used to play A
grade squash in New Zealand and was a member of the Kiwis' high performance
squad before The Datsuns gained international fame, says he is determined to
help raise the profile of the game in its crucial build-up to the Olympic voting
process.
Phil said: "I've been
asked to do a lot of things by Squash New Zealand in the past, but I never
thought they'd ask me to jump off a bridge."
On the Olympic bid, he
added: "All I can say is, if I'm throwing myself off a bridge, squash had better
bloody well get in!"
On splitting his time
between recording and touring with The Datsuns and playing squash, he said: "I
don't get much time to play when I'm overseas, but I'm planning to spend a bit
more time at home in future and would like to do a bit of coaching."
Squash 2016 Day on May 23
is a fun-filled worldwide festival of activities to promote the Olympic bid and
attract new participants to the sport.
Major events are taking
place all over the globe with special focus on the four cities bidding to host
the 2016 Games, namely Chicago, Madrid, Rio and Tokyo.
In the USA, squash legends
Jonathon Power and John White will be appearing in the 100-a-side
Battle Of The Border match at the Apawamis Club in Connecticut. Also there will
be women's world No2 Natalie Grainger, fresh from her appearance in the
final of the Cayman Islands Open.
Squash will also be
getting the Hollywood treatment in Los Angeles, where the local squash community
are planning a massive day of activities.
Squash fans will be taking
to the streets in a number of cities, including London, to wave Squash For 2016
Day banners in front of iconic buildings such as the Tower of London, the Houses
of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.
In Malaysia, women's world
number one Nicol David will be involved in a Squash Open Day in her home
town of Penang in collaboration between Squash Rackets Association of Malaysia
and Squash Stars.
With similar activities
taking place at key locations all over the world, Squash For 2016 Day organiser
Alan Thatcher says: "We hope to build up a massive bank of images which
will clearly illustrate squash's global appeal, which is one of the key messages
of the sport's bid for
Olympic inclusion."
Clubs can register their
Squash 2016 Day events on the World Squash Federation website
www.worldsquash.org
(or go direct to
www.worldsquashday.com)
and will have the opportunity to make instant donations to the Olympic Bid Fund.
Special T-shirts will be
on sale featuring the Squash 2016 logo, with proceeds from each sale supporting
the Bid Fund. Orders can be placed with Kentbridge Sports via
www.kentbridgesports.co.uk
- while T-shirt sales in the USA are being co-ordinated by the Harrow brand via
their website
www.harrowsports.com
For bid information please
visit
www.squash2016.info
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