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Devon & Exeter Squash & Racketball Club is pleased to announce the inaugural
West of England Racketball Team Challenge
(
Click)
 

Devon & Exeter Secure National Racketball Title (Click)

 

Introducing England Squash & Racketball

12th February 2009

Ben Taylor writes:

We’re delighted to announce that England Squash, the governing body of squash and racketball in England, has officially become England Squash & Racketball.

Squash continues to be one of the most popular sports in England with nearly half a million people playing regularly, and as many of you will know, racketball is a complementary sport with a similar scoring and rules system.

Our vision is to increase the popularity and profile of both sports, continue to raise levels of success at international level and to run the sports according to the highest standards of governance, management and ethics. In order to achieve this we felt that the organisation needed a new identity, one that truly represented our aspirations to be modern, vibrant, and professional.

If you’re joining us this week at the National Championships in Manchester, you’ll notice our new logo being unveiled for the first time. The rose of England, traditionally associated with English sport, has been given a contemporary feel, while incorporating attributes of squash and racketball such as movement, energy and dynamism.

The debut of the logo will be followed in the coming months by a re-vamped, user-friendly website. Both the logo and website have been designed to convey the sports of squash and racketball as vibrant, dynamic, modern and professional, and to persuade more people to get on court to try our great sports.

Over the coming months and years we will be working closely with clubs, leisure centres, universities and workplaces to help introduce thousands of new players, coaches, and volunteers to the sports, and key to this is creating a vibrant club scene. Squash will continue to be at the heart of our activity but we feel strongly that racketball will help bring new people to squash courts. Squash facilities that have embraced both sports are going from strength to strength, with busy courts and increased membership numbers. Our aim is to help all clubs achieve this success.

We’re looking forward to working together with you, and all of our partners, to help make both sports as successful as they can be for many years to come.

If you have any comments, thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to get in touch.
 

RACKETBALL MOURNS LOYAL

SERVANT IAN WRIGHT (1933-2009)

It is with utter shock, deep regret and the most profound sorrow that I convey the news of the tragic death of our county secretary, Ian Wright. It is believed that Ian suffered a heart attack while playing racketball at his beloved Bexley club last night (Sunday January 4th).

Ian had been secretary of the Kent Squash and Racketball Association for more than 40 years, and just a few short months ago a special presentation evening was held in his honour to celebrate that particular milestone of momentous service to the sport he loved and helped to nurture in this county. Friends from throughout the world of squash gathered to salute his enormous contribution to the game.

As well as his roles as county secretary and treasurer of the Kent Squash and Racketball Association, Ian was also a long-serving member of the England Squash Council and had been the national governing body's official archivist for many years. He was also heavily involved with Kent tennis and was the driving force behind many of the improvements at the Bexley Tennis and Squash Club in recent years, including the building of a magnificent new pavilion which replaced the charming wooden structure which served the club faithfully for so long, just like Ian.

At the age of 75, Ian was still playing competitive racketball, having been National Over-70s champion two years ago.

Over the past few days I have been liaising with Ian via email about the forthcoming Kent County Closed. In his last email, sent on Saturday, Ian wrote: "I will see you at the Kent SRA meeting on Monday 19th January when I hope you can give me the County results in full with scores, please, for the Kent handbook. If my tennis commitments are cancelled I will go to Mote on the Sunday."

That was typical of Ian, juggling his commitments to both squash and tennis. Sadly, I won't be able to buy him a coffee at The Mote and have a chat about the many projects we are developing to enhance Kent squash.

One thing is for sure: It will take a team of volunteers to take over the multi-faceted roles he performed so smoothly and so professionally.

He will be sadly missed by his many friends in sport and our deepest sympathy goes to his widow Judy and the rest of the family.

ALAN THATCHER

Chairman, Kent SRA

 

K2 SUPER 16’S, CRAWLEY

A new Racketball event, the K2 Racketball Super 16's, has been announced by England Squash, in association with PeterNicolSquash.com, writes Justyn Price.  This exciting new event is being organised by England Squash Area Manager Justyn Price, as part of a programme to showcase K2 as a potential Olympic Training Venue for Nations from around the world in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

In addition to the Men's and Women's Open, there will be a mixed doubles competition and an Under 13 Racketball competition. It is hoped that the open events will command strong draws, exciting and enthusing the spectators from the local community about Racketball by incorporating a number of players who have recently taken part in the National Racketball Championships.
 
Entry for the event is £10 per player, per event, and as the name suggests, each competition will have a draw of 16, with a plate event, ensuring all players have at least two matches.
 
This event is part of a much bigger programme of Squash and Racketball Development at this fantastic venue, with 5 glass backed courts, all with excellent spectator viewing. In association with the local authority a Squash and Racketball development programme is being set up, with the focus on developing a vibrant junior section through links with the local School Sport Partnership, and a thriving social and competitive adult section for both Squash and Racketball.
 
There will also be a Racketball Fun day and Coaching Clinics running on Friday 29 August for local residents to come and try Racketball for themselves under the guidance of England Squash Licensed Coaches.


Warwickshire County Championships

Warwickshire has announced that their first County Closed Championships is to sponsored by Proact Financial Services. Warwickshire is a hotbed of racketball and tournament organiser Rob Shay believes that the event will provide a focus for the County. It will take place at Edgbaston Priory – home to at least 150 players, and forms can be obtained from Rob by e-mailing rob@robshay.co.uk

St Ivo Racketball Open Challenge

St Ivo Racquets Club will be holding their inaugural Racketball Open Challenge on Sunday 14th September 2008 at St Ivo Outdoor Complex, writes Mark Williams.

The event will run from 9am - 5pm and players of all abilities are welcome to enter one of the variety of events on offer.  Event categories include Mens, Ladies, Juniors and Mixed Doubles. 

Entry costs £8 per event for seniors and only £5 for juniors. There are PRIZES for the winners of each category and FREE T-shirts for all entrants!

Entry for the Mixed Doubles competition is FREE if the players have entered into the singles event. Event sponsors 'Just Sunglasses', have kindly supplied 'His and Hers' designer sunglasses for the winners of the Mixed Doubles event!

For further information on the event please contact Byron Williams on 07824 839796.
If you would like to enter this new and exciting Racketball event please download the entry form by clicking
'here' and e-mail it to Byron Williams at xbyron81@hotmail.com

 

Thame win National Club Championships

Racquets Fitness Centre of Thame won the 2008 National Racketball Championships at Nottingham in May with a convincing 4-1 victory over Chapel Allerton.

Wins at 4 and 5 gave Thame a solid platform, and while Alistair Walker pulled back a rubber at 3, beating Steve Bateman 3-0, Thame’s Tom Phipps pulled off an upset 3-0 victory over Neil Guirey and Simon Martin wrapped up the match with the closest match, 3-2 against Guirey’s National Doubles Champion partner Mike Dickens, 3-2.

In the semi finals, Thame had pulled off an upset 3-2 win over favourites Lexden, who boasted such names as Daryl Selby, Paul Allen and Del Harris in their line-up, while Chapel Allerton beat Edgbaston Priory by a similar margin in their semi final.

Tom Phipps              bt       Neil Guirey               3-0
Simon Martin           bt       Mike Dickens           3-2
Steve Bateman        lost to Alistair Walker          0-3
Andy McDonald         bt       Rob Mannall             3-0
Tom Power              bt       Ian Cawthorne         3-0

 

NATIONAL RACKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008 REPORT



Bob Johnson (Managing Director Solosport) and Tournament Director Rob Shay confirm Ektelon’s continued sponsorship of the National Championships.
 

NATIONAL RACKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008  

Defending Champions Darryl Selby and Laura Hill both retained their titles in the National Racketball Championships at the Edgbaston Priory Club yesterday.

Selby, currently 34 in the World Squash rankings, won a third successive title beating fellow Essex player Paul Allen 3-0 in the final, while Derbyshire’s Hill also chalked up a third successive title, beating local pro, England star Vicky Hynes in a tight 3-0 final.

Sponsored by Ektelon and Just Rackets, the tournament drew and entry of 200 players from all corners of the British Isles in 15 competitions, from the Open events through to the Women’s Over 55 and Men’s Over 70.

Selby was stretched to four games in the second round by Warwickshire’s James Bowden, and then beat the promising Kent youngster Ted Jeal 3-0 in a gruelling quarter-final. Meanwhile, fourth seed Neil Guirey of Chapel Allerton pipped Nick Hynes 15-13 in the fifth in the second quarter-final, but could not sustain theeffort against Selby in the semi-final, losing in straight games.

In the other half of the draw, last year’s finalist Tim Vail of Sussex eased in to the semi finals with straight sets wins over Andy Warmington (Warks) and Tom Phipps (Bucks)s, while Paul Allen, another England ranked squash player, proved too strong for Mike Dickens (Yorks) in the second round and

the flamboyant Simon Martin (Bucks) in the semis.

Vail had to withdraw from his semi final with Allen for family health reasons, but although fresher, Allen had no answer to Selby’s retrieving, and all-round pressure play in the final, and was unable to take a game.

Laura Hill had a tougher path to the final this year with a much stronger draw than in previous years. She beat Hasmpshire’s Bettina Harvey in the quarter finals and was stretched by another rising England squash star, Lauren Selby in the semis. Selby, meanwhile, was given a stern test by Warwickshire’s Lisa Key, before winning in straight games.

In the other half Hynes, who has recently claimed some notable scalps on the women’s professional squash circuit, disposed of Devon’s Karen Bealey and Derbyshire’s Lisa McKenna in straight sets on her way to the finals.

Hill’s all-round athleticism proved too strong for Hynes’ guile in the final however, and she triumphed

3-0, despite being pushed to 15-13 in the third set. 

In the Master’s section, Jim Lord won both the Men’s Over 35 and Over 40 events, beating brother David Lord in the former and Cleaver’s Andy Pallett in the latter.

Competing in this event for the first time, Paul Haigh won the Over-45’s against fellow Yorkshireman Ian Cawthorne, Edgbaston Priory players dominated three of the other events, with wins for Rob Shay (Over 55), John Shingler (Over 65) and John Hart (Over 70).

Mike Livock (Norfolk) retained his Over 50 title, and John Cockill (Yorks) took the Over 60’s.

In the Women’s Masters, former England player Claire Walker (Yorks) retained the over 35 crown, and there were wins fr Bev Vatcher (Dorset, over 40), Lesley Strugess (Derbys, over 45, Jenny Matthews (Surrey, over 50) and the evergreen Bett Dryhurst (Worcs, over 55)
 

 



Introducing England Squash & Racketball
 

Bucks Closed Tournament
Entry Form (click)

Chichester Racquets & Fitness Club
in association with England Squash & Racketball is pleased to announce the inaugural Chi Open.
(Click here)

Devon & Exeter Squash & Racketball Club is pleased to announce the inaugural West of England Racketball Team Challenge (Click)

Devon & Exeter Secure
National Racketball Title
(Click)

K2 Racketball Super 16's

New Inter-county dates
click here

National Doubles 08 at Chapel Allerton

K2 Racketball Super 16’s
– a top new addition to the racketball calendar 

Details
Click Here

Proact to Sponsor Warwickshire Racketball
Details
Click Here

St Ivo Racquets Club to hold inaugural Racketball Open
Details
Click Here


Devon & Exeter Secure
National Racketball Title

RACKETBALL MOURNS LOYAL SERVANT
IAN WRIGHT

(1933-2009)

NATIONAL RACKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008
Defending Champions Darryl Selby and Laura Hill both retained their titles in the National Racketball Championships at the Edgbaston Priory Club yesterday.

For a full Report Click Here
For Draws and Results
Click Here


BUCKS WIN INAUGURAL INTERCOUNTY CHAMPS
Bucks won the inaugural Harris Intercounty Racketball Championships at Thame with a 3-2 win over Kent that went to the wire, Bucks captain Simon Martin beating Kent’s No. 2 Sam Stabler in the nail-biting finale to an exciting weekend.

For a full report, click here

EKTELON RENEW SPONSORSHIP OF THE NATIONALS
Ektelon, the world’s largest Racketball racket manufacturer, has confirmed that the company will again sponsor the National Racketball Championships at Edgbaston Priory Club from 23-25th, according to Managing Director Bob Johnson.

For a full report, click here

A SUCCESSFUL FIRST OPEN FOR HUNTS S.C.
Local Pro James Powley saw off the Australian challenge of Peter French in the first Open Racketball Championship
 at Hunts SC.

 For a full report, click here

Breath Of Fresh Air
Martin Bronstein talks to England Squash Area Manger Justyn Price

Racketball
Key to Club Success


 

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