ESTONIA bt SERBIA 2-1

  Paul Piik lost to Ivan Djordjevic 9-2, 2-9, 9-5, 8-10, 8-10

  Paavo Piik bt Bratislav Zivadinovic 9-3, 7-9, 9-0, 9-3

  Meelis Prett bt Goran Milicevic 9-3, 9-0, 9-1

CROATIA bt [1] UKRAINE 2-1

  Domagoj Spoljar bt Dmytro Shcherbakov 9-7, 9-5, 9-7

  Robert Petrovic bt Roman Dolynych 0-9, 6-9, 9-5, 9-4, 9-3

  Marko Milek lost to Artem Shandybin 2-9, 0-9, 1-9

LATVIA bt POLAND 3-0

  Alexander Pavulans bt Marcin Kozik 9-1, 9-1, 9-4

  Arnis Tihvinskis bt Lukasz Nitka 9-0, 5-9, 9-5

  Kaspars Purgailis bt Maciej Maciantowicz 2-9, 9-2, 6-9, 9-4, 9-6

GIBRALTAR bt MALTA 2-1

  Anthony Brindle lost to Michael Fiteni 2-9, 1-9, 1-9

  Stephen Shacaluga bt Bernard Bugeja 3-9, 9-3, 8-10, 9-3, 9-4

  Christian Navas bt Ivan Balzan 9-2, 9-1, 9-5

Semi-finals:

ESTONIA bt CROATIA 2-1 

  Paul Piik lost to Domagoj Spoljar 8-10, 2-9, 3-9

  Paavo Piik bt Robert Petrovic 9-0, 9-6, 9-3

  Meelis Prett bt Marko Milek 9-3, 9-1, 9-0

GIBRALTAR bt LATVIA 2-1

  Anthony Brindle lost to Alexander Pavulans 1-9, 1-9, 0-9

  Stephen Shacaluga bt Arnis Tihvinskis 6-9, 9-0, 9-6, 9-4

  Christian Navas bt Gunars Prizevoits 9-1, 9-1, 8-10, 9-2

Final:

ESTONIA bt GIBRALTAR 2-1

  Paul Piik lost to Anthony Brindle 6-9, 2-9, 9-6, 10-8, 3-9

  Paavo Piik bt Stephen Shacaluga 9-1, 9-0, 9-0

  Meelis Prett bt Carl Gomez 0-9, 10-8, 2-9, 9-5, 9-5

    3rd place play-off:

LATVIA bt CROATIA 2-1

  Alexander Pavulans bt Domagoj Spoljar 9-2, 9-0, 9-6 

  Gunars Prizevoits lost to Robert Petrovic 0-9, 8-10, 7-9

  Kaspars Purgailis bt Marko Milek 9-2, 9-5, 9-4

Women's semi-finals:

MALTA bt POLAND 2-0

  Annabell Diamantino bt Dominika Witkowska 9-7, 9-5, 9-4

  Johanna Rizzo bt Anna Sikorska 9-6, 9-0, 9-3

ISLE OF MAN bt [1] ESTONIA 2-0

  Isabell Schoor bt Diana Leguss 9-7, 9-1, 9-2

  Vicky Watterson bt Helen Ree 9-6, 9-6, 9-4

Final:

MALTA bt ISLE OF MAN 2-0

  Theresa Camilleri bt Vicky Watterson 8-9, 9-10, 9-2, 9-2, 9-4

  Annabell Diamantino bt Jane Whylie 9-0, 9-5, 9-1

   3rd place play-off:

POLAND bt [1] ESTONIA 2-0

  Dominika Witkowska bt Diana Leguss 5-9, 9-4, 9-5, 9-3

  Anna Jurkun bt Helen Ree 3-9, 9-6, 3-9, 9-0, 9-2

Estonia & Malta Triumph In European Nations Challenge Cup

The climax of the 5th European Nations Challenge Squash Cup produced surprise victories for Estonia in the men's championship and Malta in the women's event at the Zelta Bowling Centre in the Latvia capital Riga.

Previously hosted by Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia and Poland, this is the first time that the event has been brought to Latvia.  The European Squash Federation tournament, which attracts the small and developing squash Countries from all over Europe, has grown in popularity each year.

"Countries that have been in the top 16 in the main European Team Championships and Countries that have won the Nations Challenge Cup on two occasions in the last five years cannot enter," said former ESF President Chris Stahl. 

"But they are replaced by new squash Countries such as Belarus, Croatia, Serbia and Ukraine who are already making their mark. In future years, ENCC will be a qualifying event for ETC - should numbers exceed the maximum of 32 teams in either the Men’s or Women’s events."

With record participation this year - featuring 11 countries - the event produced upsets in both categories.  In a dramatic quarter-final clash, top men's seeds Ukraine - runners-up last year in Warsaw - crashed out to Croatia. 

Estonia then beat Croatia in the semi-finals - and, in a nail-biting final, beat Gibraltar 2/1 to win the men's title.

Estonia, winners of the women's trophy in 2006, were favourites to repeat their success in Riga.  But Isle of Man defeated the champions 2/0 in the semi-finals, and then went on to face Malta in the final.

After Malta went ahead when Annabell Diamantino beat Isle of Man's Jane Whylie 9-0, 9-5, 9-1, it just remained for team-mate Theresa Camilleri to win a single game to give Malta victory in the best-of-two-rubbers encounter.

However, Vicky Watterson took the opening two games.   But Camilleri fought back to win 8-9, 9-10, 9-2, 9-2, 9-4 to give Malta the title.