European Masters Squash Circuit Quarterly Update ISSUE 07—July 2017 The History of EMIC by Martin Wren, ESF Advisor With the next EMIC taking place in August 2017, I believe we now have an event that meets the status and expectations of all players wherever they play and that is due to the efforts of a few dedicated people who organise, manage and make this happen – your Masters Sub-Committee. This championships provides players at all levels opportunities to play on an international basis and to meet and make new friendships. Much esteem and personal pride count for a lot and this will ensure the event continues to gain even more numbers in the future. Please contact us if you wish to raise any concerns - the committee is listening and will respond to your concerns. The next Championship is scheduled to take place at the 32-court (yes, 32 courts) Hasta la Vista club in Wroclaw, Poland in August 2017 and I hope that as many of this issue you as possible enter this event and help to further progress The History of EMIC - P1 this fantastic Championships. To enter, please click here. Czech Masters Open, Prague - P2 French Masters, Bordeaux - P3 In our next edition of our European Masters Circuit Newsletter, The British Open Squash Championships - P4-5 we will have a special edition covering the history of EMIC, the Player Interviews - P6 results, the tournament, the highs and lows. If you would like News and Updates - P7 to share your photos and stories from EMIC, please send them Squash Refereeing Tips - Foot-Fault - P8 to Alicja Kulp. Hungarian Masters, Budapest - P8 1 Czech Masters Open, Prague (GP) April 2017 Sonja Brabcova M35+ 2 - [FIN] Heikki Teräsvirta 1 - [GER] Julian Wollny 3 - [GER] Dieter Jörn 2 - [ITA] Filippo Madella W35+ 3 - [SVK] Lubomir Solcansky 1 - [GER] Melanie Kreisel M40+ 2 - [CZE] Sona Brabcova 1 - [ISR] Dovik Haruzi 3 - [CZE] Helena Vladyková 2- [BEL] Dave De Beule W45+ 3 -[ENG] Paul Johnson 1 - [NED] Karin Thiel M45+ 2 - [GER] Iris Stockbauer 1 - [USA] John Musto 3 - [CZE] Denisa Linhartova We had some fantastic finals, but 2 - [GER] Predi Fritsche also witnessed many great match- 3 - [ITA] Alessandro Marcolini es not only from an athletic point I love squash and Prague … M50+ of view but also full of fair play. … a motto which was chosen for the offi- 1 - [SWE] Jonas Ulvsbäck Not every player would admit to a cial T-shirt for the Czech Squash Masters 2 - [ENG] James Hyatt double hit off his racket not seen Open 2017. This year the tournament was by the referee nor his opponent, 3 - [GER] Oliver Janssen organised by a new team consisting of 3 which meant he lost the set and M55+ ladies, 3 squash addicts - Denisa Linhar- the match. What a formidable 1 - [GER] Armin Schmelz tova, Renata Nejtkova and me (from right gesture!!! 2 - [GER] Felix Paal to left in title photo), Sonja Brabcova. The 3 - [ENG] Stephen Edmondson tournament hit an absolute record in ESF Players also enjoyed themselves Masters Circuit history with a total num- during the party on Saturday ber of 207 players; another record was evening with the last dancers achieved in the number of new local play- leaving the dancing floor at 3.00 ers and also new players from Europe to am to continue their matches not the Masters circuit. that much later…. Prague hosted players of 24 nationalities There was not much missing in not only from all over Europe but some Prague. The organisers went the also coming from overseas. The player extra mile to bake home-made coming from the furthest distance was biscuits and cakes , and took away John Musto from the USA and Flemming our 2018 calendar which con- M60+ Helgeland, a Norwegian living in Caracas. tained photos from previous tour- 1 - [FIN] Kale Leskinen John as well as Julian Wollny played naments. 2 - [SCO] Paul Harris through the draw with confidence coming 3 - [ENG] Lou Van Talligan from being unknown and unseeded to What could be improved for next M65+ winning their categories; John in the year is the number of women 1 - [SWE] Peter Karlsson M45+ and Julian in the M35+ category still players. We missed them playing active in the German Bundesliga. For John 2 - [FIN] Markku Kaistinen as well as dancing. So maybe next it proved to be good training and pre- year? Hope to see you all again 3 - [SUI] René Nuessli pared him for the Canadian Masters next year! M70+ Championship 2 weeks later which he also 1 - [GER] Bernd Götsch won. Click here for full results/photos. 2 French Masters, Bordeaux (MO) June 2017 Pierre Bernard M35+ (SquashBad33) with 98 partici- 1 - [UKR] Kostiantyn Rybalchenko pants representing 17 Europe- 2 - [FRA] Julien Gramond an countries. From Friday 3 - [FRA] Nael Lardjane morning to Sunday 231 match- M40+ es were played on 10 courts in 1 - [FRA] Stephane Brevard 10 age categories. 2 - [FRA] Bertrand Tissot 3 - [ESP] Jorge Carrera A high standard of squash was M45+ played over 3 days with a 1 - [FRA] Stephane Gallenne friendly atmosphere of veterans coming 2 - [ENG] Jeremy Krzystyniak together all with the same passion of During the prize giving ceremony, 1 3 - [ENG] Matthew Stephenson playing squash. During the 3 days play- minute of silence was dedicated to M50+ ers and friends were able to taste the victims of the London attack. 1 - [SWE] Jonas Ulvsbäck French food, namely oysters, and good 2 - [ESP] Marcus Hall French wine placed on two stands at We also had the pleasure of having 3 - [POR] Carlos Mendes their disposal. Jacques Fontaine, the president of M55+ the WSF, join us during the week- 1 - [BEL] Jean-Marc Fraipont On Sunday, a high level of squash was end. 2 - [ENG] Mark Taylor clearly evident in the finals: 3 - [GER] Felix Paal Thank you to the Club de Bordeaux M60+ In the M35+ Kostiantyn Ribalchenko Nord and the N-AQUI league for or- 1 - [IRL] Charles Odonnell dominated his category winning all ganising our first Masters Tourna- 2 - [ESP] Jose Luis Orizaola his matches 3.0. ment and thank you to ESF for their 3 - [SCO] Paul Harris In the M45+ Stéphane Gallenne support. M70+ showed similar strengths with a 1 - [ESP] Jose Luis Alba great final against Jeremy Krzystyni- All participants were happy with our 2 - [POR] Fernando Valentim ak. first Masters event in France, but we 3 - [FRA] Martelly Vincent-Noel As for the ladies, in the W35+ cate- also know that we can improve and W35+ gory Sabrina Belliot won her first therefore look forward to seeing you 1 - [FRA] Sabrina Belliot title having conceded only one again next year. 2 - [GER] Stefanie Leiber game. 3 - [FRA] Ariane Paul In the W45+ Karin Thiel played Click here for full results and photos. W45+ against Sam Mueller and eventually 1 - [NED] Karin Thiel took the title winning 3:2. 2 - [ENG] Sam Mueller 3 - [SUI] Beatrice Walser W50+ 1 - [ENG] Karen Webb 2 - [FRA] Christine Gabarre 3 - [FRA] Elisabeth Wolf The first French Masters took place 2-4 June 2017 at the Club de Bordeaux Nord 3 The British Open Squash Championships June 2017, Stuart Hardy The British Open dates back to 1930 and her presence against Amina Helal of seed and met Orla O’Doherty of Ireland in the Masters (age group) events started in Lancs, whose father Moussa is a for- the final. Her route to the final eased by the 1960s and from there more events mer Masters Champion. From two an injury to second seed Andrea San- and illustrious names were added. games down Helal got into her game tamaria. But Hope was the favourite and Hashim Khan, Jonah Barrington, Qamar and took the third and saved four duly delivered a powerful performance Zaman, Ross Norman to name but a few. match points in the fourth before, and a 3/0 win. with some relief, Briggs closed it out With that iconic pedigree the British Open 11/9. WO50 - Avon’s Rose Bamber the National Masters has always been an event that Champion again played Rachel Woolford players want to be involved in. This year, WO40 - Keeley Johnson of Kent, one in a final. It looked to be all Rose until a taking place at Colets Health & Fitness of the Masters Players of the Year stunning fightback from Rachel took the Club, Thames Ditton, Surrey and being was trying to add to her National title third 17/15. Then the fourth. At two all run by England Squash Masters, the event this year. Leicestershire’s Rachel Rose composed herself and managed to attracted 313 entries from 15 countries. Calver was up to try and stop her and keep ahead through the fifth. Again, Na- Players from as far afield as Australia, in a very even match the first two tional and Open Champion. South Africa and the USA all making the games were shared. The third was trip. This event was probably the strong- strange in that Johnson reeled off WO55 - Fiona Mclean of Scotland and est Masters Championship for several seven points in a row to 7/0 and the Mandy Akin of Kent are both new to their years with numerous World Champions Calver did the same to level. The group and previous winners. This was and former World pro players. Kent woman held her nerve to take always going to go to five and be a nail biter! So it proved, both players had match points in the fifth game and even- tually if was Fiona that prevailed 19/17 in the fifth in 54 minutes of all over the court action.