The 5th Annual English Open Graces the West Midlands.
2006-10-16
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Often described as "contagiously inspired" tournament director Keith Lesser previews the English Open.
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Birmingham is the home of Cadbury’s World, the birthplace of Ozzy Osbourne (born John Michael Osbourne on December 3rd 1948), a city with two major aiports and merely one Premiership football team! Martin O’Neil and Aston Villa have had a successful start to their partnership campaign, can this be replicated on the international scene by English Racketlon and Next Generation Club, West Midlands?

Please find the draw and time schedule published on the tournament homepage (scroll to the bottom and download the files).

Obesity Epidemic?

England has been declared officially the fattest country in Europe. However, on 19th October and thereafter a series of mad sporting fanatics will join together and form a part of the biggest racketlon spectacle ever to grace UK soil. Yes that’s right The Mad4Rackets.Com English Racketlon Open is round the corner and the UK racketlon community is buzzing and getting fitter while we are at it! Tony Blair do you hear me? Get racketlon going in schools, then we’ll start seeing a healthier nation!

Ladies Draw looks Interesting!

Katy Buchanan, Marielle Van Der Woert, Natalie Lawrence and Pernille Thomson are the most well known names in the draw. However, international debuts for Lorna See and tennis specialist Kirstie Leach could upset the field. Rachel Hood and Sue Woods won’t bow down without a fight. The Monrad system should see some excellent match ups indeed.

Can Reid Defend his title?

The young Scot is perhaps one of the biggest revelations racketlon has ever come across. Gunning for his 3rd tour title in a row and a successful defense of his victory in 2005, the energetic, dogged running machine will be hard to beat.

Magnus Eliasson has only lost in recent times to a certain Finnish World Champion they call “Mikko Kärkkäinen”. Having taken the English Open title in 2002 & 2003, Magnus returns to England, where many spectators will be keen to watch the legend that is.

Doug Struthers will be the other big favourite, having won this title in 2004 and alas pulled out with injury last year allowing Johan Nordstrand to progress gratefully to the quarter finals. Struthers is scheduled to meet Swedish dynamo Rickard Persson in the quarter finals. Rickard himself a winner once of The British Open in 2003 and a supreme all-rounder in all sports.

Mens Class A Newcomers

It will be interesting to see how the likes of Steffan Morgan, Robert Reeve, James Ashton & Neil Postlethwaite fare on their debuts in an international event. All have impressed in recent domestic events and I have witnessed Morgan demoralise anyone in his path on the squash court and heard that Ashton does the same on the tennis court. Therefore, the Class A draw could well throw up some very interesting surprises.

Veterans event most fascinating of all?

This event really looks wide open. Look out for newcomers Selwyn Walmsley and Ged Doherty. But then again don’t bet against multi-time tour victors Richard Whitehouse and Dave Greatorex, going for his 3rd tour title in a row! Graham Norton, Jacob de Vries and Ray Simpson are the other big names in the draw and anything and everything can happen here!

New Events

The introduction of a junior event, ladies’ O45’s, men’s O55’s and O65’s is only a testimony to UK growth and long may it continue.

ENGLAND v REST OF THE WORLD

Expect skill, expect laughter, expect tricks, expect fireworks. Can two Swedes, two Germans and a Dutchman upset the home crowd – time will tell! Although, the smart money is on England, no more bets please! The Thursday night exhibition should round off a nice day which begins with the doubles categories.

Wide Open?

The doubles also looks wide open and while Koepf/Zwiers look to boost their world ranking, you would not bet against some of The UK Pairs. Carpenter/Greenhead will be tough to beat, I wouldn’t fancy playing Foulds/Kerins. Also, watch out for Morgan/Jordan and Thomson/Websdale! Hogg/Hogg, Whitehouse/Whitehouse, double jeopardy, seeing stars, Postlethwaite/Isherwood won’t help, no doubt, smashing shuttles into the floor, leaving little opportunity to be up after two sports!

The other men’s and ladies classes look wide open and I would predict a debutant to take the plaudits. Let’s see how events progress!

2007 English Open

This event will be at Redbridge Sports Centre, a 5 court Sports Centre, most probably on the weekend of 18th/19th August with shuttles running from Stansted airport. We already can’t wait for this event!

2006 English Open Special Service Award to the Sport

I am pleased to announce we are also awarding a special service to racketlon award to a very deserving servant to racketlon. This is in memory of the late Ed Johnson and we will also hold a one minute silence in Ed’s memory.

Let’s have an event to remember!

All the Best,
Keith

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