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 Cadburys 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 ONeil 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 thats
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 well 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
wont 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 dont 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 O45s, mens
O55s and O65s 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 wouldnt
fancy playing Foulds/Kerins. Also, watch out for Morgan/Jordan
and Thomson/Websdale! Hogg/Hogg, Whitehouse/Whitehouse, double
jeopardy, seeing stars, Postlethwaite/Isherwood wont help,
no doubt, smashing shuttles into the floor, leaving little
opportunity to be up after two sports!
The other mens and ladies classes look wide open and I
would predict a debutant to take the plaudits. Lets 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 cant
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 Eds memory.
Lets have an event to remember!
All the Best,
Keith
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