Another Nordic Country on the Racketlon
Map
2006-07-11
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Yet another new country is emerging on the Racketlon map;
Estonia, a republic by the Baltic Sea with some 1,3 million
inhabitants. And, of course, the home country of rapidly emerging
racketlon star Kati Kraaving (currently no. 5 on the IRF ranking and the sensational winner of
the very prestigious Finnish Open earlier this year - see report - in competition with some
of the best players in the World).
On the 20th of June the Estonian Racketlon Federation (Eesti
Racketloni Liit - ERL) was formally founded with Riho Sillaots,
the owner of the Pärnu Squash-club, as its President. Another
notable member of the board is Kaia Kanepi, no. 65 on the Women's
Tennis World Ranking. (See her homepage at www.kaiakanepi.com )
Kaia Kanepi. A member of the Racketlon board.
(Photo: www.kaiakanepi.com )
Although not much news have so-far managed to leak out of the
country, no less than four racketlon tournaments have taken place
in Estonia, all organised by Sillaots in the city of Pärnu by
the Baltic Sea. The first one emerged in 2002 already(!) and
attracted 16 participants. Sillaots informs that the winner of
this first Estonian racketlon tournament was Kari Tapio Puttonen
(Finland), second was Timo Ots (Estonia) and third Matts-Erik
Lindqvist (Finland) (Lindqvist origins from Åhland and Swedish
is his native tongue).
Potentially, Pärnu could be an attractive target for the
international racketlon crowd, with its picturesque atmosphere
and location by the beach. During the last period of Estonian
independence (between the first and second world wars, before the
Soviet occupation started) it was a very fashionable place to go
during summer for e.g. the Swedish aristocracy and the area was
known as the "Nordic Riviera" (while Estonia itself
counted as one of the "Nordic countries"). Admittedly,
however, it is questionable whether the Pärnu sport centre
facilities are developed enough to host a fully fledged World
Ranking event - so-far. However, Estonia is considered one of the
most dynamic economies of Eastern Europe and is known to have had
the highest economic growth of all countries in Europe(!) during
some of the years following its recovered independence in 1991.
So, who knows? Maybe inspiration is running high enough to one
day build a "racketlon centre" in Pärnu (or maybe in
the capital Tallinn?). (The Racketlon World is still waiting for
someone to build the the first sport centre especially designed
for racketlon. It would not come as a big surprise if it happens
in one of the emerging racketlon countries of Eastern Europe, who
need to look over their infrastructure for racket sport anyway -
and who seem more open to adopt a new sport like racketlon than
some of the more rigid established countries of the west...)
Picturesque Pärnu by the Baltic Sea. Home of the Estonian
Racketlon Federation.
Check out the homepage (Estonian language only) of the Estonian
Racketlon Federation at www.racketlon.ee
.
Welcome to the Racketlon community, Estonia!
/Hans Mullamaa (half Estonian)
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