National Racketball Championships 2017 Report
The 1st and 2nd of April saw players from all over the country fight it out for the chance to be crowned National Racketball National Champion in 2017. The event saw over 120 competitors and … previous National Champions compete.
Follow this link to view the photos - https://www.facebook.com/pg/UKRacketballSeries/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1293023120765875
Follow this link to view the videos - courtesy of Racketball enthusiast Lawrence Ogden - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOCDhogUhLhXdcGnD58Nlbw
Follow this link to view the photos - https://www.facebook.com/pg/UKRacketballSeries/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1293023120765875
Follow this link to view the videos - courtesy of Racketball enthusiast Lawrence Ogden - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOCDhogUhLhXdcGnD58Nlbw
Men’s Championship
In the main event there was an early upset when ¾ seed and winner of UK-Racketball Series title Dan Soar was defeated by local Nottingham player Tom Bailey in the first round. Soar was the only seed to fall however with one seed Tim Vail, two seed Adam Murrills and the other ¾ seed Ollie Turner and making it through without dropping a game.
The semi finals again went to seeding with Tim Vail quickly disposing of Joseph Blackmur and Adam Murrils eventually overcoming the dogged determination of Ollie Turner.
Up until the final Vail had shown no mercy with his opponents. He dropped only 10 points in the quarterfinals and 13 points in the semi final. The final was set up to be a classic encounter between the professional squash player Adam Murrils now ranked 90 in the world and Racketball legend Tim Vail.
Murrils is one of the fastest squash players in the world making him one of the best retrievers on tour. Vail however loves the challenge of taking down the full time player who can run forever and this time was no different. In the end Murril’s speed and tenacity was no match for Vail’s Knowledge of where to hit the ball and when. Vail added a 9th National Racketball Title to his collection giving him the most National Racketball Titles on record.
The semi finals again went to seeding with Tim Vail quickly disposing of Joseph Blackmur and Adam Murrils eventually overcoming the dogged determination of Ollie Turner.
Up until the final Vail had shown no mercy with his opponents. He dropped only 10 points in the quarterfinals and 13 points in the semi final. The final was set up to be a classic encounter between the professional squash player Adam Murrils now ranked 90 in the world and Racketball legend Tim Vail.
Murrils is one of the fastest squash players in the world making him one of the best retrievers on tour. Vail however loves the challenge of taking down the full time player who can run forever and this time was no different. In the end Murril’s speed and tenacity was no match for Vail’s Knowledge of where to hit the ball and when. Vail added a 9th National Racketball Title to his collection giving him the most National Racketball Titles on record.
Women's Championship
The women’s draw was a 5 person box league round robin. Charlotte Elgood defeated Vicky Toates who battled hard all weekend. Elgood however did not have enough to overcome the challenge of Jess Mudge in the following round. The young player from Devon showed off some impressive shots to take the match 3-2 in the closest of the ties in the women’s draw.
Jess Mudge was tenacious as ever against Matilda Parslow in a match that both players needed to win to make it into a final against Natalie Lawrence. Parslow played a lot of Racketball at Chapel A when she was younger and this experience showed through in the end against Mudge in a game that saw a lot of desperate retrieving from both players in a match that was probably closer than the 3-0 score line suggests.
The women’s final was always going to be interesting. Natalie Lawrence has dominated every UK-Racketball event that she played over the past few years and has always got the best over Parslow in the past. Parslow is improving all the time however and starting to get closer.
The match itself was even down the Parslow forehand Lawrence backhand but it was a different story down the other flank. Lawrence hits the Racketball harder than any other woman on her forehand and this is exactly what she started to do against Parslow. Whenever the length was short she could wind up and then either pummel the back with a hard low drive or take the ball into the front with a boast or stab kill. Parslow fought hard and managed to take the 3rd game but after a good start from Lawrence in the 4th she never looked back, claiming her 3rd National Racketball Title.
Jess Mudge was tenacious as ever against Matilda Parslow in a match that both players needed to win to make it into a final against Natalie Lawrence. Parslow played a lot of Racketball at Chapel A when she was younger and this experience showed through in the end against Mudge in a game that saw a lot of desperate retrieving from both players in a match that was probably closer than the 3-0 score line suggests.
The women’s final was always going to be interesting. Natalie Lawrence has dominated every UK-Racketball event that she played over the past few years and has always got the best over Parslow in the past. Parslow is improving all the time however and starting to get closer.
The match itself was even down the Parslow forehand Lawrence backhand but it was a different story down the other flank. Lawrence hits the Racketball harder than any other woman on her forehand and this is exactly what she started to do against Parslow. Whenever the length was short she could wind up and then either pummel the back with a hard low drive or take the ball into the front with a boast or stab kill. Parslow fought hard and managed to take the 3rd game but after a good start from Lawrence in the 4th she never looked back, claiming her 3rd National Racketball Title.
Follow the links below to head to results, photos and titles!
Titles and finalists
Full Results
Photos
Videos - Lawrence Ogden on YouTube
Introduction
The British National Racketball Championships will take place at Nottingham Squash Rackets Club and the date is fast approaching. The last time UK-Racketball ran the National Championships was back in 2012 where we had a massive 260 entries, the biggest Nationals ever! The 2017 event promises to build on the success of previous years.
Nottingham has a thriving Racketball scene and is the home of UK-Racketball, making it a natural choice to host the National Championships. Nottingham is the biggest squash venue in the country and the first venue to become a host for a UK-Racketball Event back in 2010.
With 10 excellent squash courts, including six glass backs and one of the best championship show courts in the country, the club is an ideal host for any top Racketball tournament.
Nottingham has a thriving Racketball scene and is the home of UK-Racketball, making it a natural choice to host the National Championships. Nottingham is the biggest squash venue in the country and the first venue to become a host for a UK-Racketball Event back in 2010.
With 10 excellent squash courts, including six glass backs and one of the best championship show courts in the country, the club is an ideal host for any top Racketball tournament.
Main Tournament Details
What: UK-Racketball Racketball Championships
When: Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd April 2017
Where: Nottingham Squash Rackets Club
Postcode: NG7 1BX
Closing Date: Friday 24th March
Cost: £20.00 (includes top quality quick dry Head t-shirt)
Cost 2nd Grade: £5.00
Online Entries : Follow this link to the Fantasy Squash Online Shop
When: Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd April 2017
Where: Nottingham Squash Rackets Club
Postcode: NG7 1BX
Closing Date: Friday 24th March
Cost: £20.00 (includes top quality quick dry Head t-shirt)
Cost 2nd Grade: £5.00
Online Entries : Follow this link to the Fantasy Squash Online Shop
The National Championships – A Tournament For All Ages and Standards
The British National Racketball Championships is open to all ages and abilities. Whether you’re looking to take on a new challenge or chasing a top title, this is the tournament for you. The UK-Racketball Series was founded on the principle of being accessible and open to anyone, no matter what their standard or grade. This is the ethos with which we ran the tournament in 2012 and will be the same focus in 2017.
More and more women are taking up racketball each year, and the 10 grades on offer at the National Championships this year reflects this.
In the Women’s event last year, Natalie Lawrence went on to take the double, beating Chloe Marshall 3-0 to take the Women’s title, and winning the O35s earlier in the day.
In the mens category, England No1 Luke Bishop was knocked out by Tim Vail, who went on to beat a heavily fatigued Ted Jeal in the final. It was a fantastic Championship consisting of 10 grades for the men and ten for the women. The format remains the same this year, and with the event run by UK-Racketball we’re expecting a great entry.
More and more women are taking up racketball each year, and the 10 grades on offer at the National Championships this year reflects this.
In the Women’s event last year, Natalie Lawrence went on to take the double, beating Chloe Marshall 3-0 to take the Women’s title, and winning the O35s earlier in the day.
In the mens category, England No1 Luke Bishop was knocked out by Tim Vail, who went on to beat a heavily fatigued Ted Jeal in the final. It was a fantastic Championship consisting of 10 grades for the men and ten for the women. The format remains the same this year, and with the event run by UK-Racketball we’re expecting a great entry.
Grades
Men’s Championship
Men's O35 Championship
Men’s O40 Championship
Men’s O45 Championship
Men’s O50 Championship
Men’s O55 Championship
Men’s O60 Championship
Men’s O65 Championship
Men’s O70 Championship
Men’s O75 Championship
Women’s Championship
Women’s O35 Championship
Women’s O45 Championship
Women's O50 Championship
Women’s O55 Championships
Women’s O60 Championship
Women’s O65 Championship
Women’s O70 Championship
Women’s O75 Championship
You must be eligible to play in the event that you enter. The cut off date for age groups is the weekend of the competition. For example you must be 35 years old or older on the 1st of April to be eligible to play in the Over 35’s.
If you are unsure which category to enter please feel free to contact Mark Fuller directly on 07846067505 or email us at info@uk-racketball.com and we will be happy to advise you.
If entries to a category are not sufficient grades may be merged, however all participants will always be informed in advance and they will have a choice if they would still like to play, this has never happened in the last three years.
Men's O35 Championship
Men’s O40 Championship
Men’s O45 Championship
Men’s O50 Championship
Men’s O55 Championship
Men’s O60 Championship
Men’s O65 Championship
Men’s O70 Championship
Men’s O75 Championship
Women’s Championship
Women’s O35 Championship
Women’s O45 Championship
Women's O50 Championship
Women’s O55 Championships
Women’s O60 Championship
Women’s O65 Championship
Women’s O70 Championship
Women’s O75 Championship
You must be eligible to play in the event that you enter. The cut off date for age groups is the weekend of the competition. For example you must be 35 years old or older on the 1st of April to be eligible to play in the Over 35’s.
If you are unsure which category to enter please feel free to contact Mark Fuller directly on 07846067505 or email us at info@uk-racketball.com and we will be happy to advise you.
If entries to a category are not sufficient grades may be merged, however all participants will always be informed in advance and they will have a choice if they would still like to play, this has never happened in the last three years.
Plate Competitions
We will run a plate competition for all categories. You need to inform the tournament organiser before the event starts if you do not wise to play in the plate. This will need to be done before the draws are done so before Monday 27th March.
Prizes and T-Shirts
All competitors will receive a FREE quick dry t-shirt. Have a look at the information pages for the UK-Racketball Series to see the shirt. When the designs for the shirts have been done we will publish on the website.
Prizes are given out to the winner and the runner up for each grade. This year the prizes will be vouchers for Head products. All winners and runners up will receive a trophy.
Winners from previous rounds will referee the next match on that court (the same rules that apply to the UK-Racketball Series).
This is a two day tournament taking place over the Saturday and Sunday, with no matches on the Friday.
More Information: email Mark Fuller mark@starsportsdevelopment.com or call Mark on 07846 067505
Prizes are given out to the winner and the runner up for each grade. This year the prizes will be vouchers for Head products. All winners and runners up will receive a trophy.
Winners from previous rounds will referee the next match on that court (the same rules that apply to the UK-Racketball Series).
This is a two day tournament taking place over the Saturday and Sunday, with no matches on the Friday.
More Information: email Mark Fuller mark@starsportsdevelopment.com or call Mark on 07846 067505
Tournament Structure
All matches will be best of 5 games to 11 PAR (point a rally) scoring.
Events will be straight knockout or group stages depending on entries.
Referees
In the UK-Racketball Series all matches are refereed by the player who won the previous match on that court. The feedback on the Series events is that this works really well and therefore the same format will take place in The National Championships.
WINNERS WILL REFEREE THE NEXT MATCH ON THE COURT THEY HAVE JUST PLAYED ON.
If you are playing in multiple grades and have another match following on you will need to find someone who can referee for you. The best thing to do is to explain to your opponent the situation and see if he can help.
If you are unable to referee for any reason and are unable to find someone to help you please contact the desk as soon as you can.
This event will run well with you corporation.
Events will be straight knockout or group stages depending on entries.
Referees
In the UK-Racketball Series all matches are refereed by the player who won the previous match on that court. The feedback on the Series events is that this works really well and therefore the same format will take place in The National Championships.
WINNERS WILL REFEREE THE NEXT MATCH ON THE COURT THEY HAVE JUST PLAYED ON.
If you are playing in multiple grades and have another match following on you will need to find someone who can referee for you. The best thing to do is to explain to your opponent the situation and see if he can help.
If you are unable to referee for any reason and are unable to find someone to help you please contact the desk as soon as you can.
This event will run well with you corporation.
Entry List, Draws and Schedules Release Dates
This is another major change but something that we hope will make the event run smoother.
Friday 24th March – 8 days before the event - All events will close on midnight the Friday before the event so almost exactly a week before the event.
Sunday 26th March – 6 days before the event - An entry list will be released on www.uk-racketball.com on the Monday before the event. If you have entered the event then please check on the Monday that your entry has been received and that you are on the list. If you should be on the list but are not then please email Mark Fuller mark@starsportsdevelopment.com as soon as possible.
Tuesday 28th March – 4 days before the event – Draws and Schedules will be released on www.uk-racketball.com
Friday 24th March – 8 days before the event - All events will close on midnight the Friday before the event so almost exactly a week before the event.
Sunday 26th March – 6 days before the event - An entry list will be released on www.uk-racketball.com on the Monday before the event. If you have entered the event then please check on the Monday that your entry has been received and that you are on the list. If you should be on the list but are not then please email Mark Fuller mark@starsportsdevelopment.com as soon as possible.
Tuesday 28th March – 4 days before the event – Draws and Schedules will be released on www.uk-racketball.com
Club Facilities
Nottingham Squash Rackets Club has plenty of onsite parking, a bar open all day serving hot and cold food, a gym to warm up in before your matches and a sauna and steam room to warm down and relax after playing.
Club Location
Along with the facilities and atmosphere the club location is another reason why events at Nottingham prove to be so popular. With the city being central to the UK and the club based only 15 minutes from the M1 Nottingham can be reached easily from all areas of the country.
Nottingham Squash Rackets Club
Tattershall Drive
The Park Estate
Nottingham
NG7 1BX
Tel: 0115 941 7022
Click here to visit the club website for more information
Club Location
Along with the facilities and atmosphere the club location is another reason why events at Nottingham prove to be so popular. With the city being central to the UK and the club based only 15 minutes from the M1 Nottingham can be reached easily from all areas of the country.
Nottingham Squash Rackets Club
Tattershall Drive
The Park Estate
Nottingham
NG7 1BX
Tel: 0115 941 7022
Click here to visit the club website for more information
Videos - Photos - Results and Reports
Photos from the event will be uploaded to the UK-Racketball Facebook page. Have a look at photos from previous years as well as from the UK-Racketball Series here - https://www.facebook.com/UKRacketballSeries/
Lawrence Ogden will once again be recording videos of the event for his Racketball youtube site. You can find loads of Racketball videos by following this link - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOCDhogUhLhXdcGnD58Nlbw - Lawrence does these videos on a voluntary basis and has done for years with a great stock pile of matches now recorded!
Reports will be uploaded directly to the UK-Racketball website.
Lawrence Ogden will once again be recording videos of the event for his Racketball youtube site. You can find loads of Racketball videos by following this link - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOCDhogUhLhXdcGnD58Nlbw - Lawrence does these videos on a voluntary basis and has done for years with a great stock pile of matches now recorded!
Reports will be uploaded directly to the UK-Racketball website.
Accommodation
There is a good choice of accommodation in the local area, with Nottingham city centre on the club’s doorstep. A good budget option is the Premiere Inn Chapel Bar with rooms from £38. It’s a 15 minute walk from the Nottingham Squash Rackets Club and is located in the city centre meaning you’ll have a good choice of food and drink establishments.
If you prefer something a little fancier, The Walton Hotel is a nine minute walk from the club and offers doubles from £160 a night.
If you prefer something a little fancier, The Walton Hotel is a nine minute walk from the club and offers doubles from £160 a night.
Title Sponsor - HEAD
The Series would not run without the support that it receives from its sponsors. Our long standing title sponsor HEAD are returning for another year this year. HEAD are one of the biggest sports brands in the world, produce some of the best racketball rackets, and are a fantastic supporter of racketball - so we are thrilled to have them on board again.
Featuring HEAD's revolutionary Inner Grommet System Technology and patented twin tube construction, their rackets deliver superior performance, power and stability. Many of HEAD’s rackets feature Graphene XT Technology. Once played with a Graphene racquet, you never want to miss the extra swing it gives you with each shot. Now imagine the next stage of this revolutionary technology: GRAPHENE XT, a new generation of HEAD racquets with enhanced weight distribution, perfect maneuverability and a fast performance that will just blow your opponents away.
https://youtu.be/qU9YVSFr3uo
Featuring HEAD's revolutionary Inner Grommet System Technology and patented twin tube construction, their rackets deliver superior performance, power and stability. Many of HEAD’s rackets feature Graphene XT Technology. Once played with a Graphene racquet, you never want to miss the extra swing it gives you with each shot. Now imagine the next stage of this revolutionary technology: GRAPHENE XT, a new generation of HEAD racquets with enhanced weight distribution, perfect maneuverability and a fast performance that will just blow your opponents away.
https://youtu.be/qU9YVSFr3uo
