North West Racketball Open - cancelled due to Covid-19
I hope that everyone is safe and well.
It is with great regret that we will have to postpone the next two events on the UK-Racketball calendar. Since the founding of The UK-Racketball Series in 2010 we have never once postponed or cancelled an event. I was very much hoping that this was a record that would never change.
Since 2010 we have run 86 successful events. It is a testament to the commitment of all of you that this has been so successful and for so long.
I will be working with the clubs to find new dates. At the moment I don't think that anyone has any idea how long this will last or what will happen so I feel that it is best to hold off setting any new dates until we have more information.
Players who have already entered either The North East or North West Racketball Open's and would rather have the refund than wait to see what happens with a new date please email me directly mark@starsportsdevelopment.com and I will process this straight away. As I mentioned in the previous update UK-Racketball players will not be out of pocket due to this outbreak. For any events that do not take place everyone will get their money back and any event that is postponed to a later date players upon seeing that date will then have the option of either playing or receiving a full refund.
Members who have signed up for the whole Series and this year we have a record number of you will all receive a rebate based on the extent of the Covid-19 disruption. We will obviously only know this in the fullness of time.
Look after yourselves and each other. Let us hope that we can get back to the Racketball battles soon!
It is with great regret that we will have to postpone the next two events on the UK-Racketball calendar. Since the founding of The UK-Racketball Series in 2010 we have never once postponed or cancelled an event. I was very much hoping that this was a record that would never change.
Since 2010 we have run 86 successful events. It is a testament to the commitment of all of you that this has been so successful and for so long.
I will be working with the clubs to find new dates. At the moment I don't think that anyone has any idea how long this will last or what will happen so I feel that it is best to hold off setting any new dates until we have more information.
Players who have already entered either The North East or North West Racketball Open's and would rather have the refund than wait to see what happens with a new date please email me directly mark@starsportsdevelopment.com and I will process this straight away. As I mentioned in the previous update UK-Racketball players will not be out of pocket due to this outbreak. For any events that do not take place everyone will get their money back and any event that is postponed to a later date players upon seeing that date will then have the option of either playing or receiving a full refund.
Members who have signed up for the whole Series and this year we have a record number of you will all receive a rebate based on the extent of the Covid-19 disruption. We will obviously only know this in the fullness of time.
Look after yourselves and each other. Let us hope that we can get back to the Racketball battles soon!
North West Racketball Open Introduction
Bowdon was new to the calendar 2019 and the first event that we have ever run in the Northwest of England. Bowdon proved to be an ideal club to host an event with four courts all over looked by a communal balcony area, this kept the event very central and the social side of the tournament together. The club's new glass back show court was perfect for the event finals with the crowd at last years event treated to a very entertaining final between Paul "Knocker" Norton and Craig Chappell! Bowdon is a traditional northern sports club with a strong tradition in cricket and hockey, it's squash legacy is also strong with it being the home club of Adam Murrils (WR 76) the master of the trick shot follow this link and you will not be disappointed - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECVlxh7GB9Y
Last years event proved to be a sellout with all grades running, a fantastic achievement for a club in it's first year on tour. The Over 50's saw the largest draw on the day with three groups of four players. You had to win 5 matches to be crowned champion and it was Neil Baldwin who added the North West title to his collection defeating Paul Dodds in the final 2-0.
Follow this link to see Bowdon's Racketball in action on BBC Breakfast - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftZdOvgC1Ls
A big attraction for Bowdon was the location, situated south of Manchester and close to the M6 it is easily accessible.
Last years event proved to be a sellout with all grades running, a fantastic achievement for a club in it's first year on tour. The Over 50's saw the largest draw on the day with three groups of four players. You had to win 5 matches to be crowned champion and it was Neil Baldwin who added the North West title to his collection defeating Paul Dodds in the final 2-0.
Follow this link to see Bowdon's Racketball in action on BBC Breakfast - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftZdOvgC1Ls
A big attraction for Bowdon was the location, situated south of Manchester and close to the M6 it is easily accessible.
Main Tournament Details
What: Northwest of England Racketball Open
When: Saturday 16th May
Where: Bowdon Cricket, Hockey and Squash Club
Postcode: WA14 3DT
Cost: £14.00 (£8.50 for high quality, quick dry, sublimated print tournament t-shirt)
Closing Date: Friday 8th May
More Information: Email Mark Fuller mark@starsportsdevelopment.com or call Mark on 07846 067505
When: Saturday 16th May
Where: Bowdon Cricket, Hockey and Squash Club
Postcode: WA14 3DT
Cost: £14.00 (£8.50 for high quality, quick dry, sublimated print tournament t-shirt)
Closing Date: Friday 8th May
More Information: Email Mark Fuller mark@starsportsdevelopment.com or call Mark on 07846 067505
Grades
It is important to remember that UK-Racketball Series events are designed to be inclusive. Although the A grade does attract the best racketball players in the country the events really are for players of all ages and abilities. We have never had a competitor who felt they were not good enough for an event when they took part.
A Grade – County, national or good club player
B Grade – Regular club player
Women’s – All ages and abilities, these events have a great range of players which makes for a fun and competitive day.
Over 40’s – For players over the age of 40
Over 50’s - For players over the age of 50
Over 60’s – For players over the age of 60
Over 70's - For players over the age of 70
Doubles – limited to 8 pairs, Racketball rules apply, follow this link for more information - http://www.uk-racketball.com/racketball-doubles-rules.html
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.
A Grade – County, national or good club player
B Grade – Regular club player
Women’s – All ages and abilities, these events have a great range of players which makes for a fun and competitive day.
Over 40’s – For players over the age of 40
Over 50’s - For players over the age of 50
Over 60’s – For players over the age of 60
Over 70's - For players over the age of 70
Doubles – limited to 8 pairs, Racketball rules apply, follow this link for more information - http://www.uk-racketball.com/racketball-doubles-rules.html
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.
Club Location
S Downs Rd,
Bowdon,
Altrincham
WA14 3DT, UK
Website: bowdonsquash.com/
Contact: 0161 928 1358
Enquiries: enquiries@bowdonsquash.com
Bowdon,
Altrincham
WA14 3DT, UK
Website: bowdonsquash.com/
Contact: 0161 928 1358
Enquiries: enquiries@bowdonsquash.com
What happened in 2019... North West Racketball Open Results and Report
This was the first time that the Series had ventured into the North West. Bowdon is a fantastic traditional northern sports club with a great tradition in hockey, cricket and squash. The newly refurbished glass back show court makes it the perfect place to host a UK-Racketball Series event. Click here to view the photos!
Over 40’s
It was the largest draw for the Over 40’s so far in the 2019 Series with 8 players split across 2 groups. Ryan Loska continued his strong run of form in the Over 40’s making it through the group without dropping a game despite Spencer Harris pushing him hard.
It came down to the final game in Group B with Darren Lee unbeaten but a 2-0 victory for Lee Walton would see him claim the spot in the final. In the end Darren Lee proved too strong taking the match 11/3, 11/6 and booking his place in the final.
Lee started the final well taking the opening game 11/6. Loska as always fought back however closing out the second 11/6 and then pulling away to take the decider 11/4 and add the North West Racketball Open to his growing tally of medals.
Over 40’s
It was the largest draw for the Over 40’s so far in the 2019 Series with 8 players split across 2 groups. Ryan Loska continued his strong run of form in the Over 40’s making it through the group without dropping a game despite Spencer Harris pushing him hard.
It came down to the final game in Group B with Darren Lee unbeaten but a 2-0 victory for Lee Walton would see him claim the spot in the final. In the end Darren Lee proved too strong taking the match 11/3, 11/6 and booking his place in the final.
Lee started the final well taking the opening game 11/6. Loska as always fought back however closing out the second 11/6 and then pulling away to take the decider 11/4 and add the North West Racketball Open to his growing tally of medals.
Over 50’s
The top two groups in the Over 60’s went to seeding with Paul Dodds taking group A and Spencer Harris group B. Group C went against the rankings prediction but not against historical form. It has been a little while since Neil Baldwin’s last outing at a UK-Racketball Series event but he hasn’t lost his instinct, despite being pushed hard by Paul Brookes in his opening match Baldwin joined Dodds and Harris in the winners group.
Dodds started the winners group well with a victory over Harris 2-1. Against Baldwin however he was always up against it. Shot of the tournament has to go to Dodds for an outrageous cross court drop fade into the nick (he only mentioned it about 20 times) but it was not enough. Victory for Baldwin and back to claiming titles in the UK-Racketball Series.
Over 60’s
Group A of the Over 60’s was one of the most competitive in the Series so far this year. Pat High-Corner who was competing in the men’s draw ran her heart out all day but was unable to make headway against a very strong group. The remaining four players all finished within one point of each other. Top seed Ian Graham on 5 points, Terry Horne on 5 and then Alan Susskind and Yac Latif both finished with 6. Latif narrowly missed out on a place in the final at Hallamshire but made it one step further at Bowdon. Victory over Susskind in their head to head saw him through.
It was a lot more straightforward in Group B with the tournament two seed Paul Halstead proving dominant and not dropping a game. He was pushed hardest by Graham Holmes from Devon who finished the group in 2nd and local Bowdon player Patrick O’Dowd who finished 3rd.
The 60’s saw another fantastic final with an opening game that was taken 15/13 by Yac Latif. Halstead fought back in the second however taking the game 11/6 to level the score at one game all. The start of the 3rd was always going to be critical and on this occasion it was Latif who came out of the blocks early. After starting well he never stopped, eventually winning the game 11/2 and claiming his first UK-Racketball Series title!
The top two groups in the Over 60’s went to seeding with Paul Dodds taking group A and Spencer Harris group B. Group C went against the rankings prediction but not against historical form. It has been a little while since Neil Baldwin’s last outing at a UK-Racketball Series event but he hasn’t lost his instinct, despite being pushed hard by Paul Brookes in his opening match Baldwin joined Dodds and Harris in the winners group.
Dodds started the winners group well with a victory over Harris 2-1. Against Baldwin however he was always up against it. Shot of the tournament has to go to Dodds for an outrageous cross court drop fade into the nick (he only mentioned it about 20 times) but it was not enough. Victory for Baldwin and back to claiming titles in the UK-Racketball Series.
Over 60’s
Group A of the Over 60’s was one of the most competitive in the Series so far this year. Pat High-Corner who was competing in the men’s draw ran her heart out all day but was unable to make headway against a very strong group. The remaining four players all finished within one point of each other. Top seed Ian Graham on 5 points, Terry Horne on 5 and then Alan Susskind and Yac Latif both finished with 6. Latif narrowly missed out on a place in the final at Hallamshire but made it one step further at Bowdon. Victory over Susskind in their head to head saw him through.
It was a lot more straightforward in Group B with the tournament two seed Paul Halstead proving dominant and not dropping a game. He was pushed hardest by Graham Holmes from Devon who finished the group in 2nd and local Bowdon player Patrick O’Dowd who finished 3rd.
The 60’s saw another fantastic final with an opening game that was taken 15/13 by Yac Latif. Halstead fought back in the second however taking the game 11/6 to level the score at one game all. The start of the 3rd was always going to be critical and on this occasion it was Latif who came out of the blocks early. After starting well he never stopped, eventually winning the game 11/2 and claiming his first UK-Racketball Series title!
B Grade
Top seed Graeme Manson came out on top in Group A but was pushed hard in all three of his matches. Despite losing 2-0 to Manson, Neil Jagger came through the group in 2nd place with victories over both Chris Burton and Matt Cam. In Group B Joseph Watson defeated Richard Cobb but was pushed hard by Hallamshire player Neil Widdsion.
This was Walton’s second final in a row having narrowly missed out on a title just over a month ago at Hallamshire. Walton was determined and a combination of smooth, controlled movement and relentless ball placement saw him through. A first title for the youngest player on the day.
Doubles
As always in the doubles it was a mixture of standards and a lot of fun. The Series pair of Steven Knight and James Murphy who had not played together before the day battled hard but did not have enough to make any wins with Steven Knight’s lucky Titanic shirt bringing him the anticipated level of luck one would expect.
With three groups entered from the Hallamshire they must have been hoping for a title but it was not to be. Peter Widdowson and Yac Yatif came the closest with victories over fellow Hallamshire teams of Manson/Cam and N. Widdowson/Mawhood. The final however was quite straightforward for the new pairing of Craig Chapel and Ryan Loska who worked well together throughout the day, this could be a pairing to watch out for at the National Doubles in December!
Top seed Graeme Manson came out on top in Group A but was pushed hard in all three of his matches. Despite losing 2-0 to Manson, Neil Jagger came through the group in 2nd place with victories over both Chris Burton and Matt Cam. In Group B Joseph Watson defeated Richard Cobb but was pushed hard by Hallamshire player Neil Widdsion.
This was Walton’s second final in a row having narrowly missed out on a title just over a month ago at Hallamshire. Walton was determined and a combination of smooth, controlled movement and relentless ball placement saw him through. A first title for the youngest player on the day.
Doubles
As always in the doubles it was a mixture of standards and a lot of fun. The Series pair of Steven Knight and James Murphy who had not played together before the day battled hard but did not have enough to make any wins with Steven Knight’s lucky Titanic shirt bringing him the anticipated level of luck one would expect.
With three groups entered from the Hallamshire they must have been hoping for a title but it was not to be. Peter Widdowson and Yac Yatif came the closest with victories over fellow Hallamshire teams of Manson/Cam and N. Widdowson/Mawhood. The final however was quite straightforward for the new pairing of Craig Chapel and Ryan Loska who worked well together throughout the day, this could be a pairing to watch out for at the National Doubles in December!
A Grade
Craig Chapel was unfortunate to miss out on a title in the first event of this year’s Series in Broxbourne. At Bowdon however he looked determined from the off defeating Alex Glencross from Hallamshire and then fellow Stone player Edward Snape. The final between Chapel and Norton was the last match of the day and it did not disappoint the players who had stayed to watch. “Knocker” Norton was moving the ball around with his customary accuracy and talent but despite looking fitter and stronger than he did at Hallamshire where he narrowly missed out on a title Craig Chapel was not going to let this one go. 2-0 to Chapel in the final of a very tough A Grade.
Next up in the 2019 HEAD UK-Racketball Series is an event that we have never run before, Inter Counties. We already have almost 20 teams signed up! If you would like to play but are unsure of who to contact in your county then please email mark@starsportsdevelopment.com and I will put you in touch with the relevant people!
Craig Chapel was unfortunate to miss out on a title in the first event of this year’s Series in Broxbourne. At Bowdon however he looked determined from the off defeating Alex Glencross from Hallamshire and then fellow Stone player Edward Snape. The final between Chapel and Norton was the last match of the day and it did not disappoint the players who had stayed to watch. “Knocker” Norton was moving the ball around with his customary accuracy and talent but despite looking fitter and stronger than he did at Hallamshire where he narrowly missed out on a title Craig Chapel was not going to let this one go. 2-0 to Chapel in the final of a very tough A Grade.
Next up in the 2019 HEAD UK-Racketball Series is an event that we have never run before, Inter Counties. We already have almost 20 teams signed up! If you would like to play but are unsure of who to contact in your county then please email mark@starsportsdevelopment.com and I will put you in touch with the relevant people!
North West Racketball Open 2019 - Results
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