Sunday 19th September
After 3 days of excellent squash the Championships have now drawn to a close. The final placings are available below and a full report from Malcolm Willstrop will follow shortly.
Saturday 18th September
Report from Malcolm Willstrop.
Aberdeen were beaten in the quater finals yesterday and therefore today will see new men's champions crowned in the finals that start at 4pm
Friday 17th September
Results for the all the matches played on Friday 17th September are available on the links below. Friday has seen another day packed with matches at the club and the Pontefract crowd were out in force for Pontefract ladies team evening match.
Malcolm Willstrop's report to follow......
Friday 17th September
Report from Malcolm Willstrop
The pick of the early matches was the holders, Aberdeen (Scotland) against Petroholding (Ukraine). Three of the four matches went the full distance in Aberdeen's 3-1 win, with Kostiantyn Rybalchenko beating Jamie Jacobsen 3-2 to register the Ukraine teams's only success. Simon Parke, who regularly trains at Pontefract and who will play National League for the club this season edged out Hadrian Stiff 11-5 in the fifth having been 2-1 down, in a match which understandably attracted a large crowd.
Derek Ryan, on familiar territory, despite having lost his way to the club yesterday, led Fitzwilliam, Ireland, to a comfortable 4-0 win over Angels Luxembourg and host club Pontefract's young side, 3 teenagers and a 20 year old, led by England Junior international James Earles, beat Wholen (Switzerland) 4-0.
Pontefract women's team, holders of the championship, also made a winning start, beating Stockholm (Sweden) 4-0.
Early results:
Fitzwilliam (Ireland) 4 Angels (Luxembourg) 0
Aberdeen (Scotland) 3 Petroholding (Ukraine) 1
Pontefract (England) 4 Wohlen (Switzerland) 0
RecreanSC (Belgium) 3 Squash RC Vaduz 1
RoslagenSRC (Sweden) 4 TopgrundLW (Hungary) 0
Thursday 16th September
Report from Malcolm Willstrop
Pontefract Squash Club was packed for the opening of the European Club Team Championships beginning today. Faces abounded: Derek Ryan, for many years a valued Pontefract player, still managed to get his Irish team lost - over shooting the M62 and almost ending up in Hull! Simon Parke, Scott Handley, Lee Drew Clive Ewins, Tim Garner.....Paderborn's Simon Rosner's pilot failed to show - no reason given - and he would be arriving late. Peter Barker will be representing the upper reaches of the game after his splendid win in Hong Kong. The Managers made another re-draw.
The Mayor and Mayoress were in attendance and the Mayor stated how pleased and proud he was that Pontefract was staging such a prestiguous event. Cath Smith, of the Leydon-Smith School, doyenne of dance, assisted by Darren Wakefield, provided the entertainment as youngsters perfomed a Moulin Rouge spectacular and cheer leading and slightly older dancers gave the bemused foreign players a touch of Pontefract culture, if such a thing exists!
Pontefract Squash Club has been a hive of activity recently as volunteers with all hands to the pumps worked cheerfully to have the club in order for the championships. As happens with dress rehearsals when it is hard to see light at the end of the tunnel, by the time everyone arrived all was in place, though I suspect one or two locals could hardly believe it.
Now to the squash and let it be played in the spirit this tournament engenders, competitive but sporting.
The European Squash Club Championships are being held for the first time in England from 16th - 18th September. They are being held at Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club who are delighted to be hosting this event.
Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club is based in the historic town centre of Pontefract. The club is very close to all the local amenities and is close to good motorway and rail networks. The Xscape complex located 2 km from the Club has a ski slope and large variety of leisure and shopping facilities. Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club was established in 1977 and since that time has continued to grow and develop and has some of the finest squash and gym facilities in the region. Pontefract Squash has a long history of being the home to some of the best players in the world including Lee Beachill and James Willstrop and has one of the strongest Junior development programmes in the country.
Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club have a strong history in this event. The Ladies team entered the event for the first time in 1992 and have competed a further 9 times being the winners on 4 occasions and runners up on 5 occasions. They are the current champions and are aiming for a third successive win. The mens team have been in 3 times and were the winners in 1997.
The following countries are sending teams to the Championships; Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Scotland, Switzerland, Sweden,Ukraine plus teams from England with the host club having both a mens and a ladies team.
There will be a full programme of matches over the 3 days of the Champonships and details of the programme will be available on this website when the draws have been made on the 15th September. Spectators are welcome to any of the games but tickets will be required for the final on 18th September and these can be obtained from Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club on 01977 793333.
TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION DETAILS
Players will be arriving at Manchester Airport, a Trans Pennine rail link at the airport is available on a regular basis to transport to Leeds City Central Railway station. Transport will then be provided by Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club from Leeds station to take players and their supporters to the club and to their accommodation.
Players and supporters will be staying in the Premier Inn Hotel based in the Xscape complex located 2km from the club. Transport will be available regularly for players and supporters between the accommodation and the club for the duration of the Championships.
For further information about the Championships and tickets please contact the clubs reception which is open from 8.30am - 9pm on 01977 793333.
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