- North American Squash Gets Serious

Published: 08 Oct 2007 - 11:36 by rippa rit

Updated: 09 Oct 2007 - 08:18

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(Please note, there has been an amendment to the second para)

News from North America:-

" North American Squash Gets Serious with 2008 Launch ofPlayers Cup Exciting action for the coming winter squash season here in North America...read on for all the details...Colleen FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Squash Gets Serious with 2008 Launch of Players Cup and Players Cup Squash Series in North America ---Sponsors and Promoters Band Together to Shape Winter Squash Season--- Tourneys in New York City, Dayton, Toronto, Portland and Richmond Lead to Top Player Showdown in Boston BOSTON October 6, 2007 In a groundbreaking initiative for the sport of squash in North America, five world-class pro tournaments will band together in 2008 to form the Players Cup Squash Circuit.

The Circuit tournaments are sanctioned by the Professional Squash
Association, the international governing body for world-ranking professional
squash competition, and will culminate with the first-ever Players Cup
playoff event, which will be an unsanctioned special event.
Beginning in New York City on January 10 and ending in Richmond, VA on March 1, the five high-level tournaments will climax with the Players Cup in Boston, March 4-7. The 8-man, single elimination competition provides a winner¹s purse of $25,000.00 USD, earning the winner the largest first place check in North American squash history. Six competitors will qualify for the Players Cup based on their cumulative prize money earned in the five preceding Series events, while two players can earn a berth through local qualifying events. John Nimick, Players Series founder and promoter of three of the Circuit tournaments explains, ³Squash is one of sport¹s hidden gems, featuring world-class athletes at the top of their game.

With 15 million people playing in more than 125 countries, the sport was recently voted by the International Olympic Committee to be the #1 choice for potential inclusion in a future Olympic Programme. With the launch of the Players Cup Squash Circuit, we are making a concerted and coordinated effort to give North American sports fans a distinct season of squash that they will never forget.² World #8 John White, Scottish by heritage and now a permanent US resident, extols, ³The Players Cup Circuit is such a great idea and the players will love it. It will bring something new to the game and add more excitement to the events here in the States. With the players knowing that there is a big purse at the end of the series, I am sure they will all come and try to get a piece of the action at the Finals in March.²

The inaugural Circuit events will all take place in January and February and lead immediately to the playoff matches in Boston. Nimick concludes, ³Squash has grown considerably in North America and this sort of elite, end-of-season event will showcase the sport in a new and more focused way that is sure to thrill sports fans.² Governed by US Squash (www.us-squash.org ), more than 400,000 people play squash in the US and the sport is growing strongly at the junior and college level.

The Players Cup Squash Circuit anticipates participation from the top male players on the PSA World Tour, including world #1 Amr Shabana (EGY) and #2 Ramy Ashour (EGY), perhaps the most dynamic players in the field; as well as #3 Gregory Gaultier (FRA), #4 David Palmer (AUS), #5 James Willstrop (ENG), #6 Anthony Ricketts (AUS) and #7 Thierry Lincou (FRA)and #8 John White (SCO). The highest ranked North Americans are Shahier Razik (#27, CAN), Graham Ryding (#30, CAN), and Julian Illingworth (#52, USA). 2008 Schedule: January 10 16 Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions, Grand Central Terminal, NYC, www.tocsquash.com January 24 27 EBS Dayton Open, Dayton Squash Center, Dayton, OH, www.daytonsquash.com February 13 16 PACE Canadian Classic, Toronto Convention Center, Toronto, ON, www.prosquash.ca February 20 23 Evergreen Oregon Open Championships, Multnomah Athletic Club, Portland, OR, www.PSAoregonopen.com Feb. 25 Mar.1 Davenport Pro Championships, University of Richmond, VA, www.va-squash.org March 4 7 Players Cup, Back Bay Events Center, Boston, MA, www.playerscupsquash.com Total Prize Money: $370,000.00 USD total EVENT CONTACTS: Tournament of Champions, John Nimick, Tel. 617.960.3672, jnimick@eventenginesports.com Canadian Squash Classi c, John Nimick, Tel. 617.960.3672, jnimick@eventenginesports.com Players Cup, John Nimick, Tel. 617.960.3672, jnimick@eventenginesports.com Dayton Open, Charlie Johnson, Tel. 937.885.9701, Charlie@cjsquash.com Oregon Open, Anders Giltvedt, Tel. 503.598.3250, giltvedta@web.com Virginia Pro Championships, Gus Cook, Tel. 804.287.1300 x 344, guscook29@hotmail.com -30-

Colleen Turner Burnieika/Turner Communications
Phone: 617.429.2217 Fax: 866.849.5967
15 Otis Place, Unit 1 Newburyport, MA 01950
colleen@btc-boston.com"