Bermuda Gears up to Become Squash Mecca
Bermuda is gearing up to become a true squash Mecca for the next three years after sealing the biggest deal in the sport's history with the Professional Squash Association (PSA).
The tiny semi-tropical Island could lay claim to being the smallest country in the world to ever host top class professional squash following the overwhelming success of the 2004 Bermuda Open last March.
Bermuda will be hosting the PSA Masters in 2005 and 2006, followed by the World Open Championship in 2007. The PSA Masters is restricted to the world's 31 top-ranked players as of the end of December this year, plus one wildcard entry from Bermuda. Preparations are already well underway and dates have been set for 4th - 9th April 2005.
Tournament Director Ross Triffitt says: 'Next year's PSA Bermuda Masters will be a veritable festival of squash, providing a smorgasbord of events for the squash enthusiast. We have registered the tournament earlier than required as our aim is to encourage as many international visitors as possible to the PSA Masters which is being held in the western world for the first time. With Bermuda being a premier tourist destination we are ideally suited to put on an event of this magnitude, located as we are some 700 miles off the eastern seaboard of the U.S.
'In addition to the main event we'll be simultaneously holding the Bermuda Junior Open, sanctioned by the USSRA, along with the Bermuda Open Graded Championship, which is also being sanctioned by the USSRA. These events give both junior and adult squash enthusiasts an ideal opportunity to see the world's top players in action while also actively participating in one of these two squash tournaments. We will also be running coaching clinics and rules clinics, along with a series of social events, including a day of golf on one or more of Bermuda's 9 picturesque golf courses.'
Stephen Young, President of the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association, adds: 'Building on the tremendous success of last March's Bermuda Open, we are keen to attract visitors from around the world to the PSA Bermuda Masters, and especially people from North America who live close to all of the gateway cities serving Bermuda. We are receiving excellent support from potential and actual sponsors and are working closely with the Ministry of Tourism to promote our event in ample time for interested squash fans to make the necessary travel plans. We have a great organizing team and I have every confidence that our tiny Island will again provide the world with a truly first class event.'
PSA Chief Executive Gawain Briars also added: 'I am pleased to confirm that all sponsorship and registration procedures have been finalised with the Bermuda Squash Association for the PSA Masters 2005.
'This is wonderful news for the world tour as it cements another prestigious event into our calendar at a prize fund level that truly reflects the prestige of the event and the world's best professionals.
'Indeed, this further confirms the enormity of the contract recently signed with Bermuda to present consecutively two PSA Masters and the PSA World Open for 2007. PSA is looking forward to attending these events at a wonderful setting when bringing the hottest squash to the shores of Bermuda.'
One leading player no doubt itching to return to Bermuda will be last March's winner Lee Beachill, the Englishman who has been steadily rising up the ranks and, following his success against current world No 1 Peter Nicol in the final of the US Open, will be taking over the world No1 ranking as of 1st October.
Meanwhile on the local scene, the wildcard entry for Bermuda is expected to be a keenly-fought contest between current Bermuda National Champion Nicholas Kyme, ranked 85 in the world, and fast-improving James Stout (the world No 116) - both of whom are products of the Island's thriving junior squash programme, and both of whom will be eager to win the Fast Forward Freight National Championships early next year to qualify for the wildcard spot.
'There is no doubt that hosting major PSA squash tournaments has already had a very positive impact on the quality of the sport in this tiny Island with a total population of just 58,000 which presently dominates men's squash in the Caribbean,' added Triffitt.
For further information on the PSA Bermuda Masters 2005, from 4th - 9th April, please check the Bermuda Open 2004 website at www.bermudaopen..com or contact the Tournament Director Ross Triffitt at rosst@bermudasquash..com
For further information: Howard Harding
Tel: (44) 1737-243333 or (mobile) (44) 7773-325130 Fax: (44) 1737-222787
Email: HowHard@aol.com 30 September 2004
The tiny semi-tropical Island could lay claim to being the smallest country in the world to ever host top class professional squash following the overwhelming success of the 2004 Bermuda Open last March.
Bermuda will be hosting the PSA Masters in 2005 and 2006, followed by the World Open Championship in 2007. The PSA Masters is restricted to the world's 31 top-ranked players as of the end of December this year, plus one wildcard entry from Bermuda. Preparations are already well underway and dates have been set for 4th - 9th April 2005.
Tournament Director Ross Triffitt says: 'Next year's PSA Bermuda Masters will be a veritable festival of squash, providing a smorgasbord of events for the squash enthusiast. We have registered the tournament earlier than required as our aim is to encourage as many international visitors as possible to the PSA Masters which is being held in the western world for the first time. With Bermuda being a premier tourist destination we are ideally suited to put on an event of this magnitude, located as we are some 700 miles off the eastern seaboard of the U.S.
'In addition to the main event we'll be simultaneously holding the Bermuda Junior Open, sanctioned by the USSRA, along with the Bermuda Open Graded Championship, which is also being sanctioned by the USSRA. These events give both junior and adult squash enthusiasts an ideal opportunity to see the world's top players in action while also actively participating in one of these two squash tournaments. We will also be running coaching clinics and rules clinics, along with a series of social events, including a day of golf on one or more of Bermuda's 9 picturesque golf courses.'
Stephen Young, President of the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association, adds: 'Building on the tremendous success of last March's Bermuda Open, we are keen to attract visitors from around the world to the PSA Bermuda Masters, and especially people from North America who live close to all of the gateway cities serving Bermuda. We are receiving excellent support from potential and actual sponsors and are working closely with the Ministry of Tourism to promote our event in ample time for interested squash fans to make the necessary travel plans. We have a great organizing team and I have every confidence that our tiny Island will again provide the world with a truly first class event.'
PSA Chief Executive Gawain Briars also added: 'I am pleased to confirm that all sponsorship and registration procedures have been finalised with the Bermuda Squash Association for the PSA Masters 2005.
'This is wonderful news for the world tour as it cements another prestigious event into our calendar at a prize fund level that truly reflects the prestige of the event and the world's best professionals.
'Indeed, this further confirms the enormity of the contract recently signed with Bermuda to present consecutively two PSA Masters and the PSA World Open for 2007. PSA is looking forward to attending these events at a wonderful setting when bringing the hottest squash to the shores of Bermuda.'
One leading player no doubt itching to return to Bermuda will be last March's winner Lee Beachill, the Englishman who has been steadily rising up the ranks and, following his success against current world No 1 Peter Nicol in the final of the US Open, will be taking over the world No1 ranking as of 1st October.
Meanwhile on the local scene, the wildcard entry for Bermuda is expected to be a keenly-fought contest between current Bermuda National Champion Nicholas Kyme, ranked 85 in the world, and fast-improving James Stout (the world No 116) - both of whom are products of the Island's thriving junior squash programme, and both of whom will be eager to win the Fast Forward Freight National Championships early next year to qualify for the wildcard spot.
'There is no doubt that hosting major PSA squash tournaments has already had a very positive impact on the quality of the sport in this tiny Island with a total population of just 58,000 which presently dominates men's squash in the Caribbean,' added Triffitt.
For further information on the PSA Bermuda Masters 2005, from 4th - 9th April, please check the Bermuda Open 2004 website at www.bermudaopen..com or contact the Tournament Director Ross Triffitt at rosst@bermudasquash..com
For further information: Howard Harding
Tel: (44) 1737-243333 or (mobile) (44) 7773-325130 Fax: (44) 1737-222787
Email: HowHard@aol.com 30 September 2004