Ireland sweeps 19th European Championships

The 19th European Championships went down last week in The Hague, Netherlands. Ireland proved to be the team to beat, as the Irish swept the team titles as well as the individual divisions. Johnny O’Keeney of Ireland won gold in Men’s Singles by defeating German Arne Schmitz, 15-8, 15-4, in the final.

O’Keeney had a chance for double gold, as he and Joe Devenney were in the Men’s Doubles final, but they were beaten by countrymen Darragh O’Donoghue and Padraic Ryder, 3-15, 15-13, 11-7.

In women’s play, Donna Ryder won gold in both Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles with partner Katie Kenny. In the singles final, Ryder defeated Kenny, 15-6, 15-10.

19th European Championships - September 13-16, 2017
The Hague, Netherlands

Men’s Singles - Final

Johnny O’Keeney (Ireland) d. Arne Schmitz (Germany), 15-8, 15-4

Semi-Finals

Johnny O’Keeney (Ireland) d. Marcel Czempisz (Germany), 15-12, 15-14
Arne Schmitz (Germany) d. Padraic Ryder (Ireland), 15-11, 9-15, 11-10

Women’s Singles - Final

Donna Ryder (Ireland) d. Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-6, 15-10

Semi-finals

Donna Ryder (Ireland) d. Ailbhe Gill (Ireland), 15-12, 15-6
Katie Kenny (Ireland) d. Olivia Downey (Ireland), 15-1, 15-8

Men’s Doubles - Final

Darragh O’Donoghue & Padraic Ryder (Ireland) d. Johnny O’Keeney & Joe Devenney (Ireland), 3-15, 15-13, 11-7

Semi-Finals

Johnny O’Keeney & Joe Devenney (Ireland) d. Marcel Czempisz & Arne Schmitz (Germany), 15-9, 14-15, 11-4
Darragh O’Donoghue & Padraic Ryder (Ireland) d. Pascal Matla & Edwin Schipper (Netherlands), 15-12, 15-10

Women’s Doubles - Round Robin

1. Donna Ryder & Katie Kenny (Ireland)
2. Ailbhe Gill & Olivia Downey (Ireland)
3. Lara Ludwig & Daphne Wannee (Germany/Netherlands)

Follow the bouncing ball….

Weekend Round Up - May 2, 2016

Charlie Pratt won Men’s Open at the Florida Regional Singles tournament in Sarasota, Florida, although he needed three tie-breakers over four matches, including both the final and semi-final to get it done. In the final, he beat Felipe Camacho, 15-9, 14-15, 11-9, and in the semi-finals, Pratt defeated Floridian Mike Harmon, 9-15, 15-8, 11-6. Camacho was also a tie-breaker winner over Alejandro Herrera in the other semi, 11-15, 15-10, 11-3.

But Camacho was a winner in Sarasota, as he and Jake Bredenbeck won Men’s Open Doubles, but again a tie-breaker was needed, as they went three games with Harmon and Alejandro Herrera, 15-10, 10-15, 11-5, in the final. In the semi-finals, Bredenbeck and Camacho defeated Pratt and Toby St. Pierre, 10-15, 15-14, 11-8, while Harmon and Herrera beat Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado, 15-11, 15-13.

In women’s play, American junior Jordan Cooperrider got the better of Colombian veteran Cristina Amaya, 10-15, 15-11, 11-6. Amaya was playing her first tournament after surgery on her left foot. Amaya and Cooperrider teamed up and won the Women’s Open Doubles title together, defeating Sara Noyes & Janet Tyler, 15-9, 15-10, in the final.

German Open

Arne Schmitz defeated Oliver Bertels, 15-7, 5-15, 11-8, to win the 2016 German Open Sunday in Hamburg, Germany. Schmitz beat Pascal Matla, 15-2, 15-8, in one semi-final, while Bertels defeated Jan Lysakowski, 15-2, 15-8, in the other semi.

Schmitz and Bertels teamed up to win the doubles title, defeating Matla and Edwin Schipper in the final, 15-7, 15-6. In the semis, Schmitz and Bertels beat Joerg Ludwig and Mike Mesecke, 15-5, 15-9, while Matla and Schipper beat Lysakowski and Andre Dietrich, 15-9, 15-10.

There are no big tournaments this coming weekend, but the following weekend will see three tournaments going on. The Pro Kennex Tournament of Champions is the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) event going on May 12-15 in Portland, Oregon. In Stockton, California, the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) will be competing in the 2016 Dare 2 Dream LPRT Championships, May 12-15. Finally, the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) will be in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the Midwest Championships, May 13-15.

2016 IRT Florida Tournament, April 28-May 1
Sarasota, Florida

Men’s Open - Final

Charlie Pratt d. Felipe Camacho, 15-9, 14-15, 11-9

Semi-finals

Felipe Camacho d. Alejandro Herrera, 11-15, 15-10, 11-3
Charlie Pratt d. Mike Harmon, 9-15, 15-8, 11-6

Quarterfinals

Felipe Camacho d. Andres Ramirez, 15-8, 15-11
Alejandro Herrera d. Troy Warigon, 15-3, 15-1

Charlie Pratt d. Andree Parrilla, 15-3, 15-14
Mike Harmon d. Mario Mercado, 15-13, 6-15, 11-7

Men’s Open Doubles - Final

Jake Bredenbeck & Felipe Camacho d. Mike Harmon & Alejandro Herrera, 15-10, 10-15, 11-5

Semi-finals

Mike Harmon & Alejandro Herrera d. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado, 15-11, 15-13
Jake Bredenbeck & Felipe Camacho & Toby St. Pierre, 10-15, 15-14, 11-8

Women’s Open - Final

Jordan Cooperrider d. Cristina Amaya, 10-15, 15-11, 11-6

Semi-finals

Cristina Amaya d. Phyllis Morris, 15-10, 15-2
Jordan Cooperrider d. Cheryl Gudinas, 15-11, 15-9

Women’s Open Doubles - Final

Jordan Cooperrider & Cristina Amaya d. Sara Noyes & Janet Tyler, 15-9, 15-10

Semi-finals

Sara Noyes & Janet Tyler d. Tamika Holman & Phyllis Morris, 15-5, 15-11
Jordan Cooperrider & Cristina Amaya d. Melissa Harmon & Alyssa Liquori, 14-15, 15-1, 11-6

German Open
Hamburg, Germany

Men’s Open - Final

Arne Schmitz (Germany) d. Oliver Bertels (Germany), 15-7, 5-15, 11-8

Semi-final

Arne Schmitz (Germany) d. Pascal Matla (Netherlands), 15-2, 15-8
Oliver Bertels (Germany) d. Jan Lysakowski (Austria), 15-2, 15-8

Follow the bouncing ball….

O'Callaghan and Hickey are the champions of Europe

Ireland swept the 2013 European Championships in Bergamo, Italy last week. Noel O'Callaghan defeated German Trevor Meyer, 15-4, 15-10, to take the Mens Open title, while Aisling Hickey beat Andrea Gordon of Germany, 15-2, 15-6, to take the Ladies Open title.

O'Callaghan is the first Irishman to win the European title, so it's the first time that Ireland has swept the titles since the first European Championship in 1981. Hickey is the fifth Irish woman to win the Ladies title and first since Joan Kennedy in 2003.

Hickey also won the Ladies Open doubles with Kate Ryan, as they beat fellow Irish women Donna Ryder and Katie Kenny, 9-15, 15-4, 11-6. O'Callaghan wasn't so fortunate, as he and Ray Breen lost in the Mens Open doubles final to Mark Murphy and Stephen Quinn of Ireland, 15-5, 15-11.

The Irish team swept the team competitions as well, which they also did in 2007, when the European Championships were last in Italy.

2013 European Racquetball Championships
Bergamo, Italy

Mens Open Final

Noel O'Callaghan (Ireland) d. Trevor Meyer (Germany), 15-4, 15-10

Ladies Open Final

Aisling Hickey (Ireland) d. Andrea Gordon (Germany), 15-2, 15-6

Mens Open Doubles - Final

Mark Murphy & Stephen Quinn (Ireland) d. Noel O'Callaghan & Ray Breen, 15-5, 15-11

Ladies Doubles Open - Final

Aisling Hickey & Kate Ryan (Ireland) d. Donna Ryder & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 9-15, 15-4, 11-6

Team Competitions

Mens

1. Ireland
2. Germany
3. Catalonia (Spain)
4. Italy
5. France

Ladies

1. Ireland
2. Germany
3. Catalonia (Spain)
4. Italy

Follow the bouncing ball....

Racquetball news from Europe

The European Racquetball Federation (ERF) announced the 2011 European Championships will be in Bad Tölz, Germany. Bad Tölz has hosted the championships twice before, in 1990 and 1999. The championships are scheduled for the first week of August.

Bad Tölz is on the Isar River in Bavaria, close to the German-Austrian border. At 670 metres (over 2100 feet) above sea level, play could be effected by Bad Tölz's altitude.

"Bad Tölz is a wonderful venue for our major event. We have had great events in the past and in 2011 we expect nothing different", said ERF President Erik Meyer of Belgium.

Two years ago in Nanterre, France, players from Catalonia (Spain) took most of the honors, as they won the men's and women's team competitions, with Victor Montserrat and Elisabet Consegal taking the individual men's and women's titles, respectively. Irish teams took the doubles titles with Adam Neary and Joe Farrell winning the men's and Antonia Neary and Geraldine Byrne the women's.

Follow the bouncing ball....

C'est triste !

Philipe Lecompte of the Paris Racquetball Association (PRA) informed us that their club plans to convert its four racquetball courts to squash courts in the near future. He expects it to happen this summer.

Anyone who wants racquetball to grow internationally will be saddened by this news.

The courts are at the City Form location of the Forest Hill chain of athletic clubs, and are located in the Nanterre part of Ile de France just to the west of Paris. Forest Hill has multiple clubs around Paris including a club that was exclusively for squash also located in Nanterre. They are closing that other club and to accommodate the members there are changing the racquetball courts at City Form to squash courts.

The French Open has been held in Paris for many years and was part of the European Racquetball Federation (ERF) tournament schedule. It's unclear when that event will be held again.

The PRA is not giving up on racquetball and plans to lobby to get courts in another location, and we wish them the best with that effort.

But having had the pleasure of playing racquetball in Paris, we are depressed by this news.

Follow the bouncing ball....

Europeans still out of IRF

The European Racquetball Federation's (ERF) Annual Congress was held during the European Championships last week in Nanterre, France. At that meeting the ERF discussed rejoining the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) from which they had withdrawn last year at the IRF Congress in Ireland.

The ERF decided not to rejoin the IRF at this time.

Erik Meyer, ERF President, cited three reasons for this decision in a message to IRF President, Keith Caulkins.

One reason was that nothing had changed in the year since the separation with the exception of the IRF's Strategic Planning Meeting in February. However, while Meyer acknowledged that meeting was positive, he stated the ERF have seen "no real results 6 months after this meeting."

Second, according to Meyer "the ERF members don't see any reasons to be part of the IRF and don't see how the IRF can be of any help to promote racquetball in Europe."

Finally, Meyer suggested that "if the lingering issues are not addressed in a more efficient and quicker way the ERF will take further steps to obtain better results" which may include "discouraging ERF members [from participating] in IRF events."

As we've stated before, this split does not serve the sport well. A potential decrease in countries participating at the World Championships would be unfortunate.

It would serve all racquetball players better if racquetball organizations could cooperate and all pull together. At the international level, this means having all the national and international racquetball organizations working towards the same goals.

Follow the bouncing ball....

Montserrat defends title, Consegal wins first as Catalonia sweeps 2009 European Championships

Victor Montserrat of Catalonia successfully defended his European Championship by defeating countryman Carlos Oviedo, 15-13, 15-13, in the Men's Open division at the 15th European Racquetball Championships in Nanterre, France, just outside Paris.

Both Montserrat and Oviedo needed tie-breaking third games after dropping the first games of their semi-finals. Montserrat defeated Oliver Bertels of Germany, 14-15, 15-5, 11-4, while Oviedo beat German Eric Gordon, 13-15, 15-7, 11-7.

Elisabet Consegal made it a sweep for Catalonia as she defeated German Yvonne Kortes in a tie-breaker, 13-15, 15-8, 11-7 in the Women's Open final. Catalonia also won the men's and women's team competitions earlier in the week.

In the semi-finals, Consegal also needed a tie-breaker against Andrea Gordon of Germany before winning, 15-11, 4-15, 11-10. Kortes had an easier time in the semis, as she beat Majella Haverty of Ireland in two straight games, 15-13, 15-7.

It's the first time players from the same country have won the mens' and womens' European Championships since 1993, when Germans Joachim Loof and Andrea Gordon were champions of Europe.

In doubles, it was all Ireland. In fact, the women's doubles final was an all Irish battle, as Antonia Neary and Geraldine Byrne defeated Haverty and Katie Kenny, 15-6, 13-15, 11-6. In the men's final, Adam Neary and Joe Farrell won by injury default over Germans Gordon and Bertels.

2009 European Racquetball Championships - Nanterre, France

Men's Open Final
Victor Montserrat (Catalonia) d. Carlos Oviedo (Catalonia) 15-13,15-13

Semi-finals
Victor Montserrat (Catalonia) d. Oliver Bertels (Germany), 14-15, 15-5, 11-4
Carlos Oviedo (Catalonia) d. Eric Gordon (Germany), 13-15, 15-7, 11-7

Women's Open Final
Elisabet Consegal (Catalonia) d. Yvonne Kortes (Germany) 13-15, 15-8, 11-7

Semi-finals
Elisabet Consegal (Catalonia) d. Andrea Gordon (Germany) 15-11, 4-15, 11-10
Yvonne Kortes (Germany) d. Majella Haverty (Ireland) 15-13, 15-7

Men's Open Doubles - Final
Adam Neary & Joe Farrell (Ireland) d. Eric Gordon & Oliver Bertels (Germany), Injury default

Women's Doubles Open - Final
Antonia Neary & Geraldine Byrne (Ireland) d. Katie Kenny & Majella Haverty (Ireland), 15-6, 13-15, 11-6

Follow the bouncing ball....

Catalonia are Champions of Europe

The European Racquetball Federation is reporting on their website that Catalonia has won both the men's and women's team competition at the 15th European Racquetball Championships in Nanterre, France, just outside Paris.

In both finals, Catalonia was up against Germany, and in both they split the singles matches, so the doubles match decided the winner. Catalonia came out on top to win their first ever European Team Championships. Victor Montserrat of Catalonia won the individual title two years ago.

The 2009 championships were to be played in Barcelona, Catalonia, but the new facility was not ready. The win bodes well for the development of racquetball in the region.

The European championships' individual competitions continue through Saturday.

Follow the bouncing ball....

European news

The Racquetball Blog is marking this day, the 14th of July - the day of liberation in France (ahh, to be drinking champagne on the Champ de Mars today), with some discussion of racquetball in Europe.

The 15th European Championships are less than three weeks away. Nanterre, France, a suburb of Paris just to the west of the City of Lights, is the site for the event. The defending champions are Victor Montserrat of Catalan (Spain) and Marie-Josée Collet of France.

As we reported last year the European Racquetball Federation (ERF) dropped a bombshell when they resigned from the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) at the IRF meetings in Ireland. In a recent letter to IRF President Keith Calkins, Michael Haverty, the ERF's General Secretary indicated that the ERF continues to be concerned about the IRF's performance or lack their of.

Some of the ERF's concerns are the lack of a marketing plan to promote racquetball, as well as the relative inactive website. They feel the IRF website is not updated often enough, and doesn't contain enough information regarding upcoming events.

Further, the ERF would like to see the IRF as the lead umbrella racquetball organization, but that would require the co-operation of the other racquetball organizations, specifically the pros: International Racquetball Tour (IRT) and Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) as well as the World Outdoor Racquetball organization (WOR).

The ERF's primary concern in this regard is compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA's) rules regarding doping in sport. The pro racquetball organizations have indicated that they are not going to enforce WADA rules, which leads the ERF to suggest that players from those organizations should not be allowed to participate in IRF events, such as the World Championships.

We talked to Dave Negrete the IRT's Commissioner today about this, and he indicated that although the IRT doesn't have a doping policy, many IRT players are subject to WADA rules because they play for their countries and doing so brings them under WADA regulations. Negrete's concern about such a policy is not the principle of it, but the practicality of enforcing it, given the costs required for such testing.

Regarding the general idea of co-operation between the IRT and IRF, Negrete is happy to work with the IRF in general, but wonders what the advantage of having the IRT under an IRF umbrella would be. He doesn't see the IRT as being an obstacle to any of the IRF's goals for racquetball, and is happy to sanction tournaments in other countries with minimal requirements - scoring standard (best of 5 games to 11 points) and use of the IRT logo being the primary ones - which would help any players who then come to play in a main IRT event.

We share the ERF's concerns about the IRF, although we're not sure if their proposal - of banning players - to the lack of WADA enforcement on the pro tours is the best solution.

The ERF remains committed to racquetball in Europe, and growing the game there. It has revamped its website, which is looking very nice, and has a presence on Facebook.

We wish them the best with their efforts.

Follow the bouncing ball....

This & That

New IRT Site Design

The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) has a new design to its website. It looks pretty sharp, so definitely check it out. There are several pictures from the 2008 Motorola World Championships in Denver, where the portable Lucite court was debuted.

Pan American Championships

We followed the Pan American Championships in Cali, Colombia last week, but still we haven't seen official word on the team champions. Unofficially, we've heard that the USA won the overall team event, with Mexico coming second, followed by Bolivia and Canada in third and fourth, respectively.

But how teams were ordered in the men's and women's divisions and where teams out of the top four fell is unknown.

4th IRF World Senior Doubles Championships

The International Racquetball Federation's (IRF's) 4th World Senior Doubles Championship is going to be held June 10-13 in Burnaby, British Columbia, part of the Vancouver metro area. The event is open to all players aged 35 and older, with the divisions in five year increments (i.e., 35+, 40+, 45+, etc.).

It's great to see an IRF event in Canada again, as there hasn't been one in the 'Great White North' since the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg. However, the timing of the event might be problematic for Canadian players, as this event will be less than three weeks after the end of the Canadian National Championships.

Rev's Health Club is the host facility, and it's located right by a stop on the Sky Train, so it will be very easy for participants to visit downtown Vancouver when they're not playing.

Pervious World Seniors Doubles events have been in Paris, France, Hamburg, Germany, and San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

Entry forms for the 2009 World Seniors Doubles can be obtained via the IRF web site.

European News

The European Championships are going to be in Paris this summer rather than Barcelona, as originally scheduled. A new facility is being built in Barcelona, but it won't be ready in time, so the European Racquetball Federation (ERF) shifted the event to Paris.

Dates for the European Championships are August 3-8. Victor Montserrat from Catalonia (Barcelona region of Spain) and Marie-Josée Collet of France won the individual championships in 2007 in Italy, and Ireland won the team titles: men's, women's and overall.

Sevens were wild at the German Open earlier this month, as Martin Kippel won his 7th men's open title, and Yvonne Kortes won her 7th women's open title.

In Ireland, Noel O'Callaghan and Patrick Hanley have faced off in the finals of the last two tournaments, winning one each. O'Callaghan took the Irish National title, while Hanley won the Castlebar Open.

Over in Italy, Alberto Serfaty from Catalonia won the Italian Open in Brembate by defeating American Timothy Hardison in the final. Consuelo Del Prato of Italy won the women's title.

Follow the bouncing ball....

Where we'd like to be

Grant Park might have been the place to be last night, but this weekend, we're thinking the place we'd most want to be is on Long Island, New York for the Long Island Open.

They don't have the highest ranked International Racquetball Tour (IRT) players, but Jason Thoerner, Andy Hawthorne and Ruben Gonzalez will also be playing doubles, which would be cool to see. Moreover, there are 31 players in the Pro draw, with some players who have been in qualifiers this year, such as Jason Sylvester, Bradley Kirch, Danny Lavely, and Kadim Carrasco.

So, there should be plenty of good matches and the possibility for upsets.

Moreover, Rhonda Rajsich and Cheryl Gudinas Holmes, the top two players on the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) tour, will be playing on Long Island. It's a WPRO satellite event, so there's a small field, but it also includes two time World Champion Aimee Ruiz. And these players will be playing mixed doubles too, which again should be something to see, as should the potential Rajsich-Ruiz semi-final.

Foreign Results

The IRT has reported that Shane Vanderson defeated Tony Carson to win the Japan International Event in Tokyo last weekend. That was a Tier 4 event.

Also last weekend, Gilberto Meija won the Chihuahua Open (a Tier 2 IRT event) in Chihuahua, Mexico defeating Chris Crowther, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8.

Finally this past weekend, Martin Klippel won the Hamburg Open, defeating Oliver Bertels, 9-15, 15-14, 11-4. Yvonne Kortes won the women's Open division defeating Lara Ludwig, 15-8, 15-9, in the final. It was the second event on the European Racquetball Federation calendar. Next up is the Belgian Open in Brussels, November 21-23.

Follow the bouncing ball....