|
|
|
 |
|
|
TV COVERAGE
The semi-finals and final will again be broadcast live
by the ESPN channel.
Every match in the main draw will be streamed live by
SquashTV
CANADIAN WILD CARD
The wild card for the 2013 Davenport NAO has
been awarded to PSA Tour veteran
Shahier Razik.
The 35-year-old Egyptian-born Canadian is still going strong and
is known for his amazing athletic powers as well as his racquet
skills.
Tournament Director Gus Cook said: “Shahier played in our first
tournament back in 2004 and this year will be his seventh
appearance in the event, along with Australian number one
Cameron Pilley.”
The hard-hitting Pilley recorded the top ball speed in squash
when he registered a shot of 175mph on the radar gun during a
test the 2011 US Open in Philadelphia.
Englishman Joey Barrington, who will be visiting Richmond in
his new role as a TV commentator, was also in action in 2004. He
and Hisham Ashour, brother of top seed Ramy, have competed in
six events, with Hisham’s first appearance in 2005.
OFFICIAL BENEFICIARY
The VCU Massey Cancer Center is the official beneficiary of the
2013 Davenport NAO.
COLLEGE SQUASH PROGRAMS
VCU now has an official club squash program in addition to the
University of Richmond’s program, giving the city two collegiate
level squash programs.
In addition, Richmond boasts two high school programs and one
middle school program, with another high school program is due
to start at the end of 2013.
Squash has a booming urban youth program in the US, proving
education and outreach activities in addition to squash
coaching, mainly assisting underprivileged children. The
Richmond program is called Squash Rocks and is based at the
downtown YMCA. |
Tenth year at the top
for Davenport NAO in
Richmond
The Davenport North American Open celebrates ten years as a
major world-class event when the 2013 tournament returns to
Richmond in February.
Most of the world’s top 32 players will be in action as the
week-long competition takes place on the spectacular all-glass
court at the Westwood Club.
Top seed this year is Egyptian maestro Ramy Ashour, who has
featured in the past four finals, gaining his sole success in
2009.
He lost to Nick Matthew in 2010 and 2011, and was runner-up to
James Willstrop in 2012.
The new courts at the ACAC club at Short Pump will host the
first round of qualifying on Saturday February 23, with the
finals at the Westwood Club the following day. The main draw
runs from Monday February 25 to Saturday March 2.
|
GROWING SQUASH
(the sport, not the vegetable)
The success of the Davenport North American Open has inspired an
impressive development of squash in Virginia, with a growing
army of enthusiasts taking to the courts in a variety of
locations.
A current building boom will see the addition of 13 singles
courts and three doubles court in the vicinity of Richmond.
The Westwood Club has converted a racketball court so they now
have two “international” squash courts. The Downtown Y is doing
the same so they will also have two courts. ACAC have built two singles and a doubles court and, in April,
the impressive new Boars Head facility in Charlottesville will
open with nine singles and two doubles courts.
Ten years ago, before the professional event started,
there were just a handful of squash clubs in the region with
just six singles courts.
Country Club of Virginia: 2
singles
Commonwealth Club: 1 singles
Downtown Y: 1 singles
Albermarle Racquet Club (Charlottesville): 2 singles
Today, within 60 miles of Richmond there will now be a total of
36
singles and three doubles courts at the following locations.
Country Club of Virginia: 3 singles
Westwood Club: 2 singles
Commonwealth Club: 2 singles
Downtown Y: 2 singles
ACAC: 2 singles and 1 doubles
Woodberry Forest High School (between Richmond and
Charlottesville ): 9 singles
St Anne’s Belfield High School (Charlottesville): 5 singles
ACAC Charlottesville: 2 singles
Boar’s Head (Charlottesville): 9 singles and 2 doubles
Note: There were some older hardball courts in use and some
still exist today.
|
SQUASH AND FITNESS
Squash is rated the best indoor sport for fitness, burning more
calories than in any other work-out.
The fitness properties of squash have been well documented by a
number of organizations and publications, including the
respected Forbes Magazine.
Typically, you will burn up double the amount of calories in a
game of squash than you will during an aerobics session.
Unlike the more solitary nature of gym workouts, squash has a
healthy social side and a competitive framework that creates
leagues for players of all standards.
|
 |
|
