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A new, growing sport ...
March 2008: Thanks to
Gary Tovey for the update
Racketlon is the sport in which you challenge your opponent in
each of the four racket sports: table tennis, badminton,
squash and tennis. A racketlon match contains four
sets, one in each sport. Each set is played to 21 points, much
like in table tennis, but the winner of a racketlon match is not
the one that wins most sets but the one that scores the most
points in total.
What a Racket?
The new sport of Racketlon is growing in size and momentum. The
sport was conceived in Scandinavia in the 1980's and
internationalised in recent years. A game of Racketlon has three
main principles:
- It must include the sports of
table tennis, badminton, squash and tennis
- Equal weight must be given to
each sport
- Every point counts
Games in all sports are played
with table tennis scoring, 11-up or 21-up , with 2 serves
alternating. In International competitions sets are played to 21
points with a match usually taking an hour.
Typically, the ‘play for your place’ (progressive knockout) system
is used to give players an equal number of matches. In a knockout
draw of 32, all players play 5 matches until they achieve a place
of 1st to 32nd place. The UK tournament circuit events are
typically banded from Class A down to Class C or D. Doubles
classes in men’s, women’s & mixed also exist, with partners
competing as doubles in all the sports except squash where they
play half a singles set each.
What is the Standard Like?
Currently, to be the racketlon world champion county standard in
all four sports would suffice. It is very common for example for a
good club table tennis player to be able to beat most of the World
Top Ten (in racketlon) at table tennis.
Thus it is a sport very much geared towards fun and enjoyment and
a new challenge for racket sport enthusiasts. It is very common
for players to enter tournaments while only principally having one
strength. There are few players in the whole of the UK who would
be good club players in all sports. Most players have weaknesses
and ordinarily if you regularly play one racket sport and dabble
with the other racket sports, you should be competitive.
It is surprising how fast you can pick up the sports and also how
transferable skills are to the other sports. Many new enthusiasts
find they have a racketlon flair, either having or establishing a
second strong sport. This typifies the racketlon spirit as many
enthusiasts are only regularly able to practice one sport, yet
still on the day compete alongside top players from other racket
sports. With a good competitive spirit, racketlon can prove an
exciting challenge and there is no question it improves your
fitness.
The Future Development of Racketlon
The International Racketlon Federation (FIR) overseas the sport &
has promoted the setting up of national bodies. In recent years a
world tour with monthly events, mainly in Europe and Canada, has
developed.
The UK has a now well established UK tour also with monthly
events. Around the world other national tours exist, along with
satellite events in countries from the USA to Hong Kong. National
ranking systems exist in many countries & a world ranking system
also exists. Internationally, team championships are well
established & in some countries, racket clubs have developed
inter-club competitions.
National & International junior events are flourishing & the sport
is seeing renewed interest from those tasked with ’racket
development’ in the club and schools environment.
In the UK university students have started to take to racketlon in
ever greater numbers. Racketlon has been a ’best kept secret’ for
a number of years, but now with signs of real grass roots interest
it is seen as set to take off!
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Racketlon
World Open 2007
Racketlon Website Links
Official Website of the International Racketlon Federation:
www.racketlon.net
Internet Home of International Racketlon since 2001:
www.racketlon.com
Official Homepage of the British Racketlon Federation:
www.racketlon.co.uk
Enter events at
www.activeeurope.com
Or contact
racketlon@vodafone.net
for more information
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Racketlon UK Who's Who ...
Who are the best racketlon "table tennis" players?
Keith Lesser and Ray Jordan (UK Racketlon top 10 ranked) have
represented Essex and Kent senior table tennis sides in recent
years. Both players found out about racketlon upon graduating
university and simply had a go.
Who are the best table tennis "racketlon" players?
Gavin Rumgay played in the first ever event in the UK, some years
ago in Dundee. Knocked out by world top ten player Rickard Persson,
also a table tennis specialist, from Sweden, Rumgay won his table
tennis 21-10 but lost the other sports, . Rumgay entered the top
racketlon category (Class A) having represented Scotland as a
junior at both badminton and tennis.
More recently Jason Sugrue, Ryan Jenkins, Terry Young and Niall
Cameron have all expressed strong interest in playing in an event.
Possibly the best table tennis player to recently compete is
Sussex Veteran Adrian Moore who has been playing regularly in
racketlon doubles events with Jeremy Bennett (a squash and tennis
player) and has reached three national semi-finals, twice
finishing third in "The South of England Open" in July 2006 and
"The English Championships" in Jan 2007.
Other table tennis circuit players that have taken part are Euan
Liddle, Marc Burman, Matthew King, Will Power, Mark Banks and
Yorkshire man Andy Petersons, himself a World Over 55's Racketlon
Silver Medallist.
Who are the best racketlon "badminton" players?
Darren Kerins (Top County Player), Alistair Jones (Ex-England
Senior International), Tom Whitehouse, Neil Postletwaite, Martyn
Isherwood.
Who are the best badminton "racketlon" players?
Anders Nielson (Ex-Commonwealth Champion) English Open 2005 Men’s
Class B Champion, Alistair Hogg (Ex-Scottish International
Junior), Andrew Hogg (Ex-Scottish International Junior).
Who are the best racketlon "squash" players?
Steffan Morgan (Top County Player) - Reigning London Racketlon
Open Champion, Bundesliga Player Marco Deeg.
Who are the best squash "racketlon" players?
Neil Frankland (Scottish International), Elliott Selby (Ex-Squash
Pro).
Who are the best racketlon "tennis" players?
Dan Carpenter (now also playing the amateur tennis circuit)
Reigning South of England Open Racketlon Champion, Calum Reid
World Number Two (went to school with Andy Murray), Michael
Appleton (former O35's Champ).
Who are the best tennis "racketlon" players?
Steffan Edberg has won competitions in Sweden and plays National
League Squash. Andrew Hill (regular plays pro-am events).
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