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WISPA Promotional Tour 2006
Leg THREE: OSLO                              Leg TWO: Svalbard   Leg ONE: Estonia 

After opening the Tour in Estonia, then travelling to Svalbard in northern Norway, Nicol David and Sarah Fitz-Gerald concluded the eighth WISPA promotional tour by visiting three clubs during their stay in the Norwegian capital of Oslo - the Lysaker Club, SATS Fitness Club and Baerum Squash Club, the oldest centre in Norway.

The programmes included coaching clinics, playing with seniors and juniors, playing exhibition matches and meeting the media.

Norwegian Squash Federation President Kari Lockert Lie welcomed the WISPA party at the opening press conference at the Lysaker Club, saying:

"We are very honoured to have you here – our players are looking forward to seeing women power!"

One of the girls' first challengers was Inge Andersen, Secretary General of the Norwegian Olympic Committee and Confederation of Sports.

Andersen, the country's former national women's cross country skiing team coach, is a new convert to squash - and played both Sarah and Nicol en-route to Oslo airport where he was flying to Rumania for a meeting of European NOC Secretary Generals.

"That was a really nice experience and a wonderful training session. "As a cross-country ski instructor, I know how important movement is – and those girls were like leopards, it was so good to see people with such beautiful movement. But when you play people at this level, it lifts your game." "It is a big inspiration for our squash federation – and also for the young guys and girls to see the best players in the world and play with them. The concept is a really good idea. Sarah and Nicol are the stars of the sport and they see their role as ambassadors – which is really good." "I know how close you were to getting into the Olympic Games last year – and I can understand how important it is for the sport to be in the Games. Now that I have had the chance to experience the sport at this level, I hope you are successful for 2016."

Fitz-Gerald went on to challenge reigning Norwegian men's champion Stig Kobbevik. "She was very precise – and forced me to play too many weak shots," admitted Kobbevik after his defeat. "But it was a really enjoyable experience."

Another local player to share a court with a world champion for the first time was Lotte Eriksen, Norway's brightest women's prospect who has recently joined WISPA and trains in Malmo under Swedish national coach John Milton. After a best-of-three clash with Nicol David at Lysaker, the world No 122 was treated to a full-length battle with Sarah Fitz-Gerald at Baerum Squash Club.

"It was very hard. They take the ball so early – I never seem to have time to get back to the 'T' before I'm chasing their next shot! But at least I now know what I need to work at - my length and my strength!" "It was a great experience to work with Sarah and Nicol – I wouldn't have missed it for anything. I plan to work on my fitness in Stavanger over the summer – while taking a summer job selling strawberries – before heading over to Broxbourne in England for a summer camp with John."

The visit attracted local press coverage in papers including Norway's most popular newspaper Aftenposten and the TV channel Budstikka.

In one Oslo newspaper, Norway's No2 junior Eline Zaborowski figured prominently. "Meeting Sarah Fitz-Gerald was a dream come true," said the 18-year-old who is also ranked No4 in the country's senior women's list.

"This has meant so much for squash in Norway, especially for our juniors, "We are particularly pleased with the media attention the visit has inspired. Our top national paper and TV never normally cover squash, and to do so - especially during the World Cup - has been fantastic. "It was so good to see the reaction of our juniors, meeting Sarah and Nicol – it was like young football fans meeting someone like Ronaldinho! "Currently the high price of most courts in the country is really restrictive for juniors. I am now working with people in Stavanger to launch a new community squash facility which will enable kids to play free – and eventually I hope there will be more places like this in the rest of the country." General Secretary, Norwegian Squash Federation

"I didn't realise we would get the chance to go on court with Sarah and Nicol. It's been fantastic, I've learned such a lot." "Nicol told me that the most important thing was to have fun and just do as well as you can. That's a great lesson. "I would really like to play squash full-time." who travelled for six hours from Bergen to Oslo

Lysaker Squash owner Hans Ligner

"Playing with Sarah and Nicol was just awesome – wait till I tell my friends at school that I've played with two world champions! Now I can't wait to play my next opponent."  "My ambition is to be the best player in the world – but first I want to get into the top 20 in the world, then the top 10." (AKA 'SMS' ... 13 years old)

"Seeing Sarah and Nicol play - and beat - the top men in our country will have a great motivational effect on our squash players, especially our young girls, who will now have the confidence to work harder and achieve greater goals in the sport in the future."  "I hope that the Oslo Squash Club, a new squash centre which will open in central Oslo in September, with seven courts which will feature the country's first all-glass court, will become the home of future national championships and squad training – and stage events too. "This visit has undoubtedly kick-started a new enthusiasm for squash in the country. Looking at people's faces as they watched Sarah and Nicol, it was clear that they couldn't believe what they were seeing!" Norwegian National Coach

"Norway certainly seems to be taking a step in the right direction. "I have been a part of the WISPA Tours since the idea was first conceived in 1999, when we went to Prague - and have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to promote women's squash in countries that have not held a major event, nor seen squash at this level – and struggle to get any media attention. "As a former player, I also enjoyed seeing the 'coming of age' of Nicol David. She is a talented, fun and professional young lady who handles her position with ease and a growing assurance." 5-times World Champion, 5 WISPA tours ...

Leg TWO: Svalbard

The arrival in the town of Longyearbyen, only a few hundred miles away from the North Pole and the most northerly community in the world served by a scheduled air service, followed the party's three-day visit to Estonia.

The WISPA party touched down at Longyearbyen airport at 1.30am. Snow was falling and it was broad daylight – as it is 24 hours a day during most of the spring and all through the summer.

The sole squash court is one of the numerous facilities available to the 1,800 population of Longyearbyen in its new Sports Centre, in the middle of the town centre and surrounded by ice-capped mountains.

The court has no viewing facilities, just a small glass panel in the door in the back wall which opens out into the main sports hall.

Fitz-Gerald and David both put Vice Governor Rune Hansen through his paces on the historic court – but Hansen was able to redeem some of his pride when he introduced the world squash stars to badminton!

"It was a very good court, considering where it was, and it was really special to have the chance to play on it. "I guess we should now look forward to finding the most southern court in the world - so that we can arrange a match on that!"

Welcome to the world's most Northerly squash court ...

"When I returned to Svalbard for my second spell of duty here, I was delighted to find that a squash court had been included within the specification of the new sports facility." "There are around 20 people who regularly use the court, though I'm sure there would be more if people could more easily see what squash is all about." "It was very special to have had the chance to play Sarah and Nicol on this court. In all my 30 years in badminton as an international umpire, I've never before played a world champion." Vice Governor of Svalbard

Beware ...
Polar Bears !

There are thought to be some 3,000 polar bears in Svalbard, though the party were disappointed not to see any of these protected, yet highly dangerous, animals - other than those stuffed in the hotel's lobby and the town's new museum!

Reindeer, however, were regular visitors to the town and surprisingly tame.

Leg ONE: Estonia

"Nobody can beat me in badminton on the racketlon circuit, and I want to be able to achieve the same status in squash. "I am now concentrating on squash as part of the new Squash Academy at this club – but this is the first time I have seen a professional squash player and I have learned a lot just being on court with Sarah."

Leading Estonian businessman Henn Ruubel, a keen player, is President of the Squash Federation. Two weeks ago the head of the country's National Rail organisation was appointed to run the former state-owned rape seed oil company Werol – an announcement which saw the ESF President featured heavily in the country's news media.

"My inspiration to take up squash was being introduced to the game by a friend some ten years ago. But I wanted to be able to beat him straight away – and I'm glad to say that I achieved my target in half a year!" boasted Ruubel.

"I believe Estonia should be a good country for squash as the weather is generally so poor – and people mostly like to be indoors. But we need to have more courts in this country – the lack of courts is the main reason why squash is not bigger here.

"One of our main objectives is to build more courts – as well as to get more people playing the sport," explained Ruubel. "If we have more juniors, we will get a champion."

Both Ruubel and Zoran Grojic, Secretary of the Estonian Squash Federation, agreed that the WISPA Promo Tour had been extremely successful – but that rewards would not materialise immediately.

Nicol and Fitz-Gerald's visit inspired widespread media coverage before their arrival - and their presence at the Metro Club attracted news cameras from two out of the country's three TV networks (Estonian TV and Kanal 2)!

These TV stations had featured already previews, but turned up to film the action and talk to the players - something much more than the fledgling squash nation had been able to attract before.

"The WISPA Tour was an excellent opportunity for us and we are most grateful to Nicol David and Sarah Fitz-Gerald for taking the time to visit us," said Grojic. "We have not had so much media attention for squash in the history of our Federation - so it has been invaluable for us.

"The event was extremely helpful to get squash closer to the broader public and to the media. We will do our best to promote squash more and more and this Tour was definitely a cornerstone for this.

"Now we look forward to the sport growing here – and we have plans to be at the European Nations Challenge Cup for the second time this September. Then we hope to make our first ever appearance in the European Team Championships next year," concluded the ESF Secretary.

Estonian TV VIDEO CLIP
(1m 20s)

www.squash.ee

"That was definitely a good experience. "I've never played a professional before, and I got a few points, so I was pleased with my performance. "Games like this seem to be a matter of who makes the first mistakes – and apparently it was always me!" ESF board member

"That was great – I haven't played someone of that standard for a long time – but being punished for every mistake or loose shot I played was very painful." "It's not just a matter of seeing such a high standard of play, but also their professionalism – and the chance to talk to them about their life in squash. "Our juniors could see the fantastic things the girls could do on court, but then realise that deep down they are just like them, as people, and need not be feared. "But what perhaps was best is that whilst I can tell them what it takes to be a good squash player, they are much more likely to take advice from world champions!" Estonian National Coach

"After making new friends and experiencing great Estonian hospitality - which we hope will reap dividends for this energetic squash community - we now move on to Norway for the second and third legs of this year's Tour. "Nicol and Sarah have repeatedly said over the past few days how rewarding this opportunity has been - and I couldn't agree with more." WISPA Chief Exec

Nicol and Sarah  with ESF President Henn Ruubel and Secretary Zoran Grojic

"We have been promoting interest in international squash with these annual Promotional Tours for eight years now. This year the three stops in Tallinn, Oslo and Longyearbyen will provide another opportunity for local players and media to meet two top WISPA stars. "Past WISPA Tours have led to enduring relationships, so we look forward to making new friends and to providing a media boost for the game in Estonia and Norway courtesy of Sarah and Nicol who are giving so generously of their time." Andrew Shelley WISPA Executive Director

All about Longyearbyen