Squash by the sea. That's the formula for the World Open to be held in Bermuda in November.
A 1,200-seat temporary outdoor stadium with a glass court will be built overlooking the South Shore as Bermuda prepares to host the sport's premier event.
The stadium, which will feature theatre-style seating and giant screens, will be housed inside state-of-the-art clear-span tents to avoid weather problems.
It will overlook Turtle Bay at the Fairmont Southampton and will feature sweeping ocean vistas.
The stunning Bermuda backdrop is an attempt to match up to previous hosts of the tournament, which have pulled similar location stunts. Egypt, for example, erected a glass court in front of the pyramids.
The event, to be held in November, attracts the top players in the game and will include many of the same players who have been in Bermuda for the PSA Masters the last two years. Part-time island resident David Palmer is the defending champion.
James Stout is in poll position to be the Bermudian wildcard entry in the main draw of 32 while others including Nick Kyme, Patrick Foster and Chase Toogood are likely to be given berths in the qualifying event, also held here.
Bermuda was announced as the host for the 2007 World Championships two years ago. But it was made official yesterday with Premier Dr. Ewart Brown addressing the media at the Fairmont Southampton.
Dr. Brown said the Turtle Bay court would be a spectacular location for the event and said, coming in the same month as the PGA Golf Championships, the tournament was a welcome addition to Bermuda's portfolio of world class sports events.
Bermuda director of squash Ross Triffit said: "We can guarantee all of our local spectators a unique experience - the best squash in the world being contested at an absolutely spectacular location."
He added that hosting the tournament would feature a $175,000 prize pot - the biggest in the history of squash.
Jahangir Khan, president of the World Squash Federation and the most legendary name name in the game, said he thought Bermuda would be the "perfect backdrop' for the tournament - the main event in the international squash calender."
Robert Edwards, the international commentator known as the 'voice of squash', will be back to MC the event.
He added: "Rarely can there have been a sporting journey to match the squash trail taking place in Bermuda - a small but beautiful island with the courage and the ability to produce a series of squash events that challenge the best in the history of the game. "It is fitting that the culmination of this wonderful sporting endeavour should be to host the ultimate professional squash tournament - The World Open. "The eyes of the world will be on Bermuda during this event, when it will prove once again that size does not matter - it's quality that counts."
The event will be sponsored by Endurance.
Reader Comments
Posted: Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Comment by:
Nilson Moraes
How far is Hamilton parish to Turtle bay (south shore). It's about a 15 minute drive and it's at Southside, not South shore.
