January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Rackets is a danger sport
And they don't come much sharper than Bermuda's James Stout, who recently became World Champion in the obscure and extreme sport of Rackets.
Played with old-fashioned wooden rackets and a small, golf-style ball propelled at speeds of up to 180mph around an over-sized squash court, Rackets is not for everyone. There are roughly 50 'serious players' worldwide.
Stout picked up the game, which dates back to the 18th century, at British boarding school and now coaches in New York, where he has honed his skills to become the world's best.
He beat reigning champ Harry Foster 6-1 over two matches at his own New York Racket and Tennis Club and Queens in London to take his title in a boxing-style playoff.
Stout earned the right to challenge Foster for the title after winning the U.S. and British Open.
He will now hold the honour until another player qualifies for a title challenge and defeats him.
"I'm still trying to absorb it all right now. I'm pretty happy. There's been a few years of hard work and it's really paid off for me."
Stout admits Rackets is a real minority game, partly because it is so fast that it's not a good spectator sport and partly because it's so dangerous that not too many people want to play.
"A lot of people will walk on the court for the first time and then never want to go back again.
"It can be pretty scary. That's the advantage of starting when you're 13, as I did. You don't realize how dangerous it is.
"Hand-eye co-ordination is everything.
"Even in my match there were a few moments where it got pretty scary. If you are out of position and you get hit you are in serious trouble.
'Thankfully there hasn't been any major injuries for quite a while but it's not unheard of for someone to lose an eye."
Of his title match, Stout added: "I was a little nervous at first but once I settled down I was fine and it was pretty comfortable in the end. It feels great to be World Champion."[[In-content Ad]]
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