Legends squash event a huge hit

There are high hopes that the Legends of Squash event could become an annual fixture in the sporting calendar after its tremendous success last week.

Hundreds descended on the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association Club to watch four sell-out evenings of action-packed squash.

And organizers now hope the raft of international talent could return to the island in 2015 to wow the crowds again. 

The Randall & Quilter tournament saw eight former greats of the game, including Bermuda’s own Nick Kyme, do battle over four days of intense competition.

And it also saw the former world number ones and ex-world champions help local youngsters with their game.

The event attracted huge international attention with thousands of squash fans from across the globe including South Africa, the US, Singapore, the UK and Malaysia watching the matches online as they were streamed on Islandstats.com

Director of Squash Patrick Foster told the Bermuda Sun he was thrilled with the success event.

He added: “Everyone wants to be involved in making this happen again.

“Everyone I spoke to said they had a fantastic time and the players all want to come back again.

“The club wants to do it again and I would be happy to make it an annual fixture on Bermuda’s sporting calendar.”

The four-day event attracted six former word number ones including Peter Nicol,  Jonathon Power, North America’s greatest-ever player and Commonwealth Games gold medallist and David Palmer, the double world open champion and four-time British Open winner.

The tournament culminated in a gripping final on Saturday night in front of a capacity crowd between David Palmer and France’s former number one and world champion Thierry Lincou.

The clash went right to the wire with Palmer  claiming victory only in a fifth-game, winner-takes-all point to claim the title.

Mr Foster added: “For this tournament to have the international following it did is pretty incredible, and surprising too.

“To get more than 10,000 views of a game of squash is something to talk about and get excited about.

“I know all the guys that took part were really
happy to hear of the audiences that were tuning into the event outside Bermuda.”

He added: “The whole event has created a huge buzz around the club and amongst the younger players who had the chance to learn from the very best in the business.

“I’m really proud of the work everyone did to make this event such a success and want to thank all our sponsors again for making it a reality.”