ISS Canary Wharf Squash becomes PSA event

Eventis Looks to England's Elite for Canary Event © Fritz Borchert

The world's leading squash stars are returning to London's Docklands to show off their dazzling skills in the 2006 ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic.

The tournament takes place at the East Wintergarden at Canary Wharf from February 13-17 and this season, after two years as an invitation event, it is a Five Star ranking competition on the PSA men’s world circuit. Hopes are high of a third British success. Willstrop won the inaugural event in 2004, beating French ace Thierry Lincou in a ground-breaking best-of-seven games final, and Scotland’s John White hit back from two games down to beat Australia’s Anthony Ricketts in last year’s climax.

Co-promoter Peter Nicol, who reached the semi-finals of the British Open in Manchester at the weekend, is delighted that the event has achieved world ranking status.

Will British stars Willstrop (l) and Matthew meet at Canary Wharf? Photo © Fritz Borchert

He said: "This was always our intention from the start and it simply adds extra spice and competitiveness to what has always been a keenly fought tournament.

"We have to thank our title sponsors, ISS Facility Services, for making it possible to elevate the status of the tournament and we aim to repay them with an event of outstanding quality.

"Top-class squash is a spectacular sport to watch as it places brutal physical demands on the players, coupled with superb shot-making and extremely athletic retrieving from some of the fittest and most dedicated athletes on the planet.

"The tournament is slightly earlier this season because of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March, so all of the top players who will be competing in Australia will be determined to hit top form before heading off Down Under."

England’s World Team champions will be reunited at the ISS Canary Wharf Classic in February. The awesome foursome of James Willstrop, Lee Beachill, Peter Nicol and Nick Matthew won the world team title in Pakistan in mid-December, beating Canada in the semi-finals and Egypt in the final.

With no players in the top five, England are weaker at the top than they have been in may years, but, as they prepare for the Commonwealth Games in March, that successful English quartet will be looking for more impressive individual displays in the ISS Classic.

Entries close on January 10 and Nicol is hoping his great Canadian rival Jonathon Power, who has regained his position as world number one, is among them. The two have met 43 times in major events over the past 10 years, with Nicol currently leading their head-to-head series 22-21. Although the event is only a four-star PSA event, at $40,000, the organizers are hoping that the positioning prior to the Commonwealth Games will get them some additional entry capital.

The ISS Canary Wharf Classic is jointly organised by Nicol's Eventis Sports Marketing company and SquashUK, founded by promoter and TV commentator Alan Thatcher, and the Host Sponsors once again are Canary Wharf Group plc.

ISS CANARY WHARF CLASSIC PLAYING SCHEDULE:
Saturday and Sunday, Feb 11-12: Qualifying at Wimbledon RC.
Monday 13th Feb: 4 x last 16 from 5.30pm
Tuesday 14th Feb: 4 x last 16 from 5.30pm
Wednesday 15th Feb: 4 x quarter-finals from 5.30pm
Thursday 16th Feb: 2 x semi-finals from 6pm
Friday 17th Feb: Grand Final from 6pm

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