SquashTalk >Cathay Pacific 2002, Hong Kong, China > Out of the Event - Reflecting on Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific 2002

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Player reports from Hong Kong by Joe and Dan Kneip

By Joe Kneipp

There are some tournaments that the players just enjoying being at. the Hong Kong Cathay Pacific Open may stand atop of that sand pile and for good reasons. The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open is in its 18th year and is a true success in every facet. A great relationship between squash management and corporate management has meant that over a near 20 year there has been no sponsorship doubts or need to worry about the tournament’s viability.

HEATHER DEAYTON
The main reason that the open goes forth is because of the lady in charge of Hong Kong squash: Mrs Heather Deayton. Due to her enthusiasm, hard work, wonderful people skills and endless hospitably she has made the tournament personal as well as professional for the players. A great example of this is every year without fail Heather and her husband Ken put on a boat cruise on her own private Junk and we sail to a great sea food restaurant on an island an hour from HK city. The hospitality certainly doesn’t finish there, the examples being too many to mention.

A UNIQUE PLACE
So what is Honk Kong like? A lot of the city sits in a valley and is surrounded dark, densely tree-covered hills. The city is dominated by sky scrapers that are mostly very modern with some very impressive architectural innovations. With the whole city being on the water there are many breathtaking views. The view from ‘The Peak’ overlooking the whole city remains one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever experienced in all my years of travelling.

The constant 30 degrees weather is also a wonderful change from unpredictable and mostly cold and wet weather in Amsterdam. Along with many of the other players I use Hong Kong to go on shopping sprees during this event. Particularly electronic gear which is always the latest and usually cheap as chips. The cost of other things vary greatly here.

PRICES OF THINGS
The local food and everyday needs are really cheap but all of the shops targeted at, or owned by foreigners (mainly British) are quite dear. A sandwich can be around US$8 and a beer in a westernised bar is usually around the same. When faced with the choice I usually go for the beer. On the other side of things you can take a taxi for 15 minutes and it will be less than five bucks Our accommodation for this event is exceptional.

We are overlooking the HK habour and the hotel is surrounded by impressive modern buildings, some near and others far off on the Kowloon Island. This five star hotel has a magnificent pool area, tennis court and golf driving range also overlooking the harbour. I am not sure what the rate is for a night as we have a hotel bonus, but I’m sure it would bring a frown to my face if I received the bill.

THE VENUE
The tournament is staged at Hong Kong squash club, with qualifying being shared between a three wall glass court and a normal glass back court that has been affectionately nick named the pig pen. This is because of all of the really long and hard matches it has hosted over the years, mainly of them being so tough and grueling they’ve resembled a pig fight.

While the qualifying is being played they erect a perspex court on a basketball court in another part of the complex. The reason they go to the trouble of putting up another court when they already have a great show court is because they can fit so much more seating around a court like this, and that is what both squash and the organisers need. When you mix all of these things together it always makes for a wonderful tournament. this year was no exception

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