Canadian Open Off the Calendar
June 21, 2004 by Ryan Barnett, SquashTalk Independent News Service © 2004 

CANADIAN ENTREPRENEURS CAN'T CONTINUE IN EDMONTON
Last year was upbeat. A group of Edmonton entrepreneurs brought a highly successful Canadian Open event to Edmonton, making it a larger event for one year than the one promoter John Nimick ran in Toronto. They had been enthusiastic about an even better event in 2004.

But today is a sad day for professional squash in Canada. "The Canadian Open will not go forward in 2004" stated Tournament Director Kevin MacMillen when contacted early Friday. "Shareholder support evaporated which stopped our team from going ahead. We are hopeful that we can solve these issues and carry on but timing remains uncertain."

It was just last year that the Open was resurrected after a 9 year hiatus from the PSA tour and from all indications was a huge success. Being in attendance from the quarter finals onward the event appeared first class all the way. The tournament featured a full 32 man draw, boasted $80,000US in total prize money, Super Series Silver status plus received both domestic and international television coverage. The all-glass court was set-up in the World's largest shopping mall providing maximum exposure for the sport and the final was staged by Canadian Jonathon Power and Peter Nicol. (Nicol won 3 straight) All the intangibles were in place.

Linda MacPhail the Executive Director for Squash Canada agrees. "We thought last years event was outstanding not only for Squash Canada but for the sport as a whole. I'm truly disheartened to learn about this however we are trusting that things will work themselves out as we would definitely like to see the event continue in 2005."

In any sporting venture sponsor dollars are key. No dollars no event.
MacMillen and ProSquash Edmonton will no doubt be working diligently to put the pieces back together and his final comment provides a glimmer of hope, "I might have something cooking...stay tuned."

Meanwhile, with an opening in the PSA's November timeslot, John Nimick has confirmed that The Pace Credit Union Canadian Classic will return to it's mid-November spot. This will mark the fifth straight year John Nimick and Event Engine will bring professional squash to Toronto's BCE Place.

And in the ongoing Canadian battle between Toronto and Edmonton for mindshare, Toronto has the professional squash upper hand at the moment

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