ICELANDAIR GROUP CLASSIC 2007 [draw]

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND

Iceland is a young island geologically, ……and in squash terms too. It only began in earnest with the formation of the Veggsport Club in Reykjavik exactly twenty years ago,

The players arrived in the wet and windswept country to compete in the Icelandair Group Classic, the first WISPA Premiere Series event. The initiative encourages new events, and Iceland would certainly be a new experience for the players.

As they coached from the airport they passed a moonscape of black lava - so lunar that NASA astronauts have practiced there before being flung out of our atmosphere.

There are erupting volcanoes, Europe’s largest waterfalls, glaciers and even deserts on the North Atlantic island. This is somewhat unique; as probably is the local dish of puffin breast with blueberry sauce. Icelanders are also partial to eating pickled ram’s testicles, but that is probably a delicacy too far!

Vegg mean’s wall, and the veggs of the four courts were being smacked with activity in the first round at the wall sports club.    

Seven of the seeds negotiated the initial hurdle, though Dutch sixth rated Orla Noom needed over an hour to get past French challenger Celia Allamargot. Left handed Noom found herself up against a fit, athletic opponent who was more than willing to run the ball down. The 21 year old from La Rochelle established 7/6 positions in both the 9/7 games she lost before snatching the fourth and eventually subsiding in the fifth.

Afterwards she revealed that she had been unable to play for the preceding fortnight due to a combination of a cartilage injury and an arthritic problem, both in her racket-hand wrist. ‘For two weeks I did not play, only doing physical work. I tried it last weekend and it was still not good, but today I played very hard and it hurt me a lot. But I am happy, I did very well physically’ Allamargot said.

Noom, meanwhile commented, ‘I just struggled to find a length. I was clipping the side wall and she hit some awesome winners.

I never make it easy for myself! I seem to go one or two down, and that wasn’t a good idea before the quarters tonight!’

However, on the plus side for the French second seed Isabelle Stoehr cruised into the last eight, and was joined by 18 year old Camille Serme; the current European junior number one and victor over seventh seed Georgina Stoker from England who looked under squashed.

Iceland’s number one Rosa Jonsdottir had traveled back from Denmark to compete as the local wild card. While the physiotherapy student was dispatched by fourth seed Sarah Kippax she pronounced the trip worthwhile.

‘It was very difficult. She was so mobile. When I thought I had played a very good shot she ran and got it!

I really enjoyed it even though there was a big difference in play. Now I see what I need to do to improve’ she added.

National TV had filmed their number one in her match, but have vowed to follow proceedings in later rounds. Newspapers are featuring the event and the players are looking for meals that exclude sea birds and anything suspiciously spherical!

Round 1   Thursday 27 September

 Jaclyn Hawkes (Nzl) (1) bt Soraya Renai (Fra) 9/4 9/3 9/0 (25m)
Orla Noom (Ned) (6) bt Celia Allamargot (Fra) 4/9 9/7 9/7 6/9 9/3 (63m)
Dom Lloyd-Walter (Eng) (3) bt Kerri Shields (Irl) 9/0 9/1 9/1 (23m)
Kirsty McPhee (Eng) (8) bt Milou Van Der Heijden (Ned) 9/2 8/10 9/5 9/3 (52m)
Camille Serme (Fra) bt Georgina Stoker (Eng) (7) 9/2 2/9 9/4 9/0 (36m)
Sarah Kippax (Eng) (4) bt Rosa Jondottir (Isl) 9/1 9/1 9/3 (19m)
Tenille Swartz (Rsa) (5) bt Victoria Lust (Eng)  9/5 9/2 9/1 (26m)
Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) (2) bt Deon Saffery (Eng) 9/3 9/1 9/7 (25m)