RACKETBALL INTERCOUNty team championships 2024
OUR RACKETBALL INTERCOUNTY TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS IS BACK FOR 2024 WITH A NEW FORMAT TO MAKE IT BIGGER AND BETTER! CHECK OUT THE DETAILS BELOW
Masters Intercounty Team Championships 2024 - Draws, Schedules and Line Ups are now out:
Date: 11th / 12th May 2024
Venue: Berkhamstead LTSC, Berkhamstead, HP4 2AL
Categories & Set Up:
MIXED O40s: (Men's Over 40s & Ladies Over 35s in same team allowed)
Format - 3 singles matches, one doubles match. Teams can consist of 3/4/5 players to fulfil this fixture requirement.
(For example if just 3 players, then all play singles and then two of those play the doubles fixture. If 5 players in a squad than 3 play singles and then the other pair play the doubles fixture.)
MIXED O50s: (Men's Over 50s & Ladies Over 45s in same team allowed)
Format - 3 singles matches, one doubles match. Teams can consist of 4 or 5 players to fulfil this fixture requirement.
(For example if just 3 players then all play singles and then two of those play the doubles fixture. If 5 players in a squad than 3 play singles and then the other pair play the doubles fixture.)
MIXED O60s: (Men's Over 60s & Ladies Over 55s in same team allowed)
Format - 3 singles matches, one doubles match. Teams can consist of 3/4/5 players to fulfil this fixture requirement.
(For example if just 3 players then all play singles and then two of those play the doubles fixture. If 5 players in a squad than 3 play singles and then the other pair play the doubles fixture.)
DRAWS:
SCHEDULES:
TEAM LINE UPS:
Open/B Grade/Ladies Intercounty Team Championships 2024
Date: 15th/16th June 2024
Venue: Wolverhampton Squash & Tennis Club, Neville Lodge, 53 Newbridge Cres, Wolverhampton WV6 0LH
Categories & Set Up:
OPEN:
Format: Teams MUST consist of 5 players, all play singles matches.
B GRADE:
Format - Teams MUST consist of 5 players to fulfil this fixture requirement. Three players compete in the singles and then the other pair play the doubles fixture. Who plays what can be rotated in between fixtures.
LADIES:
Format: Teams MUST consist of 3 players to fulfil this fixture requirement. All players compete in singles matches then two of them also play an additional doubles fixture.
If counties have enough players they are more than welcome to either field a second ''B Team'' in the event, or they are welcome to compete in the Mixed B Grade categories as a team of 5 players as well.
General Notes:
- For the Open / B Grade if there is a significant imbalance in the standard of one side compared to the others in its category (a B Grade side being of Open Grade level or vice versa,) then Mike may discuss the changing of Grades for that side with its captain.
- All teams are guaranteed 3 matches across the weekend, possibly 4 depending on the entry uptake. Matches will start on the Saturday morning so please factor this in if travelling.
- Reigning Open Champions - Devon, B Grade - Shropshire, Ladies - Devon.
- Entry fee: £50 per team. Closing date for entries and payment is Tuesday 28th May.
- Please contact Mike Harris at admin@uk-racketball.com to enter your side and sort your entry payment.
Date: 15th/16th June 2024
Venue: Wolverhampton Squash & Tennis Club, Neville Lodge, 53 Newbridge Cres, Wolverhampton WV6 0LH
Categories & Set Up:
OPEN:
Format: Teams MUST consist of 5 players, all play singles matches.
B GRADE:
Format - Teams MUST consist of 5 players to fulfil this fixture requirement. Three players compete in the singles and then the other pair play the doubles fixture. Who plays what can be rotated in between fixtures.
LADIES:
Format: Teams MUST consist of 3 players to fulfil this fixture requirement. All players compete in singles matches then two of them also play an additional doubles fixture.
If counties have enough players they are more than welcome to either field a second ''B Team'' in the event, or they are welcome to compete in the Mixed B Grade categories as a team of 5 players as well.
General Notes:
- For the Open / B Grade if there is a significant imbalance in the standard of one side compared to the others in its category (a B Grade side being of Open Grade level or vice versa,) then Mike may discuss the changing of Grades for that side with its captain.
- All teams are guaranteed 3 matches across the weekend, possibly 4 depending on the entry uptake. Matches will start on the Saturday morning so please factor this in if travelling.
- Reigning Open Champions - Devon, B Grade - Shropshire, Ladies - Devon.
- Entry fee: £50 per team. Closing date for entries and payment is Tuesday 28th May.
- Please contact Mike Harris at admin@uk-racketball.com to enter your side and sort your entry payment.
intercounty racketball 2023 round up
*Devon teams take two titles and a runner's up spot out of four possible events at the Intercounty Racketball weekend in Nottingham!*
We had a fantastic weekend of matches at NSRC in Nottingham with over 100 players and 22 teams taking part in the 2023 Intercounty Racketball team Championships. There were four different categories up for grabs - A Grade, B Grade, Over 50's and Ladies, and we had a wide spread of counties across all the draws.
This year was the first time we have been able to run a Ladies Racketball ICC, and while it was a small draw there were some great matches. The format was 3 players per team, everyone plays singles, then one doubles match too. Match of the event was between Natalie Lawrence (Devon A) vs Katie Wells (Lincolnshire), where both players used all four corners of the court with great skill and variety of hitting throughout. Katie coming through a 3/0 winner but the game score not reflecting the tightness of the match. In the end though Devon A's strength through their order and their Doubles experience shone through and they took the inaugral Ladies Intercounty Racketball title 3/1 over Lincolnshire.
In the Over 50's event, pre tournament top seeds Shropshire managed to come through pretty unscathed throughout the weekend, dropping only one tie (the doubles) out of all their matches. They took down Devon in the final 4/0, with some entertaining games but with the Numbers 1 & 2 ranked Over 50 players in the country at the top of their order it was always going to be a hard task for the Devon guys. There were some brutal fixtures in the Devon/Essex/Warwickshire group with all matches going down to either a games or points countback! (Essex coming out the wrong end of two points countbacks then finally winning one in their 5/6th playoff vs Northants!) The format for this category was 3 players play singles fixtures, then one extra pair compete in doubles.
This year was also the first time we have run a B Grade event, and it was really well subscribed, with some really great depth across all the teams, showcasing some top Racketball, even on a slightly ropey Sunday morning... (Mentioning no names...) The format here was the same as the Over 50's, with 3 singles and then one doubles partnership per side. The final was of exceptionally high quality that all went down to the final match. In the end a very strong Surrey side managed to see off Shropshire on games countback, with the Number 1s battle between Craig Chappell (Shrops) and Rob Gale (Surrey) going the distance with Chappell winning 11/9 in the 5th after a good 75+ minutes!
Finally, the A Grade event featured some of the regular ICC top teams, with the like of Yorkshire, Devon, Dorset and current holders Warwickshire joining Lincolnshire and Cheshire in the draws. The format here was a simple 5 players all play singles matches. With pretty much all the sides missing one or two players from their line ups it was very difficult to predict who would come out on top. In the group stages Devon vs Dorset and Yorkshire vs Cheshire both proved to be incredibly tight, with it all going down to the final ties in the fixtures. In the end though it came down to a repeat of last year's final with Devon vs Warwickshire the tie. Devon managed to reverse their fortunes from last year, winning 5/0 despite their being some very close matches at 3rd & 5th string (both going to 5 games, match of the final being Ash Knight beating Ben Maudrell 11/8 in the 5th with both looking absolutely broken afterwards!)
It was a really brilliant weekend of matches with a top atmosphere and a fun Saturday night social too. You can find all the pictures and videos from the event HERE
Full results attached below. Can't wait for next year, plans being made already! Congratulations to all our winners and runners up, see you all soon.
Racketball/ Squash57 Inter county Championships Information
NTERCOUNTY RACKETBALL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023 PREVIEW
We are back for another year of County team Racketball action as sides competing in the A Grade, B Grade, Over 50s and Ladies events come together at Nottingham Squash Club to do battle to see who is the Premier Racketball county team in the UK!
In the A Grade we have the current holders Warwickshire (led by British Racketball O35s Champion Chris Hall) as the top seeds, but they have to come through a tough group with a Paul Norton led Yorkshire & Graeme Heward's Cheshire, who have the very handy Pete Billson at the top of the order.
In the other group past winners and second seeds Devon are led by British National Champion Mike Harris but again have their work cut out to get past a very strong in depth Dorset side with all of their regulars turning out for the team, and solid Lincolnshire line up. Some really good battles promised here! The format is all single matches with 5 players per team.
The B Grade (a new category this year) has had a great uptake with 8 teams across the board, featuring many of our UK Racketball Series regulars. While there is very little to pick between any of the teams, Surrey, Kent, Devon and Shropshire all are seeded to get through to the Semi Finals, and from there is would be very difficult to call!
It is great to see some squads with 6/7 players in them, showing how much the sport is growing in certain areas. The format for this Grade is 3 players play singles, then another two play a doubles match. The singles/doubles players can be rotated between fixtures.
The Men's Over 50's has some very strong teams in it, with last year's Champions Shropshire looking the standout top picks with the likes of Wase, Morris, Russell, Billington and Davies in their line up! They will be pushed hard by the likes of Surrey (Hall, Warne, Wardle, Burton) and Essex (Friend, Osbourn, Thornley) but they most certainly are the team to beat. The format for this is the same as the B Grade, 3 players play singles, then another two play a doubles match. The singles/doubles players can be rotated between fixtures.
Finally, it is great to have a Ladies Championship back this year. Hopefully with the aim to grow it bigger and better in years to come. This time round it will be contested between Devon A, Devon B and Lincolnshire, but with Essex, Yorkshire and Dorset all keen to get involved next time round, it could lead to a really busy event! This year though it will be a tight contest, with Devon A led by Natalie Lawrence and Caroline Wright coming up against a strong Lincolnshire side with British Open Semi Finalist Katie Wells at the top of the order. The format for the Ladies is 3 player teams, everyone plays singles then two players also play a doubles fixture too. The two Devon teams are then also combining to do battle in the B Grade event, and I believe the Lincolnshire ladies are backing up their Men's B Grade team too. Plenty of good matches to be had!
So with over 100 players descending on NSRC this weekend it will certainly be a busy and very social weekend (I'm looking at you Saturday night in Nottingham...) A huge thank you to all the team Captains for working so hard to get sides together (like herding cats one player mentioned.) Great to see that Devon and Lincolnshire were able to field sides in all four categories!
Next year there will be a change to the format (due to feedback and also schedule balancing...)
A Grade, B Grade and Ladies will take place in mid June like this time round. Match format & team composition will be the same as this time round for the A Grade and Ladies. The B Grade however will drop to 4 players per team with all playing singles then one pair competing in a doubles fixture.
THEN
We will change the Masters format to include more age groups, but also make it more accessible to sides. So the event will take place separately in May (exact date/venue TBC) and there will be Mixed Over 40s, Over 50s and Over 60s categories.
All age groups will be composed of 3 player teams, with all playing singles and then one pair also playing a doubles fixture. We are hoping that this will get more counties involved as it will be easier to put out teams based on this format and may even lead to multiple sides per category.
So keep an eye out for updates this weekend on our UK Racketball Facebook page and Instagram account, plus then news and dates for the future competitions!
We are back for another year of County team Racketball action as sides competing in the A Grade, B Grade, Over 50s and Ladies events come together at Nottingham Squash Club to do battle to see who is the Premier Racketball county team in the UK!
In the A Grade we have the current holders Warwickshire (led by British Racketball O35s Champion Chris Hall) as the top seeds, but they have to come through a tough group with a Paul Norton led Yorkshire & Graeme Heward's Cheshire, who have the very handy Pete Billson at the top of the order.
In the other group past winners and second seeds Devon are led by British National Champion Mike Harris but again have their work cut out to get past a very strong in depth Dorset side with all of their regulars turning out for the team, and solid Lincolnshire line up. Some really good battles promised here! The format is all single matches with 5 players per team.
The B Grade (a new category this year) has had a great uptake with 8 teams across the board, featuring many of our UK Racketball Series regulars. While there is very little to pick between any of the teams, Surrey, Kent, Devon and Shropshire all are seeded to get through to the Semi Finals, and from there is would be very difficult to call!
It is great to see some squads with 6/7 players in them, showing how much the sport is growing in certain areas. The format for this Grade is 3 players play singles, then another two play a doubles match. The singles/doubles players can be rotated between fixtures.
The Men's Over 50's has some very strong teams in it, with last year's Champions Shropshire looking the standout top picks with the likes of Wase, Morris, Russell, Billington and Davies in their line up! They will be pushed hard by the likes of Surrey (Hall, Warne, Wardle, Burton) and Essex (Friend, Osbourn, Thornley) but they most certainly are the team to beat. The format for this is the same as the B Grade, 3 players play singles, then another two play a doubles match. The singles/doubles players can be rotated between fixtures.
Finally, it is great to have a Ladies Championship back this year. Hopefully with the aim to grow it bigger and better in years to come. This time round it will be contested between Devon A, Devon B and Lincolnshire, but with Essex, Yorkshire and Dorset all keen to get involved next time round, it could lead to a really busy event! This year though it will be a tight contest, with Devon A led by Natalie Lawrence and Caroline Wright coming up against a strong Lincolnshire side with British Open Semi Finalist Katie Wells at the top of the order. The format for the Ladies is 3 player teams, everyone plays singles then two players also play a doubles fixture too. The two Devon teams are then also combining to do battle in the B Grade event, and I believe the Lincolnshire ladies are backing up their Men's B Grade team too. Plenty of good matches to be had!
So with over 100 players descending on NSRC this weekend it will certainly be a busy and very social weekend (I'm looking at you Saturday night in Nottingham...) A huge thank you to all the team Captains for working so hard to get sides together (like herding cats one player mentioned.) Great to see that Devon and Lincolnshire were able to field sides in all four categories!
Next year there will be a change to the format (due to feedback and also schedule balancing...)
A Grade, B Grade and Ladies will take place in mid June like this time round. Match format & team composition will be the same as this time round for the A Grade and Ladies. The B Grade however will drop to 4 players per team with all playing singles then one pair competing in a doubles fixture.
THEN
We will change the Masters format to include more age groups, but also make it more accessible to sides. So the event will take place separately in May (exact date/venue TBC) and there will be Mixed Over 40s, Over 50s and Over 60s categories.
All age groups will be composed of 3 player teams, with all playing singles and then one pair also playing a doubles fixture. We are hoping that this will get more counties involved as it will be easier to put out teams based on this format and may even lead to multiple sides per category.
So keep an eye out for updates this weekend on our UK Racketball Facebook page and Instagram account, plus then news and dates for the future competitions!
UK-Racketball works alongside England Squash to deliver the National Inter County Championship (ICC) for Squash57/ Racketball.
The new ICC will run at Nottingham Squash Club on the 17/18th June
All teams will compete to decide who is crowned champion across several different categories. We currently run four events: an Open/A Grade, a B Grade, Over 50's and Women's competition.
This will make for a fantastic atmosphere and some great matches!
The number of matches and event format will be determined once we know our entry level. Matches will take place on Saturday and Sunday only, there will be no matches on the Friday evening.
The new ICC will run at Nottingham Squash Club on the 17/18th June
All teams will compete to decide who is crowned champion across several different categories. We currently run four events: an Open/A Grade, a B Grade, Over 50's and Women's competition.
This will make for a fantastic atmosphere and some great matches!
The number of matches and event format will be determined once we know our entry level. Matches will take place on Saturday and Sunday only, there will be no matches on the Friday evening.