Top seed Mohamed ElShorbagy so keen to win at Weybridge
By SEAN REUTHE
The title sponsor of the upcoming Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill has announced that they will be donating 100 per cent of all ticket sales from the PSA M100 tournament to children’s charity CLIC Sargent, who offer cancer support for young people.
The Channel VAS Championship, which takes place between December 8-12 in Weybridge, England, is the second biggest PSA World Tour event to be held in Europe this season, with the prestigious British Open being the only European tournament to offer a higher prize fund than the $100,000 on offer at the St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club.
Channel VAS Chairman Bassim Haidar – an active player at St George’s Hill – made the decision to donate all proceeds to CLIC Sargent after the charity helped support his daughter, Talia, who has suffered with leukaemia for many years.
“It’s fantastic that we are able to donate all ticket sales from the Channel VAS Championship to CLIC Sargent, one of my favourite charities, who offer tremendous support to children battling cancer and their families,” said Tournament Promoter and former World No.30 Danny Lee.
“It is estimated that we will raise over £15,000.”
The 2016 instalment of the Channel VAS Championship has quadrupled the amount of prize money on offer compared to last year, and features some of the world’s leading players, with World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy, his brother, World No.7 Marwan, former World No.1 James Willstrop and Colombian World No.8 Miguel Angel Rodriguez all aiming for honours.
Speaking about his company’s decision to sponsor the event, Haidar said: “The Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill in the UK on December 8-12 will be a top-tier PSA tournament that will gather the biggest names in professional squash.
“Being a big fan of the sport myself, I am looking forward to seeing Channel VAS create a memorable event for the whole squash world to enjoy. As a company, Channel VAS has made a strategic decision to support squash, which is also reflected by the sponsorship of Mohamed and Marwan ElShorbagy, who are both top squash athletes.
“Our plan is to establish the Channel VAS Championship tournament as a yearly staple in the PSA calendar, and make it an event that all athletes and fans alike will be eagerly expecting.”
Top seed Mohamed ElShorbagy fired up for crack at title
World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy has said that he is eagerly anticipating making his debut at the Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill when the PSA M100 tournament gets under way on Thursday December 8 in Weybridge.
The 25-year-old Egyptian – who along with brother Marwan is sponsored by tournament title sponsor Channel VAS – is seeded first for the event and is looking to recapture the kind of form that saw him win six World Series tournaments in a row last season.
ElShorbagy has claimed two PSA World Tour titles so far this season with wins at the China Squash Open and the Delaware Investments U.S. Open, and he is eyeing up further silverware in what will be his last PSA World Tour event of 2016.
“I’m really looking forward to playing the Channel VAS Championship for the first time,” said ElShorbagy.
“I’ve heard how well the tournament was organised last year, I’m really looking forward to playing there and I really hope to do well in it.
“I would like to thank [Channel VAS Chairman] Bassim Haidar for sponsoring the event and showing a big interest in our sport.”
ElShorbagy will headline a world-class draw at the St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club, with World No.7 Marwan, Colombia’s Miguel Angel Rodriguez and former World No.1 James Willstrop just some of the big names in action.
Qualification for the 2016 Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill takes place between December 6-7, with the main draw getting under way a day later and lasting until the final on Monday December 12.
The Channel VAS Championship is the second biggest tournament to take place in Europe this season, with it’s lucrative $100,000 prize fund – a 300 per cent increase compared to last year – second only to the prestigious British Open.
Tickets for the tournament are priced from £10-£45 and can be booked online here: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ChannelVASSquash
About Channel VAS
Channel VAS is the premium Fintech provider of Mobile Financial and Value Added Services for Mobile Operators, covering a wide range of services, from Airtime Credit, Virtual Airtime Distribution and Mobile Financial Services to Advertising, Content and Marketing solutions, all through Big Data and cutting edge proprietary Analytics tools. Channel VAS is an affiliate of Channel IT, Africa’s largest independent distributor of Mobile Network Infrastructure, with presence in more than 15 countries and a continuous expansion to new markets globally.
Website: http://channelvas.com/
About CLIC Sargent
CLIC Sargent helps families limit the damage cancer causes beyond their health.
Every day, 11 more children and young people will hear the devastating news that they have cancer. From diagnosis, CLIC Sargent’s specialist care teams step in and help, support and guide. They provide a specialist package of support tailored to each young cancer patient and family.
CLIC Sargent fights tirelessly for children and young people with cancer, often when they feel they can’t. CLIC Sargent do this individually, locally and nationally, so that they can focus on the important things, like getting well. If the worst happens, they work with bereaved families to get them support and to help them cope with their emotional pain.
Website: http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/
Pictures courtesy of PSA