Men’s Over-45 champion Fredrik Johnson

EUROPEAN SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: European Masters Individual Squash Championships, Porto, Portugal

Men’s Over-35 quarter-finals:
[1] Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Gregory Billebaulr (FRA) 12-10, 11-5, 11-4
[3/4] Andrea Torricini (ITA) bt [5/8] Manuel Fistonic (CRO) 11-7, 11-4, 13-11
[3/4] Stephen Cooke (NED) bt [5/8] Dovi Haruzi (ISR) 11-4, 11-5, 7-11, 8-11, 11-4
[2] Stefan Leifels (GER) bt [9/16] Ciaran Brian McCoy (IRL) 11-4, 11-2, 11-2
Semi-finals:
[1] Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt [3/4] Andrea Torricini (ITA) 11-7, 11-9, 11-8
[2] Stefan Leifels (GER) bt [3/4] Stephen Cooke (NED) 11-8, 11-5, 11-5
Final:
[1] Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt [2] Stefan Leifels (GER) 11-7, 11-4, 7-11, 5-11, 11-9

Men’s Over-40 quarter-finals:
[1] Predi Fritsche (GER) bt Thomas Lundin (SUI) 11-6, 11-6, 11-7
[5/8] Anssi Maattanen (FIN) bt [3/4] Joao Caiano (POR) 11-8, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9
[5/8] Andreas Omlor (GER) bt [3/4] Eoin Ryan (IRL) 9-11, 11-7, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5
[2] Jesus Souto Iglesias (ESP) bt [5/8] Luis das Neves (GER) 11-6, 11-8, 11-13, 11-7
Semi-finals:
[1] Predi Fritsche (GER) bt [5/8] Anssi Maattanen (FIN) 12-10, 11-6, 11-5
[2] Jesus Souto Iglesias (ESP) bt [5/8] Andreas Omlor (GER) 9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-7
Final:
[1] Predi Fritsche (GER) bt [2] Jesus Souto Iglesias (ESP) 11-3, 11-3, 11-8

Men’s Over-45 quarter-finals:
[1] Fredrik Johnson (SWE) bt [5/8] Mark Hildred (ENG) 11-5, 11-3, 11-4
[3/4] Uwe Peters (GER) bt [5/8] Andrew Eilfield (ENG) 6-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8
[5/8] Frank Ellis (SCO) bt [3/4] Matthew Theodoris (POR) 11-1, 12-10, 11-8
[2] Eamonn Price (ENG) bt [5/8] Carlos Mendes (POR) 8-11, 11-2, 11-2, 11-6
Semi-finals:
[1] Fredrik Johnson (SWE) bt [3/4] Uwe Peters (GER) 11-4, 11-3, 11-3
[5/8] Frank Ellis (SCO) bt [2] Eamonn Price (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6
Final:
[1] Fredrik Johnson (SWE) bt [5/8] Frank Ellis (SCO) 11-2, 11-1, 11-4

Men’s Over-50 quarter-finals:
[1] Mark Woodliffe (ENG) bt [5/8] Neil Stone-Wigg (IRL) w/o
[5/8] James Ockwell (ENG) bt [3/4] Felix Paal (GER) 8-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-5
[3/4] Ian Bradburn (ENG) bt [5/8] Mark Taylor (ENG) 11-8, 11-0, 11-5
[2] Alan Thomson (SCO) bt Seymour Burt (ESP) 11-9, 11-13, 12-10, 11-5
Semi-finals:
[1] Mark Woodliffe (ENG) bt [5/8] James Ockwell (ENG) 11-6, 11-8, 11-2
[3/4] Ian Bradburn (ENG) bt [2] Alan Thomson (SCO) 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 3-11, 11-6
Final:
[1] Mark Woodliffe (ENG) bt [3/4] Ian Bradburn (ENG) 11-4, 11-9, 11-6

Men’s Over-55 quarter-finals:
[1] Mark Cowley (ENG) bt Alfred Dehnbostel (GER) 11-7, 11-4, 11-6
[5/8] Alan Hathway (ENG) bt [3/4] Ernie Cowell (SCO) 11-3, 11-7, 11-2
[3/4] Stuart Hardy (ENG) bt Alan Hall (ENG) 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4
[2] Udo Kahl (GER) bt Paul Harris (SCO) 11-5, 11-4, 11-2
Semi-finals:
[1] Mark Cowley (ENG) bt [5/8] Alan Hathway (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-7
[2] Udo Kahl (GER) bt [3/4] Stuart Hardy (ENG) 11-5, 11-2, 12-10
Final:
[2] Udo Kahl (GER) bt [1] Mark Cowley (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4

Men’s Over-60 quarter-finals:
[1] Keith Jones (ENG) bt [5/8] Norbert Heinrich (GER) 11-3, 11-4, 11-3
Reinhard Richter (GER) bt [5/8] Jamie Velarde (ESP) 11-6, 11-8, 11-4
[3/4] Jim Dougal (SCO) bt [5/8] Sergio Darrigo (ESP) 18-16, 11-4, 13-11
[2] John Rae (SCO) bt [5/8] David Adams (ENG) 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6
Semi-finals:
[1] Keith Jones (ENG) bt Reinhard Richter (GER) 12-10, 11-2, 11-3
[2] John Rae (SCO) bt [3/4] Jim Dougal (SCO) 14-12, 16-14, 11-7
Final:
[1] Keith Jones (ENG) bt [2] John Rae (SCO) 11-8, 11-5, 11-7

Men’s Over-65 quarter-finals:
[1] Rodney Boswell (ENG) bt Fernando Valentim (POR) 11-4, 9-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7
[3/4] Nigel Belle (ENG) bt Hans Gunter Schnell (GER) 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-3
[3/4] Chris Ansell (ENG) bt Jose Lopez (ESP) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4
[2] Martin Pearse (ENG) bt Harry Brinkmeier (GER) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7
Semi-finals:
[1] Rodney Boswell (ENG) bt [3/4] Nigel Belle (ENG) 11-4, 11-8, 11-6
[3/4] Chris Ansell (ENG) bt [2] Martin Pearse (ENG) 4-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8
Final:
[1] Rodney Boswell (ENG) bt [3/4] Chris Ansell (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8

Men’s Over-70 semi-finals:
[1] John Woodliffe (ENG) bt [3/4] Lance Kinder (ENG) 11-4, 9-11, 13-11, 12-10
[3/4] Myron Evans (IRL) bt [2] John Preston (ENG) 3-11, 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 11-6
Final:
[1] John Woodliffe (ENG) bt [3/4] Myron Evans (IRL) 11-4, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4

Women’s Over-35 quarter-finals:
[1] Dagmar Vermeulen (NED) bt Petra Kratzsch (GER) 11-1, 11-5, 11-4
[3/4] Isabelle Tweedle (ENG) bt Helena Vladykova (CZE) 7-11, 11-3, 11-8, 5-11, 11-8
[3/4] Hanna Maaria Rusila (FIN) bt Stefanie Leiber (GER) 13-11, 8-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7
[2] Melanie Kreisel (GER) bt Susana do Valle (POR) 11-3, 11-5, 11-7
Semi-finals:
[1] Dagmar Vermeulen (NED) bt [3/4] Isabelle Tweedle (ENG) 11-7, 11-6, 10-12, 11-5
[2] Melanie Kreisel (GER) bt [3/4] Hanna Maaria Rusila (FIN) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8
Final:
[1] Dagmar Vermeulen (NED) bt [2] Melanie Kreisel (GER) 11-8, 11-4, 12-14, 11-7

Women’s Over-40 quarter-finals:
[1] Simone Korell (GER) bt Renata Nejtkova (CZE) 11-1, 11-0, 11-3
Karin Thiel (NED) bt Birgit Fichter (GER) 11-2, 11-5, 11-6
[3/4] Iris Stockbauer (GER) bt Nina Janisch (GER) 11-4, 11-1, 11-5
[2] Sam Mueller (ENG) bt Monica Wesselkamp (GER) 11-4, 11-3, 11-1
Semi-finals:
[1] Simone Korell (GER) bt Karin Thiel (NED) 11-3, 11-3, 11-3
[3/4] Iris Stockbauer (GER) bt [2] Sam Mueller (ENG) 11-3, 11-2, 11-3
Final:
[1] Simone Korell (GER) bt [3/4] Iris Stockbauer (GER) 11-3, 11-3, 11-4

Women’s Over-45 quarter-finals:
[1] Bea de Dreu-Spitse (NED) bt Andrea Hahn (GER) 12-10, 11-7, 11-8
[3/4] Rina Einy (ENG) bt Elanit Alayof (ISR) 11-2, 11-4, 11-7
[3/4] Claire Baker (ENG) bt Storte Becker (GER) 12-10, 11-9, 11-5
[2] Mandy Akin (ENG) bt Fee Dohring (GER) 11-0, 11-4, 11-3
Semi-finals:
[1] Bea de Dreu-Spitse (NED) bt [3/4] Rina Einy (ENG) 11-9, 12-14, 11-6, 11-9
[2] Mandy Akin (ENG) bt [3/4] Claire Baker (ENG) 11-4, 11-8, 11-9
Final:
[1] Bea de Dreu-Spitse (NED) bt [2] Mandy Akin (ENG) 11-3, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7

Women’s Over-50 quarter-finals:
Nadine Mizrahi (ISR) bt [1] Tamsin Bennett (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-8
Jan Ellis (ENG) bt [3/4] Gabriele Hoy (GER) 13-15, 11-4, 12-10, 11-6
[3/4] Lynne Davies (WAL) bt Petra el Ghanam (GER) w/o
[2] Karen Hume (ENG) bt Wendy Norris (WAL) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8
Semi-finals:
Nadine Mizrahi (ISR) bt Jan Ellis (ENG) 11-8, 11-6, 11-4
[2] Karen Hume (ENG) bt [3/4] Lynne Davies (WAL) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6
Final:
[2] Karen Hume (ENG) bt Nadine Mizrahi (ISR) 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4, 11-5

Women’s Over-60 Final:
[1] Bett Dryhurst (ENG) bt [2] Claire Bryars (FRA) 11-5, 11-8, 12-10
Third place play-off:
Barbara Sanderson (IRL) bt Ingrid Keuntje (GER) 4-11, 11-6, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8

English Shine In European Masters

England claimed six of the titles in the European Masters Individual Squash Championships, the biennial European Squash Federation event in Porto, Portugal, which features men’s and women’s categories in age-groups from Over-35 to Over-70.

There were England doubles in the O50 and O60 events. Mark Woodliffe added the European title to the British Open and British Nationals titles he already has at the same age-group when he beat fellow countryman Ian Bradburn in the Men’s O50 final – while Karen Hume earned her maiden Masters title after beating Israel’s Nadine Mizrahi in the Women’s O50 climax.

Defending champion Bett Dryhurst retained her trophy after beating France’s No2 seed Claire Bryars in the Women’s O60 final. Keith Jones made it a clean sweep of all the major titles in his age-group when he beat Scotland’s John Rae in the Men’s O60 final, thereby adding the European to the British Nationals, British Open and World Masters titles he already has.

And it was a notable Woodliffe family double when Mark’s 75-year-old father John Woodliffe clinched the Men’s O70crown after beating Ireland’s Myron Evans. Woodliffe senior is a former World O70 Masters champion and the reigning British Open O75 champion.

There was an all-English final in the Men’s O65 championship, in which British Nationals and Open champion Rodney Boswell prevailed, beating Chris Ansell in straight games.

But it was a German double in the Over-40 section – with Predi Fritsche making up for finishing as runner-up two years ago by beating Spain’s Jesus Souto Iglesias in the Men’s O40 final. And Simone Korell became one of the few to hold onto a title after beating fellow German Iris Stockbauer in the Women’s O40 final – thus becoming European and World champion in the category.

Fellow German Udo Kahl celebrated his first Masters success when he upset English favourite Mark Cowley in straight games in the Men’s O55 final.

France’s Renan Lavigne is taking full advantage of his recent ‘qualification’ as a ‘Master’. The former world No17 recently picked up the World O35 Masters title and now, aged 36, defeated Germany’s defending champion Stefan Leifels in five games in the Men’s O35 final to add the European crown to his collection.

The Women’s O35 title was won by Dagmar Vermeulen, the 35-year-old former Dutch international who beat Germany’s Melanie Kreisel in the final.

And there was further Dutch success in the Women’s O45 championship where favourite Bea de Dreu-Spitse beat second-seeded English opponent Mandy Akin in the four-game final.

There was sole Swedish success in the Men’s O45 event where former European O40 champion Fredrik Johnson added the latest Masters title to his collection after beating Scotland’s Frank Ellis in the final.