The Hi-Tec World Squash Championships – Manchester 2008 will see
the best male and female players from around the world gather in
Manchester for the nine day squash extravaganza, which starts on
Saturday 11th October, 2008.
For the first time ever in a UK city the World’s top 64 men and
the leading 32 women will be competing for the title of World
Champion at the same tournament, with the two finals staged on the
evening of Sunday 19th October.
The action gets underway with the men taking to the court at
midday on the 11th, while the women’s first round of qualification
matches will start the following day.
The round stages will be played throughout the week, with the
men’s and women’s Quarter Finals planned for Friday 17th October
and the semi finals scheduled for Saturday.
Players from more than 40 countries are expected to take part in
the international event, which will be held at the National Squash
Centre at Manchester’s Sportcity, a legacy of the 2002 Commonwealth
Games.
The state-of-the-art facility has six traditional glass-backed
courts which will be used for qualifying rounds, before the action
switches to the all glass championship court for the latter
stages.
With five English players in the World’s top 20 in both the
men’s and women’s game there will be high expectations for home
grown success, but they will have to overcome the World Number One
players Amr Shabana and Nicol David, who will both be aiming for
gold in Manchester.
The Championship, which is being organised jointly by Manchester
City Council, England Squash, UK Sport, the Northwest Regional
Development Agency, Hi-Tec, Dunlop, the Manchester Evening News and
retailer Sportdiscount.com, will be one of six major international
sporting events to take place in the Lancashire city during 2008,
and will ensure that squash continues to develop its profile within
the UK.
Event Director, Paul Walters, said “Although we are still over a
year away from the start of The Hi-Tec World Squash Championships –
Manchester 2008, there is a great sense of excitement about the
event. The fact we have been able to outline the exact schedule of
play so early on gives players and fans the chance to make their
preparations for what promises to be the biggest and best ever
squash competition to be staged in Britain.”
The Hi-Tec World Squash Championships – Manchester 2008
Date Competition
Saturday 11th October Men's Qualification (Round 1) – 12pm to
9.00pm
Sunday 12th October Men's Qualification (Round 2) – 12pm to
9.00pm
Women’s Qualification (Round 1)
Monday 13th October Men's Round 1 & Women's Qualifications
(Round 2) – 12.30pm 10.00pm
Tuesday 14th October Men's 2nd Round 2 & Women's Round
1 - 12.30pm to 10.00pm
Wednesday 15thOctober Men's Round 3 & Women's Round
2 - 12.30pm 10.00pm
Thursday 16th October Men's Round 3 & Women's Round
2 - 12.30pm 10.00pm
Friday 17th October Men's and Women's Quarter Finals – 12.00pm
– 10.00pm
Saturday 18th October Men's and Women's Semi-Finals – 2.00pm
to 6.00pm
Sunday 19th October Men's Final and Women's Final –
2.00pm to 5.00pm
N.B The Men’s Round 3 and Women’s Round 2 are split over
Wednesday and Thursday.
- ENDS-
For further information about the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships
– Manchester 2008 please contact the Event Press Office at
Capitalize:
Jonathon Bates
Telephone: 020 7940 1708 / 020 7940 1700
Mobile: 07825 427 461
E-mail: jbates@capitalize.co.uk
Daniel Krendel
Telephone: 020 7940 1733 / 020 7940 1700
Mobile: 07815 805 633
E-mail: dkrendel@capitalize.co.uk