Barry Dodson Blog on Squash-Blogs.de

The newly named European Champions Cup started today at midday at the Landala Squash Centre in Sweden with the official “Opening Ceremony”, so that the first matches could then take to the courts at 13:00. Both Black and White Worms and Paderborn Squash Club are here trying to take the title and the trophy back to Germany.

The “Reigning Champions” Paderborn has their first group match at 13:00 against the local Gothenburg Club whereas Worms start their campaign at 17:00 and play against Mikkeli Squash Club from Finland. Both today’s group matches should be relatively light warm-ups for the German Clubs and Worms seeded on two in group B and Paderborn on five in group D then have the rest of the day free.

Playing today for the Black and White team at the main Landala centre are Davide Bianchetti, Marcus Berrett, Jens Schoor and Carsten Schoor. In the second match tomorrow morning at 10:00 O’clock our fifth member of the team Daniel Hoffmann shall get his turn to play and this match takes place on the Glass show court at Nordstan Shopping Centre. Michael Zehe is also here to cheer his team on and has become our official photographer for this event.

The tournament website: http://ecc2009.landalasquash.se
Reports from the tournament @ http://squash-blogs.de/bw-worms

Since I arrived here on Monday I have been putting comments on my Twitter and Facebook accounts and here for the Squashnet readers are my comments below so far:

My Ryanair 737 touches down 10mins before schedule @ the Gothenburg City airport. Step out to clear blue skies and18 degrees! It is really good to be in Sweden.

Picked up with the shuttle bus by Robert from Landala Squash http://www.landalasquash.se and whisked off to the hotel in the city centre.

Fabulous the tournament Hotel has free Wireless Internet connection.
Thank you Scandic Europa http://www.scandichotels.se/europa

I have just seen my first cloud in Gothenburg but its still blue skies and “shorts” weather :0) Also just looked at the Glass show court in the middle of the large shopping centre next door to the hotel. Looks impressive but with the height of the lights it is clearly not a “LOB” court! also I’ve just bumped into the Paderborners’ Simon Rösner, Lennart & Lars Osthoff.

All my team have now arrived and we are finally complete: 1. Davide Bianchetti 2. Marcus Berrett 3. Jens Schoor and with Daniel Hoffmann or Carsten Schoor I have the choice who then plays on four. Let the battle commence and the best team win.