WORLD SQUASH NEWS

China Is Next Stop For WISPA

China will host the sixth annual WISPA Promotional Tour, from 2 - 8 June, staged jointly by the Women's International Squash Players' Association and the China Squash Association (CSA).

The 2004 tour, the latest initiative in WISPA's continuing drive to promote women's squash around the world, will be spearheaded by Australia's world number two Rachael Grinham, the reigning British Open and Kuwait Open champion - who this week added the Texas Open title to her growing trophy collection - and world number eight Nicol David, the highest-ranked Asian player and recent World Open semi finalist.

The Tour itinerary will feature exhibitions, clinics, press conferences and meetings with sports bodies in Shanghai and Beijing.

The main base in Shanghai will be the "Megafit Sports Club", a new 10,000 square metre sports complex with five squash courts built to international standard.  The Beijing activities are likely to be scheduled at the Kempinski Hotel, which features three squash courts.

Walter Li Gaochao, Acting Chairman of the CSA, welcomes the visit, saying:  "Squash is only now developing in China, but the following is growing and the potential for growth is great. This initiative with WISPA to bring top players will give us a great opportunity to interest the media and enthuse our players."

WISPA Director Andrew Shelley added:  "Our lives revolve around the professional game, but we also view it as a WISPA responsibility to help in any way we can to grow the overall interest in squash.

"We are of course indebted to our two leading players for their part in this programme.  They give their time without fee and are genuinely eager to help the young squash nation of China blossom on the world squash-playing map," Shelley explained.

WISPA's promotional tour concept was launched in 1999 with a visit to the Czech Republic. Successive years saw trips to Jamaica, El Salvador, Peru, Kenya, Thailand, Brunei, Sarawak, plus Russia last year.