Pearce claims Euro title

MARTIN Pearse (North Norfolk) claimed the prestigious European Masters O60 Squash Championship held in Krefeld, Germany.

Pearse, seeded one, now sits on the Masters Sub Committee of European Squash as well as holding the chairmanship of England Masters Squash, took a while to adjust to the point-a-rally scoring adopted in Europe, which is totally different to the normal hand in hand out system.

He took out Spanish No 1 Jamie Valarde 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11.5 and then Denmark's Nils Middleboe 11-4, 11-3, 11-2 in the semi-finals.

The final, played in blistering heat in the massive complex at Turnhalle, started badly for Pearse against long standing opponent Alex Sinclair, the president of Scottish squash.

Sinclair took the first game 11-9 after Pearse led 7-3, but after three game balls for the Scot in the second, Pearse equalled at 12-10.

Similarly in the third, Sinclair had three more game balls to go 2-1 ahead but couldn't take his chances and the Norfolk player with a couple of trademark drives took it 13-11 to lead 2-1. Pearse then increased the pace to comfortably win the fourth 11-6 and the title 3-1.

'The court temperature was touching 90 and it was the hottest I have ever played on, including the National Sports Centre in Manchester. Luckily I play all the time in practice with fellow team mate Martin Guppy with a red spot as many courts are very hot and it acclimatises you.

'So it paid off and I am extremely pleased to have won such a massive title. You can only beat what's in front of you and I realise there are three English players who didn't travel, who played in front of me in the Home Internationals recently who might have had something to say!

'But generally English Masters Squash is the overall strongest in the world, by some distance, and I hope this tournament goes on some way to help for inclusion in the Olympics in 2016.'