China Bids To Host First World Squash Championship by Howard Harding (Pictured after the press conference (L to R): Huang Kai, Wang Guo Guang, Low Wee Wern & Andrew Shelley)
15 June 2016
- The Liaoning Province city of Dalian is bidding to make squash
history by becoming the first in China to host a World Squash
Championship.
The announcement of the tender to stage the
WSF Women's World Team Squash Championship in 2018 came during a press
conference on the opening day of the three-day 2016 WSF Ambassador
Programme visit to the coastal city of Dalian, hosted by the Dalian
Squash Association in conjunction with the Chinese Squash Association.
The
proposal to the World Squash Federation is to stage the biennial event
in September 2018 at the Xigang Stadium, the city's six-floor sports
centre which boasts four all-glass squash courts. It is planned that
action would also take place on an all-glass court at the new Olympia
66, the largest Shopping Mall in the region, with the final stages
being held outside on an all-glass court erected on the Dalian quayside
at Dong Gang Square.
"I was born in Dalian and have lived
here all my life," said Wang Guo Guang, the Dalian Squash Association
Secretary General who is the driving force behind the bid. "The city
has been a great supporter of squash and I would like to show my
appreciation to the city by bringing the World Championship here.
"It would be a great milestone in my life and would make me very proud."
Speaking
on behalf of the Chinese Squash Association, Vice President Huang Kai
added: "Currently, the most important event we hold in this country is
the China Open. This initiative would give us a great opportunity to
work closely with the World Squash Federation to bring a major new
event to China.
"We already hold many national events in
Dalian," Huang continued. "It is currently widely known as 'the
Football city of China' - we would like Dalian to become known as 'the
Squash city of China'!"
WSF Chief Executive Andrew Shelley
warmly welcomed the proposal, saying: "The Chinese and Dalian Squash
Associations have already shown how strongly they not only organise
events, but promote our sport, so this - coupled with the enthusiasm of
the city authorities and facilities available - make this a superb
option for WSF, and an exciting opportunity for the players and
officials who will come to Dalian."
The press conference, to
welcome WSF Ambassadors Low Wee Wern, the former world No5 from
Malaysia, and Dick Lau, the four-time Hong Kong champion, was staged
alongside an all-glass court at the 220,000 square metre Olympia 66
shopping mall, which is sited on the city's former Olympic stadium.
Sean
Ang, Deputy General Manager of Olympia 66, said: "As a new landmark of
Dalian city, we try to bring a special shopping experience for
citizens, which is why we put this squash court in the centre of sixth
floor of our building.
"We hope this court will help people
to release stress and entertain themselves after work or during the
weekend. Our shopping mall is always willing to introduce fashionable
and healthy sport into the building to cultivate proactive and relaxed
life style."
The 2016 Women's World Team Championship will be held in the French capital Paris, for the first time, in December.
