Bay of Plenty is now officially on the map as a legitimate host of major Squash events. Following on for the ‘best ever’ World Junior Champs held in the Bay in 2017, the WSF has awarded the prestigious World Men’s Teams event to Tauranga for 2021.
That means the world best male players will descend on our wee corner of the world! What a spectacle it will be. We can expect to see the likes of newly crowned World Champion Ali Farag from Egypt, the legendary Greg Gaultier from France, and of course our own superstar Paul Coll. World ranked 7, Coll is very excited about the prospect of playing a World Champs on home soil ““I am thrilled that Tauranga has been chosen to host the 2021 World Men’s Teams Championships. The event has not been hosted in New Zealand since 1983 which means an entire generation of New Zealanders have not had the opportunity to view this level of squash at its best. Tauranga is an amazing place to visit and is one of the best coastal destinations in the world – I have no doubt the players will enjoy the opportunity to visit Tauranga.”
The principal venue for the event is the Devoy Squash & Fitness Centre which boasts 6 glass-backed courts and the Te Puke and Mt Maunganui Squash clubs will also be utilised. The impressive all-glass court will be the show piece for the event.
Hosting an event like this provides a huge opportunity for the sport across the Bay of Plenty to gain important profile and momentum for squash in our region. We will front and centre in the Squash world as well as national sports media. Squash BOP is determined to captialise on that spotlight, and ensure the event leaves a lasting legacy on our clubs.
Bring it on!