KARIM DARWISH, WINNER OF THE RED BULL TEMPLE SQUASH TOURNAMENT

KARIM DARWISH;- EGYPT winner of the temple squash tournament

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RAMY ASHOUR;- EGYPT runner up

DAVID PALMER;- AUSTRALIA. semi finalist.http://www.squashsite.co.uk/2009/redbullsquashtemple.htm

AMR CHEBANA;- EGYPT semi finalist.
ALL THE LATEST = WHO PLAYED WHO ARE ON THIS LINK. http://www.squashsite.co.uk/2009/redbullsquashtemple.htm
first a photo of the guys who never get a mention in the hard work they do in putting on an event like this

THIERRY LINCOU;- France and DARYL SELBY;-ENGLAND kept us amused while the scene was being set for the semi finals.

Where's my red bull.

Dr Samir Faraq the Governor of Luxor said a few words, I think ??ON HOW MUCH HE HAS ENJOYED THE MATCHES OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, judging by the looks,

AS SOON AS THE DOC HAD HIS RED BULL THE MATCH WAS IN PLAY

KARIM AFTER ALL THE HYPE AND THE CAMERAS HAD ALL GONE.
MUM, KARIM ,FATHER AND KARIM'S BROTHER.

AMR KALED HAD A PRIZE FOR THE YOUNGEST PLAYER IN THE TOURNAMENT, DAY 2 PHOTO. PHOTO WITH KARIM.

AND ME, EVEN THOUGH I COULD ONLY SEE HALF THE MATCHES DUE TO BACK PROBS (LEAVING EARLY)

I QUITE ENJOYED THE PAST FEW DAYS MET SOME GREAT SPORTSMEN I MET ALL 8 PLAYERS AND SOME I HAD A GOOD CHAT WITH.

I ALSO MET THE EGYPTIAN WEIGHTLIFTERS great BUNCH OF GUYS,

THANKS TO MOHAMED RANI ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS WHOM I MADE FRIENDS WITH REAL NICE GUY. AND WE SHALL KEEP IN CONTACT HOPEFULLY I MAY GET TO SHOW HIM SOME OF MYEGYPT.

Well dunno how I lost that one. Karim and David Palmer,

lace problems again,

Sitting next to the ref in the finals I got to watch the balls being thrown in and this was the final DUNLOP ball, THE SQUARE box is the ball the round thing is the mike.

NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY WITH BALLS OF STEEL. THEY WILL BREAK THE GLASS.

Karim relaxing before the presentation of awards.

my neighbours, its free so why not go and see.

the Egyptian team's weight lifters. and part of the crowd watching the fire works

AND PHOTOS OF THE PAST 2 DAYS.

Red bull squash tournament 2nd day.

the Egyptian weight lifters came to see the tournament , AND STAYED ON DUTY AS SECURITY

Amr Khaled posed for me just before the games.

I also had a long talk with James Willstrop who said he was not effected by the heat as they have become acclimatized after the middle east tour.

two of the squash temple's organizers and the guys who have done all the work getting the tournament staged here in Luxor

3rd game the two English players, selby won 10..11.

Amr Khaled and Kharim Darwish after the game darwish won 8.11

the scene of the temple squash from the roof restaurant.

LIST OF THE 8 TOP SQUASH WORLD PLAYERS PLAYERS 2010

JAMES WILLSTROP ;- ENGLAND

RAMY ASHOUR;- EGYPT

THIERRY LINCOU ;- FRANCE

AMR KHALED;- EGYPT

DAVID PALMER;- AUSTRALIA.

DARYL SELBY;- ENGLAND

AMR CHEBANA;- EGYPT

KARIM DARWISH;- EGYPT

Clear height to ceiling 5469mm

Squash tournament, luxor egypt,

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GAME

Squash developed from at least five other sports involving racquet's, gloves, and balls having roots in the early 16th century in France.^[1] It is stated that “Squash, with its element of hitting balls against walls, was for entertainment. For example, boys and girls slapped balls in narrow alleys and streets”.^[1] Religious institutions in France, such as monasteries, developed a similar game. Monks used gloves that were webbed to hit balls against a fishing net strung across the middle of the courtyards of the monasteries.^[1] This developed the early “racquets” used in tennis and squash. Then in late fifteenth century, tennis was developed and spread to other European nations. The next major development of squash took place in England where the game of "racquets" was developed in Fleet Prison, a debtor’s prison.^[1] Similar to tennis, it involved racquets and balls, but instead of hitting over a net as in tennis, players hit a non-squeezable ball against walls. A variation of rackets that also led to the formation of squash was called fives, similar to handball. Fives was essentially the game of racquets, without racquets. (The ball was hit with the hand.)^[1] It is played against a wall or walls.
These games gained popularity in schools, and squash itself was developed in a school, Harrow School in England.^[2] The first courts built at this school were rather dangerous because they were near water pipes, buttresses, chimneys, and ledges. The school soon built four outside courts. Natural rubber was material of choice for the ball. Students modified their racquets to have a smaller reach to play in these cramped conditions.^[1]
The racquets have changed in much the same way as those used in tennis. Squash rackets used to be made out of laminated timber. In the 1980s, construction shifted to lighter, carbon-based materials (such as graphite) with small additions of such components as Kevlar, boron and titanium. Natural "gut" strings were replaced with synthetic strings.
In the 20th century the game increased in popularity with various schools, clubs and even private citizens building squash courts, but with no set dimensions. The first squash court in North America appeared at St. Paul's School in New Hampshire in 1884. In 1904 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the earliest national association of squash in the world was formed as the United States Squash Racquets Association, (USSRA), now known as US-Squash. In April 1907 the Tennis, Rackets & Fives Association set up a sub committee to set standards for squash. Then the sport soon formed, combining the three sports together called “Squash”. It was not until 1923 that the Royal Automobile Club hosted a meeting to further discuss the rules and regulations and another five years elapsed before the Squash Rackets Association was formed to set standards for squash in Great Britain.^[1]
The sport spread to America and Canada, and eventually around the globe. Players such as F.D. Amr Bey of Egypt dominated the courts in the 1930s, Geoff Hunt of Australia dominated the game during the 1960s and 1970s winning a record eight British Opens at the time and during the 1980s and 1990s Jahangir Khan of Pakistan won the British Open a record of ten times and Jansher Khan of Pakistan won the World Open a record of eight times.^[2] No list of squash champions is complete without referencing the legendary Pakistani Hashim Khan, winner of 7 British Open championships, and his son, Sharif Khan, winner of 12 North American Open titles. Hashim is considered one of the best athletes of all times and is the patriarch of a sports dynasty, consisting of himself, his brother, Azam, nephews Mohibullah and Gul, sons Sharif, Gulmast, Aziz, Liaquat Ali, and Salim Khan - all of whom are squash champions in their own right. Jansher Khan, although sharing the same last name, is not considered part of the "Khan Dynasty" of squash as he is not related to Hashim Khan.

Advert from the 2001 squash games in Cairo

Not to be Missed at the Pyramids' Plateau

by Dr. Maged El-Baily

I have spent a couple of days sorting out the most important cultural events that will soon take place in Egypt.

The Ahram Cultural Festival and the 6th International Squash Tournament

The Pyramids’ Plateau will witness two very special occasions this year that are going to take place at the same time. From the 3rd to the 9th of September the International Squash Tournament will held at the Pyramids’ Plateau and at the same time there will be a celebration of the 125th birthday of the 'El Ahram' Newspaper.

El Ahram newspaper is the most popular in Egypt and is one of the first newspapers to be published in Egypt. The newspaper deals with many issues from political to cultural and even fashion and children affairs. The first issue of the Ahram was published on the 5th of August 1876 and was four pages long. The Newspaper holds this cultural celebration each year.

This year the cultural celebration of the Ahram is going to be accompanied by the 6th international Squash Tournament and this increases the beauty of the festival. The squash tournament is distinct by its location at the Pyramids’ Plateau. The all-glass court is placed in front of the pyramids making them its background. Spectators can see the squash court and the pyramids at the same time.

To make the Festival even more attractive a gallery at the site of the festival and tournament will display old and rare photographs. These will include about 500 photos all about Egypt

Make sure if you are in Egypt from the 3rd to the 9th of September to visit the pyramids to watch the Egyptian civilization from past to present over the last 125 years.

Verdi’s Opera Aida

Again at the Pyramids’ Plateau, from the 12th to the 17th of October, witness the ever popular Verdi’s Opera Aida. This year is the Centennial memory of Verdi’s Death (1901), and thus the Opera Aida will be dedicated to its creator. Opera Aida will be conducted by Anton Guadango except on the 16th of October when Ahmad El Saedi will conduct the opera. Stage director is Pier Luigi Pizzi, choreographer is Gheorghe Ianku and Choirmaster is Aldo Magnato. Aida will be played by Norma Fantini on the 12th, 14th and 16th of October. On the 13th and 17th of October Paoletta Maroccu will play the role Aida and on the 15th of October the role will go to Iman Mustafa. The cast is a mixture of Egyptian and Foreign artists, so whether you are an opera admirer or not, this is an event you will not wish to miss.

Poster for a 1908 production in Cleveland

Sketch by Auguste Mariette for the premiere

NOVEMBER 2010, the squash will be held in Luxor where they can watch the squash and a view of luxor temple at the same time, the opera Aida be held inside the temple AND HAS BEEN HELD FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS,at 20.00.
File:Aida poster colors fixed.jpg

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will post an update after the ead festival

I have as much interest in the game of squash as watching paint dry,

but seeing it was a free entry and after all it was in my backyard as they say, so why not go to watch,

,
and it does have a nice backdrop of the luxor temple.

JAMES WILLSTROP one of the two players from England. wondering if he is going to play against the 2 cleaners, the guy in the check shirt must have been the ref, he was showing the two cleaners how to put a clean white cloth on the end of the squeegee brooms.

one of the stickers on the glass panels was in the way of the cameras so another 15 minutes

was taken up hand picking the poster off.

The Governor of Luxor took up a great deal of the opening first outside the arena answering questions by the local tv crews,

then he sat down while the cleaners prepared the floor for him to walk on

and of course no one took their shoes off it states that only squash shoes or plimsolls can be warn in the Squash arena

woo" you want me to go in there.

um"

can I have a free red bull I have a ticket.

Once he received his free can of RED BULL. and a leaflet most like explaining the game of squash and why they hit the balls with such ferocity against a glass wall.

as soon as he opened the can the games began.