Inauguration of the Second Court at the Zurich
Zurich - 28th/29th April 2001
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Zurich Courts New on Left |
Zurich Courts |
New Court |
Play in Progress |
Action on Court |
Benny and Natalie on the New Court |
The Zuoz Fives Club in Zurich held a tournament to mark the opening of their second court. The building of this court has been quite a long-drawn out saga, because planning law in Zurich is every bit as complicated and involved as ours here - probably worse! Indeed, for some reason the second court could not be built alongside the original one but had to be self-standing, which added considerably to its cost. Despite this, the result is excellent and the club is to be congratulated on its new court, which is constructed from poured concrete. The court plays splendidly.
About 16 players took part with a sixty year span between the eldest at 77 and the youngest at 17. Bob Felce had brought over a party from Zuoz School. The tournament was played on the same basis as the Individual Tournament. By about 4 o'clock on the Sunday afternoon, the four players with the most points then played a final, which was exciting and close; the joint winners were Nicholas Doebler, who is currently at the School and Mark Mettler, who has played in the 'Fathers & Sons'. We then adjourned to the Restaurant Geeren, which doubles up as a friendly club house.
There was an added point of interest. Chris Austin, who won the Schools Championships in 1993 when he was at Wolverhampton, came over to play in the Tournament. He had not played Fives since leaving school, but came across the Zuoz courts, when he was on secondment to Zurich at the beginning of the year.
What was so noticeable about the weekend was the friendliness of the club and the way people of quite differing standards were included in the club. Sadly, the club can only really play friendlies amongst its own members.
It goes without saying that the hospitality extended by Chris and Erica Tanner to Joan and me was astonishingly generous and warm. Thanks to them we had a wonderful trip.
I would just like to add: the enthusiasm of the Zuoz Club for Eton Fives is quite extraordinary and exhilarating. Now that the airfare to Zurich by Easyjet is so reasonable, I know it would be much appreciated by the Zuoz Club if more UK based players could go over to play in their weekend games. They would certainly make you feel very welcome. Unlike the school, the Zurich Club plays almost throughout the year.
M.D.C
Inauguration of the Second Court at Zurich by Michael Constatinidi
Constructed 14 December 2001
efa@etonfives.co.uk