Squash Wars - Pronto Rose Bowl

Wednesday 6:45 - Squash Wars

A long time ago in a squash club far far away....

It is a period at start of new squash season.
22 Rebel squashplayers, meeting to trade blows,
and take on the evil Galactic Callow Empire.

During the early battle, Phil Stormtrooper Shaw saw off the challenge of Helen Princess Cave, but she took away secretplans to the Empire'sultimate weapon, the CALLOWSTAR,
a huge spacestation with enough power to destroy an entire colin clark in the first round.

Pursued by the tournament seeds it was a difficult battle for the rebels, but they all fought on valiantly, and kept going to the end. As we reached the final match of the first rounds the intensity rose, and Les Darth Callow glided onto court with Dashing Hans Lyndon Solo. They traded blows in the first with Lyndon Solo playing a measured game against his slower opponent, but Darth Callow kept himself in it with deft and punishing kills, the game went to the wire and the balcony fell silent before Lyndon Solo finished off the first with a decisive drive to length. The Galactic Cheering got behind Darth Callow in the second and refused to let him lose - and so he battled on - taking the game to Lyndon with tight play and ability to take all the chances that presented themselves. As they reached near 11 the crowd were going wild and spurred on the galactic callow to draw even at 1-1. Alas it was too much and the third game saw Darth Callow slump 11-0 and then 7-0 down in the fourth.
As is always the story in the battle of good and evil - it isn't ever over until the end. And the fightback began... after every point the crowd got louder... all other games had finished and the balcony packed with Darth Callow proceeding 4-7, 5-7, 6-7 as we neared the close and the scores reached 9-9 it all looked set for the fifth.. Alas Hans Lyndon Cheetham Solo proved his standing and won, thereby ending the first night of the Manx Telecom Pronto Rose Bowl.

Thursday 6:45 - Empire Strikes Back

With the contestants now split into the respective 16 slots - the real battles began. And a barrage of empire drones began to dismantle the rebel players. Drone Sykes took on the imposing and fast paced Richard Flash Corlett, with a new found intensity Flash's racket sabre wheeled with power in every rally, but to no avail. Then the droning Paul Burnett tried to make it two for the empire... Faced against the witty and cunning of R2 Hamish D2 this was always going to be one back for the rebels.
After his fierce game last night Lyndon took on the imposing frame of Colin OB1 Crawshaw, with what could have been the match up of the night. Experience of Crawshaw against the "shoot from the hip" - well "shoot from anywhere really" style of Lyndon Solo Cheetham. - A win for Cheetham.
Skirmishes were taking place everywhere with Phil Yoda Shaw taking on Mark C3PO Hotchkiss; Andrew Walker battling away with Tom Anakin Skywhiteaway; Laura Rebel Alliance Smith using here firepower against Dean Sowerbey; Governer Francis Tarkin, used his tenacity against Mark Hamill Harrop. It wasn't all skill and guile with the racket sabre as Wendy Hogan and Vicky Watterson used phasers (or is it phased) Dave Griffiths and Evil Darth Callow.
Again the evening came to a close with a battle of monumental proportions, battling it out for a place in the final R2 Hamish D2 faced up against the "shoot anywhere" Hans Lyndon Solo. Blasters going off everywhere the two traded blows in the first and damage was being wrought everywhere - Hamish Steals it.. But the onslaught continues and Lyndon litters the court with his behind the back, not really looking array of shots. The crowd go into raptures as he nears the game but Hamish continues to fight ... 1-1.. We're into the third and R2 Hamish D2 shows the class we have expected easing out with an array of play and tactical awareness that eases him through another game .. 2-1.. The crowd awaits the result but Hans Lyndon Solo is never down and doggedly fights on.. The will to win and some crowd help means he stays in the fight before eventually evening up the match at 2-2.
With all matches finished, the balcony is packed watching the two jedi warriors go at it. Hamish uses his guile to play a structured and containing length game, at a pace he can sustain; Hans Lyndon Solo crashes in try to gain nay advantage he can with reactionary play that keeps R2Hamish on the back foot. With some great Kills Lyndon takes a good lead 4-0 up and he continues to battle holding it to 8-4 up.. The mood swings and R2 Hamish D2 diggs in...Match ball to Lyndon - but a fine boast thwarts him. 10all .. It can go either way but no-one is giving up 11-11; everyshot and everyplay we are on a knife edge.. 12-12.. And then it came a decisive win.. 14-12.. Hans Lyndon Cheetham is through..

Friday Final - Return of The Jedi
As the jedi warriors lined up, this evenings matches would provide a full ranking. Everyone fought with valour and determination in their own finals. And so the evening progressed, as the wind and rain drew in it was the R2 Hamish Thornton who walked on with Swashbuckling Rob SmithWalker. In what was an eagerley awaited face off between experience and guile against power and flare of SmithWalker. As through this competition the first was a gruelling game with some great Jedi Skills, nothing sperated the two until Hamish squeezed a winning point to take the first 10-9. Smith appeared to be warming up and came out in the second with a blaze of exciting play; sparks flew as he commanded the game and punished R2 Hamish for all mistakes - the games settled 1-1. But experience tells and R2 D2 Thornton continued with his game plan and thwarted the efforts of Jedi Rob to command the game, staying ahead and keeping the pressure thornton again stole the third to go 2-1. Caght on a knife edge both players continued to fight hard - R2 with a length game to contain the power of Rob SmithWalker and the jedi with power and speed to move R2 about the court. Alas the game went the same way as the previous and R2 Hamish assured himself of success.
And onto the final Evil Lord Darsh Sykes took on the "just shooting" Hans Lyndon Solo. As expected of the evil lord ash, he steals his opponents sabre and attempts to steal the first serve; but the crowd are with Hans Lyndon Solo and a fair game was started. The pace was quick, and the previous battles of Hans Cheetham were telling, battle drawn and war wearly Hans Solo, despite an early start then began to struggle with the intensity. 1-0 down but Hans Lyndon continues and fights for every point; a huge rally of charging and lunging as they both fly about the court. But the rallies have their toll and with a few "shots from the hip" that sky'd over the back wall and Ashley Vader gets the upper hand to go 2-0. Still the spirit doesn't die and the crowd join in the spectacle for a closely fought final that in the end was won by the Dark Side - 3-0. Warriors and genetlemen a great event well managed and well run.