Multi-skilled players are making a racket in Leith

Published on Saturday 27 September 2008 10:57

COMPETITORS from as far afield as China, the Czech Republic and Scandanavia are in Leith this weekend for the seventh Scottish Racketlon Championships.

The winners will be determined by their combined abilities in tennis, badminton, table-tennis and squash, with entrants split into three categories of ability.

Among those taking part is Craiglockhart tennis professional Mhairi Brown.

Others who have competed include Linlithgow tennis star Colin Fleming, who has trained with the British Davis Cup squad.

Brown said: “Standards can vary but, at the top end of the scale, some competitors will have reached county standard in all four disciplines.

“I suspect tennis players tend to have an advantage because of their experience of wielding a heavier racket more often.

“It’s easier to switch down a weight rather than upwards.”

“Matches are played over 21 points using table tennis scoring where the serve changes after every five points. Alas for tennis players, though, their discipline comes last in the participation order behind table-tennis, badminton and squash so they could be out of contention when their strongest event arrives.”

Developed in Finland in the 1980s – the Scottish Open was the first outside Scandanavia – racketlon now has a circuit with the Next Generation Club-hosted event part of a tour also embracing Sweden, Belgium, Hungary, Canada, Czech Republic, Austria, Finland, Switzerland, Holland and Germany.

The finals are scheduled to take place tomorrow.