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Internationaux
EN BREF, Issue #3
Histoire de...
(French)
everything you never knew you needed to know about the
Internationaux de France ... |
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WHO'S WHO IN PARIS…
 You
may wonder who was behind the whole organisation of this Internationaux de France that will stay I suspect as one of the
great successes, both match wise and audience wise, on the circuit.
Behind the scenes a lot of people, Dominique Amar, Tournament
director, who’s in charge of more or less anything that’s got to
do with IT in the Federation, who is most laid back person I’ve
ever met…. Working with Dom is always a stunning pleasure…
 Also,
if elsewhere, you’ve got volunteers who are very young, or
sometimes lovely retired people who come round to help - here
the Federation rounded up a few League Presidents, Yves
Malzoppi (Poitou Charente, as in Royan, la Rochelle),
Dominique Fontanon (Languedoc-Roussillon, as in Nîmes
Montpellier), Alain Young (Midi-Pyrénées, as in
Toulouse), who you can actually see on that picture working away
to put up scaffolding on the glass court…
 They’ve
been working hard all week, along with many federation staff
and volunteers, like Natacha, Philippe Signoret,
French national coach, Mehdi Renaï (brother of Soraya),
Ludovic Le Breton, Emmanuel Husson, Gilles
Rondeau, Nicolas Sajat, and many more who I forgot
and who are going to hate me forever…
And of course, the Refs, you may ask? Well, we have Nicolas,
Regis, Bernie, and Bill, who have been officiating
since the qualifications. Good effort, people…
Let’s come to the “plat de résistance”….
First, you have Paul Biggio, who you never heard of, but
who does an enormous amount of work as the Ligue de Paris
President, he likes to stay in the wings, but like President
Fontaine, has a strong personality, which there again,
attracts detractors, of course.
 And
the main man, Jacques Fontaine, famous in the Squash
World for his “not that subtle” positions and speeches, bless
him, but who has been doing some fantastic work for French
Squash over the years, a man who in many ways I can relate to,
our diplomacy and patience being renowned worldwide…
Overall, a bunch of bloody good people who I personally get on
particularly well with, who I respect, admire, and most of all,
love, because we have the same passion, and we work hard to
make it shine worldwide…
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Internationaux
EN BREF, Issue #3
Histoire de...
(French)
everything you never knew you needed to know about the
Internationaux de France ... |
PRESS
Of course, we've got many many many photographers, including
Steve Line, and trust me when I tell you that our Legend
Cubbins has got to fight for every inch of that glass window to
offer you his great photos..
Pascal GB, Philippe Signoret, Francois Peisson
But here, we've also got the best that French sports writers has
got to offer,
Pascal Grégoire Boutreau, and François Peisson, both
reporters from l'Equipe, and also the presence of the Sport+
Channel, which is specialised in racquet sports, and who'll be
showing the final semi-live, as in, starting with a slight
delay.
And it's so nice to work/chat in FRENCH for once…!!!!
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The Presidents
Former FFSquash president, Xavier Chilloux (right), and
Jacques Fontaine, FFSquash President. In the middle,
Fred Roualen, Veterans Commission
BRANDS ARE HERE…
Like in all tournaments, the brands are presenting squash fans
the
best products available on the market.
This year, we had Asics (Thierry, Julien Balbo, Greg
Marche), Dunlop
(Greg Gaultier) and Wilson (Renan), and their stand have
attracted
quite a lot of attention.
Besides them, the FFsquash of course, has got a stand,
with the Ligue de Paris, major in organising the event,
and le PUC, the club at the end of the corridor where the
qualifiers were held …
And if you were looking for somebody, bet your racquet that's
where you'd find them, it was the meeting place, as ever…
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GUESS WHO CAME TO PARIS...
Oh yes, they couldn't miss that, could they. And although they
won't enjoy seeing Nick in the final, I'm sure they'll find
something else to do here in Paris...!!!
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Parking ' à la Parisienne' ...
par
Steve Cubbins |
NON : far too big a gap |
OUI : just right |
OUPS : try again |
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Internationaux
EN BREF, Issue #2
Histoires De
(French)
everything you never knew you needed to know about the
Internationaux de France ... |
 WHAT
IS GOING ON????
That is definitely without a doubt one of the images of the
tournament… Davide, our Davide, yes… in the side Refereeing
position!!!!!
 As
part of the three refs system, the players are asked to help
with the refereeing, and all of them have accepted to do their
duty on this first round. And it worked well, really. Much less
arguing around.
And while Davide was in action? Pffff, very very little arguing,
barely one or two questions for the players.
So, Davide, a new career prospect…? (PS: you do realise he'll
never forgive me for that one, don't you…) |
  IT'S
OFFICIAL
Well, sorry guys, but I can't help being very proud, as the
French Site, Sitesquash.com, has been recognised on the
French Sport place, and has now a little place between two sport
information giants, as in Sport+ (dedicated Canal+
channel to racquet sports), and Infosport, sports news
media, and is figuring on the walls of the venue…
 As
this site was born on a August rainy day in England, five years
ago, all because Daniel Lincou, father of, was tanning me
to start writing in French, as he "was tired to have to use a
dictionary
to understand what his son was saying in the news", and that we
thought we'd have maybe 40, 50 readers, this recognition/success
is like honey on the toast. Not compulsory, but bloody sweet…
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THE GIRAFFE PROJECT
www.giraffeproject.org
This is one of the causes you can't help wanting to help. Very
often,
during the tournaments around the world, charities are using the
exposure to do good all over our planet.
In this case, it's all about helping children in Nairobi, Kenya,
to
build a better future through education. Of course, it may
appear like
a drop in the ocean of despair, but we all need to start
somewhere,
don't we?
That Charity, founded in 2005, proposes several programs,
including
Feeding, Development, Sponsorship programs and Small businesses.
You
can help them with very little, £12 (18€) can offer primary
schooling
for a month for example. How much did your last visit to the pub
cost
you?....
I know, we are always asked to help for this and that. But hey,
'til
the world's put right, that ain't going to stop, is it…
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Busy day for Aaron: Stretchting, proposing
to Tom, more stretching... |
PRESENT, PAST…
 ’m
a big fan of Squash History, and I’m glad to say that on the
French Site, we’ve got a column, “Mémoire
du Squash”, which is filling day after day with our readers'
squash memorabilia, old photos from way back when, results,
little stories…
 Like
these two documents for example. One sent by Dominique Amar,
from the FFsquash, which happens to be the draw of the last
Internationaux de France, back in 2002. Have a look at the
names, I’m sure you’ll know a few…
Or another one, sent by Philippe Signoret, our National
Coach, the program of the second ever “Guy Laroche”, dated 1984,
with words from Jacques Chirac, Guy Laroche of course, photos of
the victory of Jahangir in the first ever Guy Laroche, the draw,
the junior event, Drakar Noir, and so on …
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Internationaux de France 2002
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