National Championships 2015

#squash4food is back

meaning I cant afford to go to play the nationals. But I still went. Problem is its gonna be bloody difficult to win it this year. Even if I was fit, 7 of the 9 best players are on my side of the draw.

I need to win to cover my expenses. Right now Im tapped out on my savings. You dont want to know where this money comes from, but no, I did not prostitute myself. And I have to work hard to pay it back.

In December last year I got hit with the seasonal bug. badly. It seems to get more and more people every year. It also seem to hit harder every year. I could not train for 2 weeks before the holidays. After 2 weeks at home in Trondheim, Norway with some good rest, I started training again in Amsterdam, only to get the worst cold I ever had. Another week gone. Now 2 weeks of training before the nationals is hardly enough.

Like I told my team mates earlier today. I am here to enjoy playing. If I can get through the weekend completing that goal, I have to be satisfyed. With that I can build on it and hopefully keep up some good training and come back stronger next year.

There is really no money for me to play any tournaments anymore. With good help from Frank and Cigany in Amsterdam I have been able to train at least, and I am very appreciative of that help. If not it would have been no squash at all.

I put no pressure on myself this year, and that is a lovely feeling to have. Its so much worse to know you are the best player and "have" to win it. This time Im hiding behind 3 or 4 other quality players.

I am actually getting excited to getting started in a few hours. Seeing good friends, smacking some balls and doing what I love <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

positives this year is that the glass court is gone. I hate that court.haha. Its too bad for the show, but for me personally I can stay clear of those dreadful results I have had on that court. Plus, my physical foundation is still good and I recover quite fast. I am struggling with match fitness, but there is not much residual stiffness after a match.


Update 1:

I am in the semi final!!!!! And very happy to be there. I knew it would be a tough run to get here, and the form is really not there. I was lucky to scrape through my matches, all 3-0. If I ever have a chance of the title this year it has to be like this. This morning my physique failed, in the afternoon my game failed. But absolutely stoked to get this far. Tomorrow I play Norwegian/Canadian Adrian Ostbye PSA 240 in a battle of the titans. Really looking forward to it :)

Update 2:

And a battle of the titans it proved to be. Poor jetlagged Adrian went to bed at 18.30 to prepare for the 10am match. I think he needed it. A very nervy start still proved to be close as I snuk the 2 first games 11-9, 12-10 being 2 game balls down in the second game. Amazed I was still able to compete, I felt relaxed and confident I could win it for once in the tournament. I did not feel as bad as the day before. It required a lot more concentration than usual to put the balls where I wanted them, but it worked.....this far. I think I remember correctly when I say I played well in the start of the third game. It was close all the way until around 7-7. I had a small drop in concentration and 3 bad calls against me, and all of a sudden the game was lost 7-11. In the fourth game, Mark told me the deciding factor was  my tactical choices. This makes sense, naturally, as I lack squash time. Im focussing so hard on hitting the ball in my targets that I am not aware of my opponents movement or court awareness. I though I fought well and played the right game in the 5th, but he found his targets better than me. As the legs were starting to fail, I let more balls go into the back corners. That messed the scoreboard up. And I messed my ankle up. Almost the exact same scenario as our 3-2 battle last year, when I won. Then he tweaked his ankle/achilles in the 5th. I believe we are now completely equal in points overall.

'

The bronze final became a tired affair between two old heroes of squash. Norwegian pakistani Shahab Hussein has been top 3 in Norway for many years and has already won this title before. After his 3-1 tussle with reigning champion Solhaug, it was a matter of will....and tins. I was 2-1 down and was able to sneak it 3-2 :)

The final become a tired affair as well, as Adrian had no gas left in the tank. The man had battled through 4 of the toughest players in Norway and spent almost double the court time of his opponent. He still proved to be a true professional and battled it out through the end. Kristian did the job, and played some great counter play to rack up some lovely points as well as squeezing Adrians tired legs around the court to secure his 2nd consecutive national title.

Congratulations to the winners Lotte Eriksen (legend)

and Kristian Solhaug

Moss squash club, Brian Phillips

Myhrens sportssenter

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