England Celebrate Six Titles In First European Masters Championships

While hosts Germany contested seven of the 13 finals in the European Individual Masters Championships, it was England that celebrated the biggest success with six titles in the inaugural European Squash Federation event at Turnhalle in Krefeld which attracted more than 200 entries from 24 countries.

"Our first Masters championship was a huge success - attracting players from Over-35 to Over-70 - and we now look forward to the Masters Circuit that the ESF hopes to start next season," said Technical Director Marianne Grima, a Vice President of the European Squash Federation.

Germany's 36-year-old Stefan Leifels picked up his first major Masters title when he beat Italian Mirko Pareccini 11-9, 12-14, 11-8, 11-5 in the Men's Over-35 final. There was unexpected English success in the women's final when second seed Isabelle Tweedle beat Henrieta Loksova 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 - the unseeded Slovakian having ousted favourite Samantha Willis, also from England, in the quarter-finals.

Sweden's Fredrik Johnson, a former British Open champion in the same age category, secured his anticipated success in the Men's Over-40 event with an 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 victory over Germany's No2 seed Predi Fritsche in the final. The women's final saw an upset when Germany's second seed Simone Korell beat English favourite Samantha Willis 11-2, 11-3, 6-11, 11-3.

The Men's Over-45 final also featured the two top seeds, with England's Switzerland-based Mark Woodliffe ultimately prevailing 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8 over second-seeded compatriot Eamonn Price. The top seed also triumphed over the No2 seed in the women's final where Belgium's Silvia Schrijvers beat the hosts' Selma Boztepe 12-10, 11-3, 11-6.

Greece celebrated its sole success in fine style in the Men's Over-50 event where favourite Nikolaos Moustroufis beat Germany's second seed Udo Kahl 11-1, 11-5, 11-3 in the final.

The biggest upset in the Championships came in the Men's Over-55 event where Belgian Nathan Marks, a 9/16 seed, followed victories over a 3/4 seed, then a 5/8 seed, to topple England's top seed Stuart Hardy 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 in the final.

Scotland marked their only finalist in the Men's Over-60 championship. But second seed Alex Sinclair went down in four games to English favourite Martin Pearse, the 2006 World O60 Masters runner-up recovering from a game down to win 8-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-6. It was an English double in the category as Bett Dryhurst beat Barbara Sanderson 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 in the women's final.

Ireland's Barbara Sanderson was awarded the title in the Women's Over-65 event, while England's top seed Mike Clemson clinched the men's title with an 11-3, 15-13, 11-5 victory over Germany's 3/4 seed Hans-Jurgen Scepanik in the final.

England favourite John Preston celebrated his first Over-70 Masters title success by beating Germany's No2 seed Josef Lampey 11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6 in the Men's Over-70 event climax.

Men's O35 Final:
[1] Stefan Leifels (GER) bt [3/4] Mirko Pareccini (ITA) 11-9, 12-14, 11-8, 11-5

Men's O40 Final:
[1] Fredrik Johnson (SWE) bt [2] Predi Fritsche (GER) 11-8, 11-8, 11-8

Men's O45 Final:
[1] Mark Woodliffe (ENG) bt [2] Eamonn Price (ENG) 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8

Men's O50 Final:
[1] Nikolaos Moustroufis (GRE) bt [2] Udo Kahl (GER) 11-1, 11-5, 11-3

Men's O55 Final:
[9/16] Nathan Marks (BEL) bt [1] Stuart Hardy (ENG) 11-8, 11-5, 11-9

Men's O60 Final:
[1] Martin Pearse (ENG) bt [2] Alex Sinclair (SCO) 8-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-6

Men's O65 Final:
[1] Mike Clemson (ENG) bt [3/4] Hans-Jurgen Scepanik (GER) 11-3, 15-13, 11-5

Men's O70 Final:
[1] John Preston (ENG) bt [2] Josef Lampey (GER) 11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6

Women's O35 Final:
[2] Isabelle Tweedle (ENG) bt Henrieta Loksova (SVK) 12-10, 11-9, 11-6

Women's O40 Final:
[2] Simone Korell (GER) bt [1] Samantha Willis (ENG) 11-2, 11-3, 6-11, 11-3

Women's O45 Final:
[1] Silvia Schrijvers (BEL) bt [2] Selma Boztepe (GER) 12-10, 11-3, 11-6

Women's O60 Final:
[1] Bett Dryhurst (ENG) bt [2] Barbara Sanderson (IRL) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7

Women's O65 champion:
Barbara Sanderson (IRL)