Peter Nicol Takes Early Lead In 7 Continent Challenge

Former world No1 Peter Nicol, MBE, got off to a flying start in the Xodus 7 Continent Challenge thanks to an 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 9-11, 12-10 victory in 65 minutes win over travelling partner Tim Garner today in the Falkland Islands.

Whilst the competition may have got off to a flying start, the bid to play 7 matches in 7 continents in 7 days had a more faltering opening with the planned 19-hour journey to the Falklands becoming a 40-hour marathon due to a delay in the Ascension Islands. Bad weather caused the flight to be delayed by nine hours, not an ideal situation when trying to cover seven continents in seven days.

Garner, however, was pleasantly surprised by the conditions en route: "Having started off with visions of flying down to the Falklands on a Hercules waving to Peter across a space occupied by an armoured vehicle or a tank, the Airbus 330 was a pleasant surprise - one with the icing on the cake in the delivery of personal iPads for in-flight entertainment."

The Falkland Islanders have embraced the Challenge with Peter and Tim invited to tea at Governor's House with Governor Nigel Haywood a keen marathon runner himself and all-round sports enthusiast. The Governor expressed an interest in using the visit to help rejuvenate squash on the Islands.

The match, the first stage in the series of seven, played in Port Stanley at 11am (GMT-4) was a close fought affair with Nicol edging the first two games. However the former world champion was unable to maintain the momentum to wrap up a 3/0 win and allowed Garner to level and force a decider.

The fifth game could not have been closer but Nicol prevailed 12-10 to take a 1/0 lead in the challenge before heading off to Santiago in Chile for stage 2.

As well as highlighting squash's 2020 Olympic Bid, the Xodus 7 Continent Challenge is fundraising for two causes: The LV= SOS Kit Aid Scheme and Natasha's Steps, a trust set up help young squash player Natasha Drake who is recovering from an idiopathic bleed on her brain.