The fixtures have been released for Division One of the 2019 Racketlon Champions League.
Defending champions the Berlin Berghain Boasters open their campaign against Three Percent Malta Magic in Germany.
2017 champions iPro London begin against C&C Racketlon Union Austria while the Swedish Vikings face Sportyfriends Copenhagen in round one.
Berlin Versus London Rematch in Round Five
After winning all seven matches, the Berlin Berghain Boasters return to defend their crown. Amke Fischer, Cornelius Radermacher and Thorsten Lentfer all return for Berlin alongside new draft picks Vikram Narayanaswamy, Steven Wai Kit Cheng and Alex Du Noyer.
Berlin open against Three Percent Malta Magic before taking on the Swedish Vikings and C&C Racketlon Union Austria in Germany.
It’s a tough two-matches in Paris for Berlin who first face Sportyfriends Copenhagen and follow that up with a rematch against iPro London.
After finishing 4th last year, Sportyfriends Copenhagen are expected to challenge at the top of the table. Especially given they are captained by World No.1 Morten Jaksland and have retained World No.3 Zuzana Severinova and World No.6 Arnaud Genin.
iPro London meanwhile also retain three players from last year; captain Duncan Stahl, Christian Wiessner and Natalie Paul. They are bolstered by new draft picks Silke Altmann, Anders Fyrst and Jack Bishop.
If last year is anything to go by, we could be set for another pre-final showdown with the Berlin Berghain Boasters scheduled to face iPro London in round five of the group stage.
Champions League Format Change
Last year’s eight-team division has been reduced to a six-team division with King of Rackets and the Swiss Army Knives both dropping out this year.
That means that instead of playing seven matches, each team will play six. The first three of those group stage matches will take place on the 2nd August as part of the IWT German Open.
The second set of matches will take place on the 25th October in Paris. The final two group stages matches will be fought first to complete the group stage. The third match in France will be a new set of finals based on the group stage results.
First will play second for the title, with third facing fourth and fifth taking on sixth.
You can relive the 2019 FIR Champions League draw here or the Draft here.
Sam Barker / FIR Media Officer
