That’s a wrap on the 2024 FIR Racketlon World Doubles Championships. Amazing Racketlon the past two days with tight matches and close finals! A big congratulations to all 2024 World Champions, let’s have a look to see what happened on Day 2.
Men’s elite
A repeat final from last year after Luke and Leon won their semi-final against Max Oldehaver and Malte Thyregod, and Morten Jaksland and Kresten Hougaard battled past Christian Wiessner and Cornelius Radermacher in an entertaining match.
The Griffiths brothers had to fight in table tennis, taking it 21-19 before they stormed away with the win, taking badminton 21-11 and squash 21-9 to win the match +24 (21-19 21-11 21-9).
Hougaard and Jaksland created a lead in table tennis, but Radermacher and Wiessner fought back, and the Danes managed to take it 21-16. A similar story in badminton where Radermacher/Wiessner took the lead after a close first half, but Hougaard/Jaksland produced some strong rallies and some mistakes from the Germans resulting in a 21-17 badminton score.
The Danes took squash 21-9 but with some entertaining long rallies, which meant they only needed 9 points in tennis which they did taking it 9-11 and the match +11 (21-16 17-21 21-9 9-11).
The final was a very close and exciting match. Jaksland/Hougaard got off to a good start, taking table tennis 21-15 but the Griffiths brothers bounced back taking badminton 21-6 not dropping many points. Jaksland and Hougaard played some amazing squash. Kresten managed to get an 11-8 lead over Luke, and Morten continued the Danish momentum, starting off very strong and managed to take squash 21-18.
The Griffiths brothers started strong in tennis creating a small 5-1 lead, but Jaksland/Hougaard fought back. Luke and Leon took the early lead on the break and got to match point, but the Danes didn’t back down. Some good momentum, 14-14, 16-14 for the Danes, but Luke and Leon managed to get it over the line taking the match 16-18 and their third title. The overall score was +4 (15-21 21-6 18-21 16-18).
Max Oldehaver and Malte Thyregod finished third, beating Cornelius Radermacher and Christian Wiessner for bronze, taking the match +19 (21-10 21-17 21-17).
Mixed elite – Anna-Klara Ahlmer and Luke Griffiths claim their first title together.
A very much anticipated final between the two top seeds which could have gone either way. It was going to be a second Mixed Doubles title for either Leon or Luke, but a first for Anna-Klara or Amke and the stakes were high.
It was going to be a close match, and that’s what it was. Leon and Amke got off to a great start as they managed to take table tennis 26-24 despite leading 20-16 but they managed to take it over the line. Anna-Klara and Luke fought back, taking badminton 21-16 and squash 21-17. Tennis was close again, but Anna-Klara and Luke were the slightly stronger pair going in. They managed to keep their cool and win the match 15-13 to claim their first title together.
The overall score was +9 (24-26 21-16 21-17 15-13). Cavé/Mustonen managed to battle past Joyce Chan and Kevin Ng in a tight battle for the bronze. The overall score was +6 (17-21 12-21 21-12 21-11).
Women’s elite – a first title for Ahlmer/Fischer
Ahlmer and Fischer claimed their first World Doubles title! The women’s elite final was between top seeds Cavé/ Kaptein and Ahlmer/Fischer after both pairs stormed through their semi-finals. Ahlmer/Fischer got the better of Chan/Pye. Chan/Pye stayed within reach in the first two sports, taking table tennis 21-16 and losing badminton 21-17 but Ahmer and Fischer dominated in squash taking the game 21-6. This meant that the pair only needed 8 points in tennis to claim the match +18 (16-21 21-17 21-6 8-4).
Cave/Kaptein created a huge lead taking table tennis 21-2 against Anttila/Koskinen, before taking badminton 21-10 and squash 21-9 to win their match +42 (21-2 21-10 21-9).
Ahlmer and Fischer went into the final as the favourites but it’s never easy to win a World Championships title. They won table tennis 21-9, and badminton 21-10. Squash was a bit closer, as both Cavé and Kaptein gave it their absolute all but they sealed the match at 21-15 to win their first World Doubles title together!
The overall score was +29 (21-9 21-10 21-15). Kaisu Anttila and Linnea Koskinen beat Joyce Chan and Bethany Pye for bronze in an incredibly close match. The score was +1 (12-21 11-21 21-13 21-9).
Open Champions –
The 2024 Men’s B Champions are Jean Michot and Stephane Quiquempois after they beat Stefan Uran and Matthias Windbacher +22 (21-9 21-16 21-16). Enström and Johan Rosenberg finished third. The Women’s B was won by Mother-Daughter duo Esther and Victoria Dübendorfer as they won all their group matches. They had an especially close match against silver medallists Reissenauer and Voelkel taking the match +1 (16-21 21-4 17-21 14-21). Deleuran and Mäkelä finished third.
The mixed doubles B title went to Danish Duo Espersen and Thyregod, who defeated second seeds Ho Suet Ying and Steven Cheng in the final by +8 (6-21 21-3 21-12 10-14). Parslow and Bispham beat fellow Britts Thaker/Bishop +4 (21-7 13-21 20-22 18-18) for bronze in a tight match.
The Men’s C was won by Frenchmen Julien Castel and Thomas Pauvert. They beat Martin Holdt and Kim Ljungberg-Jensen +10 (21-18 21-12 22-20 8-12). Runget and Skibniewski beat the young Austrian brothers Robin and Romeo Sam for bronze with +5 (21-19 17-21 21-17 21-18). The mixed C title went to Titti Wigren and Johan Rosenberg as they beat no 1 seeds Vincent/Michot by +4 (21-5 21-19 9-21 16-18). Kostiainen and Olivemark finished third in a close match, beating Elma and Walle Vuorinen +2 (21-19 16-21 21-5 9-20).
The Beginners Doubles title went to Siperek and Słodownik who beat Holm and Wittrup-Nielsen +8 (19-21 12-21 21-10 21-13). Hom/Thyregod finished third taking the match +15 (21-9 21-6 4-21 12-7).
MD B | WD B | XD B | MD C | XD C | MD D
Senior Champions –
Kirsten Kaptein and Adeline Kilchenmann are the Women Seniors +40 Champions after winning all their group matches before tennis. Katrin Maldre and Anita Voelkel took the silver medal whilst Małgorzata Mika and Phet Phanouvong took the bronze. MD +40 title went to Anders Fyrst and Soeren Smit just like last year. They defeated Peter Browning and Keith Lesser +15 (12-21 21-5 21-12 6-7) in the final. Mohammed Tarik Koubaa and Duncan Stahl finished third, taking the match +18 (21-17 14-21 21-3 7-4) against Samuel K S Li and Morten Lindholm.
The XD +40 title went to Fabienne Dony and Mohammed Tarik after they scraped a big victory against Kaptein/Suorsa. They managed to take the match +2 (21-13 14-21 21-19 19-20). Jane Galsworthy and Peter Browning finished third. The XD +45 title went to Dübendorfer and Anders Fyrst, who won both their group matches. Barta-Boncz and Sági finished second and Voelkel and Böhm finished third.
Anders Fyrst and Soeren Smit are repeat champions after winning the MD +45 title again. Rachid Bech-Azeddine and Jacob Steinmetz finished second and Niclas Lars Larsson and Pär Gunnar Mattsson finished third. The WD +50 title went to Sarah Ball and Jane Galsworthy after they won both group matches. They had a tough match against Katrin Maldre and Zuzana Vancuríková taking it +11 (17-21 20-22 21-11 18-11). Heli Mäkelä and Phet Phanouvong finished third.
The Seniors +50 was won by Huldschiner and Mattsson who defeated Edby and Lätt in the final. The score was +24 (21-16 21-12 21-11). Rachid Bech-Azeddine and Jacob Steinmetz won the bronze medal after beating Åberg/Nilsson +10 (14-21 21-11 17-21 21-10).
The XD +50 title went to Wigren/Åberg after they won all group matches. Bilgrav/Nielsen finished second and Mäkelä/Antikainen finished third.
Nils Ole Andersen and Jesper Schou Nielsen beat Graham King and Dany Lessard +5 (17-21 21-9 8-21 21-11) to claim the +65 title. Sákovics/Pásti beat Elmhag/Norstedt +13 (21-11 12-21 21-16 16-9) for the bronze medal.
Hobzik/Larsen beat Karolyi/Sákovics to win the +60 title. Kleiber/Sach won bronze after beating Bech/Lindhard Jensen +5 (21-16 7-21 21-10 21-18). The mixed doubles +55 was won by Vancuríková/Hobzik after they won all their group matches. Palotainé Pozsár/Karolyi finished second and Maldre/Lessard finished third. The Senior +55 title went to Frank Kleiber and Volker Sach who won their group matches. Gentile/Grab finished second and Hägerbrand/Ström finished third.
WD +40 | MD +40 | XD +40 | MD +45 | WD +50 | XD +50| MD 50 | MD +65 | MD +60 | XD +55 | MD +55 | XD +45
Junior Champions –
Florian Harca and Leon Sam claimed the U21 title for a second time after they won all their group matches. They had a very close match against the silver medallists Hörtinger/Prager which they took +6 (12-21 21-19 21-13 21-16). Perschinka and Radl finished third. Bethany Pye reclaimed her u21 title with a different partner this time. She played with Alina Reissenauer and they won both their group matches. Mathilde Deleuran and Clarissa Steiner finished second and Romy Nothegger and Karolin Radl finished third.
The XD U21 title went to top seeds Steiner/Harca after they defeated Pye/Sam in a close match by +8 (19-21 21-10 21-16 8-14). Radl and Sam finished third.
What a great day and we can’t wait to be back for the IWT Nordic Open tomorrow!
