Racketlon returned to North American soil with 46 competitors, ranging from first timers to former world champions, descending on the campus of Smith College for the 5th edition of the USA based tournament.
Leading up to the event, all the talk was whether or not this would be the year that the Americans would finally dominate in the Men’s Elite draws.
The growth of the sport in the USA, and the increased number of USA players competing on the World Tour, suggested that this might indeed be the case.
The Men’s Singles featured a field of 12, including the number 1 & 2 players from Canada (Patrick Laplante and Jeremy Easterbrook), as well as more than half a dozen members of the US national team.
While Jeremy Easterbrook went out in the first round, losing in a Gummiarm point to American badminton specialist, Noel Mathew, Patrick Laplante proceeded through to the final in the bottom half of the draw with relative ease.
Meanwhile another Patrick (US number 1 Patrick Moran) also won through to the final. Moran described his semi-final opponent, Amir Lavasani, as “super promising”. The young Canadian could be one to watch in the under 18 category at the World Championships this year.
The stage was set for a repeat of last year’s final, with the two Pats going head to head once more. Canadian Patrick got off to a flying start in the first two disciplines, and while US Patrick was able to claw some points back in squash, heading into tennis down 15 proved too big a hurdle to overcome.
Laplante seemed determined to take the title this year, and he showed everyone why he’s a former Under 21 World Champion.
Moran was surprised by the level of his opponent. “Pat [Laplante] is still so strong! It’s crazy! He gets better each match,” said Moran. “He said it was the best [badminton] he’s played in the last 5 years. Same in squash, I was up 11-3 at the turn, [then] his quality got so much better.
“Hats off to him, I sent all of the team 🇺🇸 at him and he fended us all off!”
US squash star, Jonathan Gill, defeated Amir Lavasani to take the bronze.
Patrick Laplante was really happy with the result. “I was very motivated and was able to improve my level each match,” he said. “I see this tournament as our North American championship so it feels good to keep that title! Also very happy with doubles.”
More about the doubles later…
Gold for Chung in the Women’s Singles
The Women’s Singles draw was a different story, and with Stephanie Chung emerging as a force on the world tour, it was clear that the competition would have a tough time matching her talent. Silver medallist Clara Lehv managed to win the squash against Steph. Otherwise, the World Number 6 moved through the four person round robin with ease, not once having to bring out her tennis racket.
Steph has had a great start to 2025, making the finals of the Women’s Singles in both Hong Kong & Poland, but this is the first elite singles title. She said it was “amazing to finally win one, and hang all weekend with our US/NYC based team :)”
In the Men’s Doubles, US national team players JP Champa and Grant Sterman teamed up, made it to the final, and hoped they would be the ones to end the Canadian domination. Despite a hard fought final, it was Jeremy and Patrick that once again emerged victorious, successfully defending their title from last year.
In the Women’s Doubles, Christina Cha and Flora Soto teamed up to take their first FIR title.
Flora then followed up with her second FIR title, when she teamed up with Shree Dhond to win the Mixed Doubles. The pair needed a strong tennis win to take out runners up, Christine Cha and Pat Moran.
Elsewhere, Rohan Nayyar defeated Daniel Wu (a podium finisher last year in the first timer’s category at Rotterdam) to capture the Men’s B finals, and tournament director Andy Stenson coasted to the senior title, making it a trifecta for him in this event.
All in all, a great weekend of racketlon along with a players’ dinner attended by close to 40, making for a fun social evening.
View the full results from all the elite categories: Men’s Singles | Women’s Singles | Men’s Doubles | Women’s Doubles | Mixed Doubles
Written with contributions from Andy Stenson
