Racketlon Stateside is going from strength to strength, with the USA this year flying three teams over the Atlantic and their first team competing for the first time in the World Cup!
Three years ago in Austria they defeated Team Hong Kong China in an epic Challenge Cup final, which went right down to the wire. Then, despite the big jump to the Nations Cup, they fared very well in 2023, claiming bronze after group stage wins over Germany 2 and France 3 (and a loss to GB 2), and a 3rd/4th playoff win against France 2.
Last year, they went one better, claiming silver, following a thrilling final with Germany that went down to the last tennis set. They won all in a group of GB 2, France 2, and Netherlands, with a particularly impressive, surprise plus 3 win against GB 2.
The reward is a spot in the World Cup, a slightly scary prospect but one team captain and USA Racketlon president Patrick Moran is relishing.
He says, “I’m so excited to battle the best teams in the world and see how we stack up!”
And on the atmosphere across the whole squad, Patrick explains, “The mood is very excited, we have some of the vets returning along with lots of new players keen to get in on the action!”
“Players have been cross training hard and pushing one another to be the best version of themselves! We have never had this much parity across the first and second teams. Team tryouts were fierce as players had to earn their spot.
“Some of our veterans could not make it this year, but we gained lots of talented youth who have all been working hard. Now they are excited to put it to the test against the world’s most versatile racket athletes!”
USA 2 are very good bets for the Challenge Cup this year, with this fierce tryouts competition resulting in Alex Porush and Andrew Leung, from last year’s successful 1st team, playing for the 2nds this year, along with Eric Bomgardner, Daniel Wu, and Amita Gondi.
It is a sign of the great development of the sport over the pond. Patrick is arguably ‘Mr Racketlon’ – he was, along with Mohammed Tarik Koubaa and Mandrin Mouchet, voted best evangelist by our community last year.
He and all of the players there are very resourceful, finding venues in densely-populated, high-rise New York, sometimes marking out badminton courts with cones where no courts are available (badminton is not that big a sport in USA). Patrick is very active on social media, organising local tournaments and detailing his often hours spent playing racket sports daily! And the World Tour returned to North American soil in April with the CHA Massachusetts Open
Patrick says, “Development has been going well! Smith College and Andy hosted another great event on the World Tour, events are still being held in NYC with more to come, and we are in talks with a few different clubs and universities keen to host future tournaments around the country.”
“A racketlon tournament also happened earlier in the year on the West Coast in Portland, Oregon, at the MAC. They are looking to host again next year. Word is spreading – more and more high level players are getting involved and keen to test their skills! A lot of national level players in each sport have begun their training arcs. The future is bright!
“Everyone is pumped to enjoy the amazing energy of a Racketlon World Championships yet again and load up on stroopwafels!”
