GB Teams – a closer look
James Pope, UK Racketlon’s data man, takes a closer look at the GB players and teams:
For the third and (for now) final time, the Racketlon community will arrive in Rotterdam for the Singles and Teams World Championships at the end of this month. The Victoria Club has been a very happy hunting ground for UK players and of course our teams, who have come home with 20 medals in 2023 and 2024, including winning the Challenge Cup (GB4, 2024), U16s (2023), U18s (2024), U21s (2023, 2024), and the O45s (2024). As we go again in 2025, UK Racketlon is now proud to reveal the teams who will be representing us in 2025. The events kick off on Friday 1st August and you will be able to track all the GB teams matches here: https://fir.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/tournament.aspx?id=f3c3db78-8d49-4a0d-9cf3-788220b52cd5
OPEN TEAMS
There are three divisions of Open team events once again: the World Cup, Nations Cup and Challenge Cup, and the FIR will determine the final draw sizes once all squads have been submitted. Once again, GB teams will face familiar rivals from Austria, Sweden and France, along with newer foes from India, Norway and Hong Kong China.
GB1
2024 Result: 2nd (World Cup)
Captains: Duncan Stahl (37 Caps) & Matilda Parslow (17)
Anant Gupta (8), Matt Davidson (19), Leon Griffiths (37), Luke Griffiths (35), Jonny Ritter (4), & Holly Ranson (10)
A blend of youth and experience, and in the case of the Griffiths, both of those things. Duncan, Leon and Luke are the three most capped players in UK Racketlon history with all three there in 2019 when GB1 won the World Cup. With two second-placed finishes in the last two years, and medals in five out of the last six, there is an expectation on this side to challenge deep into the event. While any Racketlon player worth their salt will fear the name Griffiths, the supporting crew bring solid results and many good results on the World Tour in recent times.
GB2
2024 Result: 3rd (Nations Cup)
Captain: Alex Du Noyer (22)
James Simpson (9), Jamie Watkin-Rees (4), Ross Wilson (22), & Mollie Patterson (3)
The silver fox, Alex Du Noyer returns to the teams after missing 2024, and will lead a side that has nine medals and four titles in the Nations Cup, only missing out in 2014 finishing sixth. James Simpson returns to GB colours after a number of years away and brings a fearsome squash dimension to the team, while between Ross Wilson (2017 gumi-arm win) and Mollie Patterson (sudden team change last year), the side has experienced all the chaos that can be Racketlon teams, which is useful experience for when the matches get tight.
GB3
2024 Result: 3rd (Nations Cup)
Captain: Jack Bishop (26)
Reuben Cox (7), Henry Jones (3), Rohan Shergill (6), Jon Spinks (20), Kirsten Atkinson (3), & Susie Dilloway (6)
GB3 is captained by a member of the UK Racketlon tactical brains trust in Jack Bishop, and he can call on a very handy collection of experienced Racketlon players. Reuben, Henry and Jon formed a core part of the GB4 Challenge Cup winning side in 2024, and they will need this confidence and experience for one of the harder tasks the GB sides face. Entered into the Nations Cup, there is the potential to face a number of Elite players across sides such as Hong Kong China and Switzerland (depending on how the final allocations are made). For Kirsten, she will just be hoping her captain in 2025 doesn’t constantly scream random things at her….
GB4
2024 Result: Champions (Challenge Cup)
Captain: Johnny Bispham (25)
David Bennett (23), Alistair Prades (19), Jack Taylor (debut), & Jo Shelley (24)
It is all change for GB4, a brand new squad tasked with defending the Challenge Cup title won so brilliantly in 2024. However, captained by another of the brains trust in Johnny and calling on the vastly experienced Bennett, Prades and Jo Shelley, Johnny will have all the experience he needs and the fresh eyes of Jack Taylor on his GB debut. Only GB2 in the Nations Cup (2018 & 2019) have defended a title in the Open events, can GB4 join them in 2025?
GB5
2024 Result: 3rd (Challenge Cup)
Captain: Kieran Shelley (4)
Ishan Bairoliya (debut), Ricky Hardcastle (debut), Jordan Marcus (6), Callum Mitchell (debut), & Kayleigh Chapman (debut)
The Victoria Club still reverberates with the sound of a madman screaming “No one’s going to die” and “Your shots” at last year’s GB5 side, and many believe the people of Rotterdam are hoping the captain this year Kieran is a tad quieter. Kieran reunites with Jordan from last year and the pair will help to ease four debutants Ishan, Ricky, Callum and Kayleigh through their first International Racketlon Worlds experience. Kieran’s heroics vs France last year were key to the side getting onto the podium, can GB5 once again make some noise and push for silverware in the Challenge Cup?
JUNIORS
Our pedigree over the years in junior events is unmatched: 22 medals, of which 13 are World Championship golds. Junior Racketlon is rising strongly and there are 28 sides competing across the U12s, U14s, U16s, U18s and U21s categories, featuring newcomers to the sport through to Elite players. Austria, France and Germany are undoubtedly going to be strong across their teams and provide some stiff opposition and fantastic matches to each other and the British sides.
GB U12
2024 Results: Second and fifth
1s – Henry Dobson (3) & Charlie Flatman (5)
2s – Sebastian Dobson (2) & Tylor Li (debut)
It is the only junior title we have yet to win, the U12s (previously known as the U11s), but it was a great achievement to earn silver last year. We have two sides once again for 2025 with Henry D and Charlie combining in the first team, while Sebastian and Tylor (on debut) will form our second team. Its fantastic to see these youngsters, so early in and even beginning their TeamGB journey in the U12s and everyone at UK Racketlon hopes they have an absolute blast.
GB U14
2024 Result: Not entered
1s – Edward Baker (debut) & Henry Flatman (6)
2s – Joseph Fitches (debut) & Millie Rhodes (debut)
For the first time since 2022, we have a side in the U14s (then the U13s) class and it is fantastic to have a brace of sides. Three of the four are also on debut, however Edward is the current U14s British Champion and Henry took a world tour title at the Redbridge Open in the U14s – the first team know how to win. In the second team, Joseph (a winner on the Super Series last year) and Millie will be our first ever second team representatives in this event.
GB U16
2024 Result: Not entered
Daniel Austin (11) & Cameron Firth (debut)
10 medals, seven World titles… it was once said the sun never set on GB U16s Racketlon, so it was unusual to not see a GB side in 2024. However, never fear! We are back in 2025 as Daniel Austin joins debutant Cameron Firth back in this class. There are seven sides competing, two each from France, Austria and Czechia alongside our British boys, who will be keen to add their name to our legend in this event.
GB U21
2024 Results: First and Third
1s – Captain: Anant Gupta (8)
Chase Burgess (9), Cameron Leighton (14), & Holly Ranson (10)
2s – Toto Agombar (3), Raif Fontanelli (7), & Ellie Thomas (3)
It was a tremendous set of results in 2024 for the two GB sides to finish first and third in U21s, a category that is often stacked with Elite players forging their Racketlon careers. The GB sides are no different with Holly Ranson already claiming the scalp of a former World Champion (Myriam Enmer) this season. Anant will lead the firsts, balancing the different needs of the GB1s (who include Holly and himself in their squad) with the aim of glory in the U21s, calling on the experienced duo of Chase and Cameron. For the 2s, they can especially call on their danger woman Ellie Thomas who claimed Women’s C gold last time in Rotterdam.
SENIORS
If our juniors have form, then our seniors have history (and not just with respect to remembering the 20th Century). 24 medals, of which one third are World titles, and in only two out of last thirteen World Championships have we not walked away with at least one senior medal. One stat to consider in 2025, the O40s and O65s are looking for their first titles in these events, two of the three events we have not yet won in World Teams Racketlon.
GB O40s 1
2024 Result: 2nd
Captain: Keith Lesser (30)
Peter Browning (15), Dave Edgar (7), Ray Jordan (26), Jeremy Krzystyniak (10), & Alice Flatman (9)
It is a stacked side for the GB O40s first team, and captain (and in case he hasn’t told you) senior world number 1 Keith Lesser will be keen to add the team title to his Racketlon title collection. He is joined by old friend Ray Jordan – the pair were responsible for Racketlon in the UK becoming what it is through their hard work in the late noughties and early 2010s. They are joined by team stalwarts Browning, Edgar and Flatman while Jeremy Krzystyniak manages the unusual distinction of gaining his first GB O40s cap years after his first GB O45s cap! Can the team go one step further than last year in Rotterdam 2025?
GB O40s 2
2024 Result: 4th
Captains: James Pope (14) & Sarah Ball (3)
Tim Fitches (debut), Andy Heath (debut), Rob Rhodes (debut), & Leigh Ware (4)
Sarah and Leigh, members of the 2024 O40s 2s are joined by three debutants in the shape of Tim, Andy and Rob (with Tim and Rob also playing as proud parents, as their kids make their debuts together in the U14s 2s!). Co-captain James completes the squad, moving up to his first age group squad. With 18 years Racketlon behind him, not to mention responsibility for FIR Rankings and all the UK Racketlon stats, James talks (well shouts) a good game, can he deliver on the court now he has eventually reached the Vets? (Editors note: We already heard Ray Jordan shouting “No!”)
GB O45s
2024 Result: 1st
Captain: Mark Steeden (16)
Peter Barton (9), Jon Foulds (18), Ed Westmacott (9), & Izzy Bramhall (22)
A true measure of success in sport is naming an unchanged team (or in the case of England cricket it’s a blind belief Zak Crawley will score runs), and the O45s will reunite to try and double up on the brilliant victory in 2024. Mark Steeden will lead the side, who hold in Izzy Bramhall their bionic knee trump card, and a series of opponents who know they have to be out of sight before squash or they will feel a world of pain. Black Sabbath, ELO, Oasis; 2025 is seeing big names get back together for another hurrah, can the O45s join the club?
GB O55s
2024 Result: 5th
Captain: Simon Lau (15)
Simon Brown (debut), Rakesh Gupta (33), Ed Harvey (14), & Andy Stenson (8)
After a run of eight medals (including four world titles) in their first eight championships, the past two years have been a fallow patch for the O55s. However for 2025, captain Simon Lau (who returns from 2024 along with Andy and Rakesh) can call on debutant Simon Brown and Ed Harvey. Having spent a couple of years struggling with knee issues (including several surgeries), Ed returned to claim the O40s title at the Devon Open in March and steps up for his first appearances at O55s level. They face some familiar foes, in particular Hungary who call on one of the true Racketlon greats, the Vets GOAT Peter Sakovics… hopefully the O55s will be back on the podium again this year!
GB O65s 1s
2024 Result: 2nd
Captain: Duncan Marlow (26)
Julian Clapp (5), & Martyn Langston (14)
Could 2025 be the year? Two third place finishes and last year’s second place – the O65s have been edging closer and closer in what is a supremely competitive division. Denmark and France are the main opposition in this category, but Duncan and Martyn have been there, done it, come back and done it again in Racketlon, while Julian has a brace of singles and a doubles World title at O65; so in 2025 this team will certainly pack a wallop on court.
GB O65s 2s
2024 Result: 5th
Captain: Ray Ryan (7)
Philip Pinto (4)
Racketlon attracts all sorts, but there is a strong vein of friendliness which runs through a sport which by its nature can be quite intense (because every point really does count). Within that vein of friendliness, Ray Ryan sits near the pinnacle as one of the nicest people you will meet, and you will meet him, he pops up all over the place on the UK and World tours. He will be joined by Philip Pinto, ensuring the side has beautiful alliteration between their first and second names, as these two look to upset a few apple carts in the O65s.
We are very much looking forward to seeing the strength of Team GB once again as we prepare for this year’s World Championships!
Don’t forget to follow along: https://fir.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/tournament.aspx?id=f3c3db78-8d49-4a0d-9cf3-788220b52cd5
