The 2006 World Padel Championships in the city of Murcia, Spain

This was a truly superb event and every one of the 7-days proved to be my greatest sporting experiences since Tommy Lawton scored a hat trick when England beat Scotland 6-2 at Wembley in 1945 (or was it 1944?). England were losing 1-0 at half time and 7 of the 8 goals were scored in the goal that I was standing behind. Since that time I have been to Grand Prix motoring events in England and abroad as well as many other very good sporting events but none of them reached the organisation and excitement standards of the above Murcia event. I sincerely thank the Murcia authorities and the FEP for organising such a wonderful event and the Presidente’s and teams and officials of all the International Padel Federacions for their tremendous contributions to make this a ‘perfect’ event. Below I put a few recollections of my experiences that I shall never forget.

Brian Thompson, President
The Padel Federation (United Kingdom)

Palacio de Deportes de Murcia, Spain

The portable Padel Court was set up in approximately half of this arena to hold the semi-finals and finals of The World Padel Championships 2006

The whole arena can seat at least 7,500 people. At one end of this arena there were 5-Glass back Squash Courts from Ellis Pearson, Sheffield, England.

Outside this building was set up a ‘Padel Village’, where there was another portable Padel Court and around 20-Tents where padel equipment suppliers could display their products.

Approximately 2km from this centre is the Centro Deportivo La Flotta, a very impressive sports complex. For the Padel World Championships, they had set up another portable Padel Court on the multi sports indoor area. There were another 7 permanent outdoor padel courts, 6 of which were ‘on the roof’ and the remaining outdoor Padel Court, which had seating for a few hundred, was sunk down one level from the outdoor court playing surfaces.

Centro Deportivo La Flotta

The Argentina Femenino Team with their Coach Jorge Nicolini & Brian Thompson the President of The Padel Federation (United Kingdom). The Argentina teams won both the Femenino & Masculino Team events and three of the above ladies were also in the Open final, which Paula Eyheraguibel & Carolina Navarro of Spain won (please see the picture below).

Paula Eyheraguibel & Carolina Navarro (Left) and Auguste Evangelista & Cristian Gutierrez after respectively winning the Femenino Open and the Masculino Open at the Murcia 2006 World Padel Championships

Argentina Masculino Team who were 1st and the Brazil Masculino Team who were 2nd

Espana Masculino Team who were 3rd

The Espana Femenino Team who were 2^nd

Brazil Femenino Team who were 3^rd and the Mexico Femenina Team

The very impressive duo Iciar & Neki who found the opposition a little too strong in Murcia but they will be back

The lovely and extremely hard working Concha (Left) very well supported by her friend Carlos, (right), as was Brian Thompson by his wife Irene.