News

Ashaway, RI – Ashaway has announced the signing of rising Scottish International Badminton player Paul Van Rietvelde as a sponsored player. Paul is a men’s doubles specialist from Longniddry in Scotland and has achieved a highest world ranking of 32. He plays with Ashaway ZyMax® 66 Fire.

“We’re delighted to sign such a talented and upcoming player to our growing badminton roster,” said Steve Crandall, Ashaway Vice President. “Paul will be working with our Ashaway European affiliate Goode Sport and we expect to see great things.”

“Paul grew up in the same village, Longniddry, and went to the same school (Preston Lodge) as former world Men’s Doubles silver medalist Robert Blair,” said Goode Sport’s Paul Smith. “They then went on to forge a partnership that would see them reach the Quarter Finals of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.” Since then Paul has begun a new partnership with Chris Coles and together they have recently taken part in the All England Championships.

“I am really pleased to have Ashaway’s support,” said Van Rietvelde. “As a full-time player, I find the equipment has been great, and the ZyMax Fire string is crisp and has good longevity. I have played two tournaments now with my new Ashaway Phantom X-Fire racket. I like it for doubles because it has good weight on the head which allows power but not too much that it impairs the ability to control the shuttle.”

Ashaway ZyMax 66 Fire is a 0.66 mm string, tailored specifically for players at the high performance end of the spectrum. Designed for precise shot making and recommended for players who like a stiffer, more control-oriented string bed, ZyMax 66 Fire has superior toughness, tension stability and durability at all tensions when compared to other micro gauge badminton strings. Van Rietvelde’s racket, the new Ashaway Phantom X-Fire, is scheduled for release later this year.

Ashaway Racket Strings are made by Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co., the only U.S. manufacturer of string for squash, tennis, racquetball, and badminton. Operated by the Crandall family since 1824, Ashaway has been making racquet strings since 1949, and is responsible for several important technical innovations. Ashaway has been the Official String of USA Racquetball for more than ten years, and is also the Official String of Professional Tennis Registry. Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co. also makes braided products for medical and industrial applications. For more information visit ashawayusa.com