Palmer signs with Ashaway & Black Knight

Ashaway Racket Strings and world-renowned squash racquet manufacturer Black Knight have signed a joint long-term sponsorship agreement with squash legend David Palmer. Currently ranked 4th in the PSA World rankings, Palmer is a three-time British Open and two-time World Open Champion, and has been sponsored by Ashaway for more than five years. The arrangement with Black Knight - which also serves as Ashaway's Canadian Distributor - is new.

As part of the agreement, Black Knight will develop a high-end line of David Palmer signature racquets to be introduced to the worldwide squash market in September 2008. All of the new Palmer racquets will be strung with Ashaway's PowerNick® 18, which Palmer has used since it was first introduced to the Ashaway squash string line. All existing Black Knight squash frames will continue to be strung at the factory with Ashaway strings.

"We see this as a very unique partnership between three leading players in the game; David Palmer, Ashaway Racket Strings, and Black Knight frames," said Ashaway Vice President, Steve Crandall. "We believe it will generate a good deal of positive visibility, not only for our respective organizations, but for squash as a whole."

According to Palmer, he and his wife and young daughter will move to the United States from Belgium in February. From his Boston, Massachusetts, base at the famous University Club, he will be playing in all of the major North American (USA and Canada) and World Tour events. In addition to playing with Ashaway strings and Black Knight frames at these PSA events, Palmer will promote Ashaway and Black Knight at squash camps, clinics, and exhibitions worldwide every year.

"We are very pleased to have a player of such caliber on our team," said Bruce Alexander, manager of international sales and marketing for Black Knight, "and to expand our partnership with Ashaway. David has long wanted to play a proactive role in the development of squash equipment. This goal is a perfect fit with Black Knight's reputation in the squash community and its 30-year history of squash innovations."