Major Step Forward

Announcing the plans for the 1983 Circuit at the John Player All England Championships, Craig Reedie, President of the International Badminton Federation said, "It has long been our intention to tie together the major open tournaments into a recognisable series, and I see the World Grand Prix as a major develop­ment in the game. I welcome Pro-Kennex's involvement and support into such a major Badminton sponsorship as an indication of their confidence in the current stability and future development of Badminton internationally".

The Circuit.to be called the Pro-Kennex Grand Prix will link together various tournaments throughout the world including the John Player All England Championships and the World Championships to be held in Denmark. by a points system to be used at each event. In 1983, the Pro-Kennex Grand Prix will encompass men and women singles players only, with the top twelve men and eight women in the points standing qualifying for the Pro-Kennex Championships in December at the culmination of the Circuit. Total prize money for the Championship event will be $70,000 (approx £40,000). In addition, the Pro-Kennex Grand Prix will offer bonus pool money to be divided among the top 25 men and top 20 women finishers.

Robert Drake, General Manager of Pro-Kennex, said, "We at Pro-Kennex are delighted to be sponsoring the first ever Badminton World Grand Prix. This development in the game can only add considerable meaning to the sport for the players, the media and the public".

The formation of the Pro-Kennex Grand Prix was the result of an agreement between the International Badminton Federation and International ManagementGroup.

Thomas Kihlstrom, player representative on the Open Badminton Committee, said. "The formation of the Pro-Kennex Grand Prix is a major step forward for all players in the game today. We welcome their committment and assure them of our full support".

Rules for the Pro-Kennex Grand Prix Championships

All Pro-Kennex Grand Prix tournaments are linked by a points system. Points are awarded dependant upon the prize money offered at each particular event.

Tournament classification shall be based as follows:­-

Category 1 - John Player All England Championships, World Championships

Category 2 - Total Prize Money minimum US$20,000 (£11,200)

Category 3 - Total  Prize Money minimum US$15,000 (£8,400)

Category 4 - Total Prize Money minimum US$10,000 (£5,700)

In 1983, both the John Player All England Championships and the World Championships shall be included in the Grand Prix. Open Championships from the following countries shall also be invited to join the Pro-Kennex as qualifying tournaments:-

Japan, Sweden, Indonesia, Canada, Holland, India, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

At the end of the year, the top twelve and top eight women will qualify for the Pro-Kennex Grand Prix Championships. This US$70,000 (approx £40,000) all star event will be played in December 1983 at a venue to be announced at a later date.

In order to be eligible for the Pro-Kennex Grand Prix Championships, a player must have competed in at least three of the 1983 Pro-Kennex tournaments.

PRIZE MONEY FOR THE PRO-KENNEX GRAND PRIX CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN

Round-Robin format with four groups of three players

Winner                    US$10,000

Runner Up               7,000

Third Place              5,250

Fourth Place            4,750

Second in group      3,000 x 4

Third in group          2,000 x 4

Total                        US$47,000 (£26,000) 

WOMEN

Round-Robin format with two groups of four players

Winner                   US$6,000 (£3,300)

Runner-up              4,000

Third Place             3,250

Fourth Place           2,750

Third in group         2,000 x 2

Fourth in group      1,500 x 2

Total                       US$23.000 (£12,800)

Bonus Pool Distribution - Pro-Kennex Grand Prix

                                                        MEN                 WOMEN

Ninth Place                                        -                     US$1,300

Tenth Place                                       -                      1,100

Eleventh Place                                  -                      1,000

Twelfth Place                                     -                         900

Thirteenth Place                             US$1,750             800

Fourteenth Place                            1,500                    700

Fifteenth Place                               1,250                    600

Sixteenth Place                              1,000                    500

Seventeenth Place                            900                    400

Eighteenth Place                               800                    300

Nineteenth Place                               700                    200

Twentieth  Place                                600                    100

Twenty-First Place                             500                      -

Twenty-Second Place                        400                      -

Twenty-Third Place                            300                      -

Twenty-Fourth Place                          200                      -

Twenty-Fifth Place                             100                      -

                                                    US$10,000         US$7,900

                                                      (£5,570)             (£4,400)

Points Allocation for Grand Prix Tournaments

                                             Category

                                      1        2       3       4

Winner                         250   175   150    125

Runner-up                    200   140   120      95

Losing Semi-Final        160    110    90     70

Losing Quarter-Final    120      80    60     40

Losers/Round of 16       80       50    35     20

Losers/Round of 32       40       25    20     10

Losers/Round of 64       15       10       5

The above points will count towards entry into the Pro-Kennex Grand Prix Championships and the Bonus Pool.

 --  World Badminton, June 1982