double strung tennis racquet to be distributed in France and Belgium.

Mr. Blackburne Blackburne Advanced Racquet Systems, a division of Robin Blackburne Ltd., signed an agreement giving French company Golf Impex distribution rights for the racquet in France and Belgium.

Golf Impex president Jean Lyon visited Bermuda last month to sign the agreement. Golf Impex is a golf distribution company in France.

Mr. Blackburne said that in its first year of limited production, about 500 of the Blackburne DS107 tennis racquets were sold.

"The racquet is hand-crafted so production has been extremely limited and demand continues to be greater than supply,'' he said of the $430 racquet.

He added: "Unfortunately, we were only able to supply 50 of the 300 racquets requested by Golf Impex as a trial to test the French market,'' Mr. Blackburne said.

"The market for tennis racquets is much bigger in France than we imagined.

Golf Impex's research indicates that over 800,000 tennis racquets were sold in France in 1995.'' Mr. Blackburne said he has also been approached by prospective distributors in several countries with small shipments made to England, the US, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and the company is also in discussions with distributors in Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

Plans for a new racquet cover and a video are also in the works.

France and Belgium.

BUSINESS BUC