NBS WAIMEA SQUASH OPEN

Club Waimea Squash recently hosted their NBS Waimea Open tournament. Although players from away were down, we still had good numbers and it was especially great to see the introduction of five new junior draws.

Play started on Thursday evening for a few locals but the majority had one game on Friday night and two on Saturday.

In the men’s open final Nelson’s Charlie Barker was down 2-0 to Waimea’s Liam Gale but used all his experience to level the games at 2 all and then sneak home in the fifth to edge out his younger opponent.

In the women’s open final it was again youth versus experience with Waimea’s Susan O’Connell hoping to use her wealth of knowledge to upset top seed Victoria Moran from Marlborough. The first two games were close however Victoria always seemed to have the edge to finish, and in the 3^rd game showed her youthful fitness to always have Susan under pressure. Winning 3-0 in the end this is Victoria’s first Waimea Open title.

Other winners:

Mens 1 – Brendon Whitley

Womens 1 – Nicola Pilkington

Mens 2 – Anthony van Niekerk

Womens 2 – Teresa Goodman

Mens 3 – Tim Malcolm

Mens 4 – David Hine

Mens 5 – Simon Goodman

9-12yr girls – Abigail van Niekerk

13-15yr girls Div 1 – Scarlett Klein

13-15yr girls Div 2 – Rose Rainbow

13-15yr boys – Daniel Rose