Top squash National champs played just in time
CYCLONE Debbie failed to put the brakes on this year’s Australian Closed and National Graded Squash Championships at the Townsville Tenpin and Fun Centre.
More than 100 local and interstate players took part in the three- day championships across eight different grades, and took a handful of players one step closer to a potential spot in Australia’s 2018 Commonwealth Games team.
Queenslanders Tamika Saxby and Zac Alexander emerged victorious in the event’s elite women’s and men’s divisions respectively, Saxby edging past second seed Lisa Camilleri 11- 7, 11- 8, 11- 9 in her grand final, and Alexander beating men’s second seed Rhys Dowling 11- 7, 11- 2, 11- 1.
Townsville- based players also enjoyed success, with unseeded Glen Molachino making his way through to the men’s C grade draw to defeat fellow unseeded player Bruce Grant in the final 12- 10, 4- 11, 11- 5, 11- 6.
Troy Scott also scored a win for Townsville after downing second seed Kobe Weder ( 2) 11- 6, 11- 4, 11- 8 in the men’s E grade final.
Townsville Wests Squash Club president Sue Jones said hopes were high that Townsville would continue hosting the championships for at the least the next two years.
“I’d say the chances are very good, but we still have to follow the process and put in a bid,” she said. “I think we were lucky to get this year’s championships with or without the cyclone.
“This tournament hasn’t been held for a couple of years and it was a real privilege to have players of that quality here.
“We have a good local competition and the standard is high, but that was some of the best squash we’ve seen played in Townsville.”
Jones said Townsville Enterprise played a decisive role in bringing the championships to Townsville.
“It wouldn’t have been possible to host these championships without their support,” she said.
“Hopefully we get to do it all again.”