NEW ZEALAND JUNIOR SQUASH OPEN 2016

Posted: 20/04/16

There is a strong contingent of junior squash players heading to Whangarei this weekend to compete in the AON New Zealand Junior Open.  This event is being held in Northland for the first time and entries have exceeded all expectations.

The New Zealand Junior Open is the premier national junior squash event which finds the top Under 19 boy and girl in New Zealand irrespective of age.  This tournament is open to International players and there are 12 Australians and 1 American competing this weekend.

Top seed in the Boys Open is Jamie Oakley (the youngest son of Dame Susan Devoy). Jamie will face stiff competition from some of the top Australian boys as well as from the other top New Zealand junior boys. These boys are all vying for a place in the New Zealand Junior Boys Team to compete over in Poland at the World Junior Champs in August this year.  Whangarei’s Finn Trimble who is seeded 6th in the Open and who had a top 4 finish last weekend in the Wellington Junior Open will be hoping for another strong finish to impress the New Zealand selectors.

In the Girls Open, Waipu’s  Abbie Palmer is top seed,  Abbie plays her squash for Auckland but will be hoping to take the title in her home province in  this her last year on the NZ junior circuit.  Other Northland players in the Girls Open are Olivia Brookland, Iyra Stewart and Annmarie Holst.

There are also 33 other Northland players playing in the other 11 Divisions with some young up and coming players hoping to upset a few higher graded players from around New Zealand.

Tournament Director, Karen Dykzeul says “this it is the largest individual squash tournament to be played in Whangarei with 185 entries. While the Whangarei Squash Club is hosting the tournament they are working in partnership with the Kamo Squash Club where a lot of games will  also be played.

Thanks to Angus.sport for their generous sponsorship of this event.

The Tournament starts at midday  Friday 22nd April and the finals will be played at the Whangarei Squash Club on Sunday afternoon 24th April. The courts are open to the public to come and watch some the best Junior Squash in the country,