New Zealands Best Assemble In Auckland

There’s another big sporting event being held in Auckland aside from the Rugby World Cup coming up this weekend and next week featuring over 200 athletes from around New Zealand.

The tournament is the NZ Squash Junior Nationals at the Henderson Squash Club which starts Saturday 8 October until Thursday 13 October.

The top juniors from around New Zealand will be playing in age group events up to the elite under 19 event where the top seed is Megan Craig from Marlborough who is a top 20 world ranked junior and is close to the top 100 in the senior world rankings. Craig’s main opposition is expected to come from Wellington’s Rebecca Barnett and Manawatu’s Danielle Fourie who were also part of the New Zealand team which finished seventh in the world junior teams event in the United States earlier this year.

The men’s under 19 tournament also features some talented competitors who have played around the world, one of them being Massey resident Lance Beddoes, 18 who for the last few years has dominated junior squash in New Zealand and currently has a Professional Squash Association men’s ranking of 262 in the world.

Beddoes who represented New Zealand as the top player at the World Junior Team Championships in Ecuador last year is the outright favourite for the junior nationals.

The age group events are in grades all the way down to the under 11 age-group tournaments.

At the completion of the event the Henderson Squash Club, which is the biggest in New Zealand will be holding a Push Play Open Day with free coaching on Friday 14 October 11am to 3pm. The Open Day is available to kids and parents. The club will provide rackets and balls and all you need to bring is non-marking shoes and a desire to give it a go.

For more information on the tournament and open day check www.hendersonsquash.co.nz or 09 838 8628