LOCHABER SQUASH CLUB
CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008
On Saturday the 19th April, Lochaber Leisure Centre played host to the third annual Lochaber Squash Club Championships. Play started at 12.00pm and there followed an afternoon of top quality squash. The overall improvement throughout the club was emphasised by the standard of play displayed in the junior, ladies and open categories.
The junior final resulted in a comfortable 3-0 victory for last year’s defending champion Tommy Lee Taylor over the inexperienced Callum MacDonald. Tommy Lee was displaying greater strength and variety in his shot selections, but Callum produced some excellent shots and can be encouraged by the way he played and with further practice he will definitely improve.
The Ladies Plate Final mirrored that of the Junior Final, with this time Kirsty Delaney defeating Dorothy Snelgrove 3-0. Dorothy put on a good performance, but Kirsty, who is still only thirteen managed to win a very close first game 9-7 and then went on to dominate the remaining two games. Kirsty has been attending the club night on a regular basis and has improved greatly and this was reflected in her performance. Her challenge now is to try and compete with the more experienced Ladies in division 1.
The Ladies Final saw last year’s beaten finalist Claire Ellis, take on the much improved Lorraine Goode. With the defending champion Shona Gillies having moved away from the area, the chance was there for either lady to be crowned the new champion. Both players had endured contrasting semi- finals; with Claire having secured a comfortable 3-0 success over Linda Delaney and Lorraine gaining a tremendously hard fought 3-2 victory over Jane Blanchard. This semi-final proved to be one of the highlights of the day with both players displaying good fitness levels and some incredible recovery shots. During a tense final game, both players had opportunities to win the match, but Lorraine held her nerve and after over an hour of top class squash she emerged victorious. The final proved to be a reminder to all the other ladies in the club that Claire Ellis is now the player they all have to aim for. Claire showed tremendous accuracy and strength, in particular with her serve which enabled her to gain a stranglehold in the match and set up a convincing 3-0 victory over her tiring opponent. Lorraine and Jane should both take great encouragement from their bold performances and with continued effort and practice they should be looking to bridge the gap between themselves and the new ladies champion.
The Men’s Plate Final saw Rah Douglas playing Andy Rogers. Both players had to overcome difficult semi final matches earlier in the day. Rah prevailed over Neil Worsdall, producing the tighter shots and securing a hard fought victory. In the other semi final Andy had to come from behind to defeat Archie MacGillvary. Another close game ensued, with Andy emerging the victor. Rah then went on to clinch the final by three games to nil, but the score line did not reflect just how close each game was.
The final match of the day pitted the top two players in Lochaber against each other. Bruce Love, the reigning champion and number one seed, was up against Warren Cameron the number two seed in the final of the Open Competition. Earlier in the day, Warren played Andrew MacMaster in the first semi final. This match was interspersed with moments of great squash and some amusing antics. Andrew opened strongly and opened up a two nil lead, but the more experienced Cameron produced consistently accurate shots and recovered well to win through to the final by three games to two.
Bruce Love was up against Stuart Cameron in the second semi-final. This game produced arguably the best squash of the day. With both players displaying great accuracy and power, with the large audience left wondering how on earth these two players manage to retrieve each other shots. The power and pace of Bruce was gradually wearing down and overcoming the accurate hitting of Stuart. The level of play was exceptional and showed the level of squash that all the other players should aspire to. Bruce emerged victorious by 3 games to 1.
In the final, Bruce retained his crown with a three nil victory and looks as if he will be extremely difficult to dislodge from his number one position. He produced clinical squash against a tired opponent, but again emphasised the gap that exists between him and all the other local players. Warren can be proud of his efforts and again showed that both he and Stuart are capable of pushing Bruce all the way.
Overall, the day was a resounding success and the standard of squash on display shows that the dedication and commitment of all the players is culminating in an increase in abilities throughout the entire club.
The Committee would like to the Nevis Bank Hotel for providing a lovely buffet and venue for the Prize giving.
