Thursday, 7 March 2013

Cream of Welsh squash ready for Cardiff test

Elin Harlow and Ciara Richards are set to dazzle the home crowds at this weekend’s Welsh Junior Squash Championships.

The 2013 event is set to be the biggest in years, with more than 150 juniors from all over the world in Cardiff for the European Grand Prix Event.

It takes place at the Sport Wales National Centre and Cardiff Squash Club from 9am on Friday, March 8, with play continuing till 4pm on Sunday, March 10.

Juniors from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales will be joined by players from India, Pakistan, France, Israel, Ukraine, Kenya and New Zealand, with the competition of the highest of standard. World and European-ranked players will take to the courts, with some of these top European players home-grown and expecting plenty of support.

At the French Junior Open late last month, 13 players, two coaches, a chaperone and some parents produced six quarter-finalists, four semi-finalists and three finalists.

In the final of the under-13 girls’ event, Richards came through four very close games to win the match 3-1, 11/9 in the fourth game. She is only the third Welsh winner of the event.

The under-17 girls’ final was fought by Le Sport’s Harlow and Newport’s Jenny Haley and it went down to the wire. Harlow made the quicker start and took the first two games in 15 minutes. But Haley came back fighting in the third and took an early lead and then the game.

In to the fourth, Haley was again on top, winning it 11/8, and in the fifth, it was tied at 8-8 before eventually, Elin taking the final three points and the match 3-2 (11/4 11/7 6/11 8/11 11/8).

Harlow will now be the top seed in Cardiff in that age group.

For the boys, British and Welsh champion Jordan Williams is top seed in the under-13s category, while Elliot Morris-Devred and Lloyd Rutter are names to look out for in the under-15s.

Joel Makin is the Welsh No1 at under-19 level and he is expected to do well.

The event is free and all are welcome to attend.

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