The curtains came down on the annual Independence Team Squash Championships Thursday evening at the St Lucia Yacht Club.
Four teams of five players on each team participated to determine the winning team. The teams were sponsored by Chocolisto Instant Chocolate Milk (distributed by Renwick & Co Ltd), Heineken, Monster Energy Drink (distributed by Food Express) and Suzuki.
The teams were made up of male and female players and included our two top players Charlie Sonson and Oliver Gobat as well as four junior players: Megan and Daniel Piper, Andre Segovia and Yanick Joseph who are all in training for Junior OECS to be held later this year in Dominica
In matches played Thursday evening there were some close matches starting with the first match between St Lucia’s number one and number two players.
Number one string Gobat of Chocolisto was defeated by Sonson of Monster. Sonson took the first two games 11/7, 11/9, before losing the next two games 9/11, 9/11 to even the games at two each. The fifth game the game went to extra points before Sonson took the match 12/10.
Number two string Randolph Khan of Monster, kept his team in the winning position by knocking out his opponent Derek Mogal of Chocolisto in three straight games 11/9, 11/6, 11/9.
Number three string Callum Samuel of Chocolisto took the first win for his team, defeating Monique Lovell of Monster in three straight games 11/9, 11/8, 11/8.
Number four string Marc Esper of Monster, took the third match to clinch the winning string for his team defeating his opponent Tahrik Hippolyte of Chocolisto 11/7, 11/1, 11/8.
Number five string Habib Chreiki of Chocolisto got past Hoomie Esper of Monster 9/11, 11/6, 11/6 , 13/11.
Monster Energy Drink Team defeated Chocolisto Instant chocoilate Drink Team Three Games to two.
On the second court Heineken and Suzuki competed against each other. Number one strings Carlos Segovia of Suzuki defeated his opponent Ben Gilmore of Heineken 7/11, 11/8, 11/7, 11/8.
Number two string and Tournament Director David Piper of Heineken defeated Nick Devaux of Suzuki 5/11, 11/6, 11/9,11/7.
Number three string Daniel Piper of Heineken came up victorious over Adam Foster of Suzuki 9/11, 11/7, 1/7, 11/6.
Number four string was a long and exciting match between junior Andre Segovia of Suzuki and Simon Anthonisz of Heineken. Anthonisz took the first two games 11/7, 11/7, before young Segovia was able to tie the match two games each by winning the third and fourth games 13/11, 12/10. However, experience cinched the match with Anthonisz winning the match for Heineken 11/7 in the fifth game.
Number five string Megan Piper of Heineken defeated her opponent 11/9, 8/11, 11/5, 11/3. Heineken won the string four games to one.
The prize giving followed immediately afterwards with the following results: Fourth place Suzuki, 22 points; Third place Heineken, 31 pts; Second place Chocolisto Instant Chocolate Milk Team, 41 pts; First place, Monster Energy Drink, 51 pts.
This was the first event on the Squash Calendar for 2011 and will be followed by the Junior OECS set for Dominica in April and the Senior OECS taking place in St Vincent in May.
These tournaments take place just before the annual St Lucia Squash Open June 27 to July 2 and this will be followed by the Junior Caribbean Squash Championships in July and the Senior Caribbean Squash Championships in August. In between these tournaments, the Association will have its monthly Squash league and ladder matches along with some other local tournaments.
