|
|
Mt Maunganui International Festival
08-10 August, Bayfair Shopping Centre |
|
Women's Final:
Shelley Kitchen (Nzl) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (Nzl)
11/5, 11/4, 11/7
3rd place playoff:
Madeline Perry (Irl) bt Kasey Brown (Aus)
11/5, 11/7, 11/7
Men's Final:
Azlan Iskandar (Mas) bt Josh Greenfield (Nzl)
11/7, 11/6, 11/4
3rd place playoff
Kashif Shuja (Nzl) bt Campbell Grayson (Nzl)
12/10, 7/11, 11/7, 11/9
Top seeds triumphant
in Mount Maunganui
Gary Denvir reports
A fitting finish to the International Festival of Squash in Mount
Maunganui.
New Zealand's Shelley Kitchen and Malaysian Azlan Iskandar
stamped their class on the event, taking out their respective titles
with straight games victories in the finals.
Shoppers at the BayFair Shopping Centre were treated to a master
class of squash from the title winners, as they set about their work
on an all glass court in the heart of the complex.
Kitchen, the world number seven, proved too good for fellow kiwi
Jaclyn Hawkes, downing the world number 19 in straight games, and
Iskandar was equally impressive in his final against New Zealander
Josh Greenfield. The world number 13 produced some exquisite
touches, to win three unanswered games.
|
Bayfair Webcam
|
|
 |
09-Aug, Semis:
Hawkes hits Brown for
six
Gary Denvir reports
 New
Zealand's Jaclyn Hawkes produced a magnificent fightback to
win through to the final of the International Festival of Squash at
the BayFair Shopping Centre in Mt Maunganui.
Hawkes bounced back from two games down against Australian Kasey
Brown to win a five game thriller 13/11 in the fifth. The world
number 19 also faced two match balls in the third.
Hawkes will face fellow kiwi Shelley Kitchen in the final.
The world number seven also staged a fight back in her semi-final
against Ireland's Madeline Perry, recovering from 2/1 down to win
11/4 in the fifth.
In the men's draw, Josh Greenfied won the all kiwi battle
against Campbell Grayson, dropping a marathon opening game 23/21,
before fighting back to win 16/14 in the fourth.
Greenfield will face Malaysian Azlan Iskandar in the final.
The world number 13 downed New Zealand number one Kashif Shuja..
Women's semis:
Jaclyn Hawkes (Nzl) bt Kasey Brown (Aus)
5/11, 8/11, 14/12, 11/9, 13/11
Shelley Kitchen (Nzl) bt Madeline Perry (Irl)
9/11, 11/6, 10/12, 11/5, 11/4
Men's semis:
Josh Greenfield (Nzl) bt Campbell Grayson (Nzl)
21/23, 11/9, 11/7, 16/14
Azlan Iskandar (Mas) bt Kasif Shuja (Nzl)
12/10, 11/3, 11/6 |
Bayfair Webcam
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
08-Aug, Round
One:
Bengy Bows
Out
Gary Denvir reports
 Bitter
disappointment for Malaysian squash star Ong Beng Hee at the
International Festival of Squash in Mount Maunganui - the world
number nine has been forced to pull out of the event at the BayFair
Shopping Centre, after suffering a back injury.
The 28-year-old has been battling back spasms all week, but still
turned up to play New Zealand's Josh Greenfield in the first round
this evening. However, he could not complete the match, winning the
first two games 11/4 11/4, before pulling the pin.
The remainder of the matches on the all-glass court went to plan,
with Greenfield joined in the semi-finals by fellow kiwis Kashif
Shuja and Campbell Grayson, along with Malaysian world number 13
Azlan Iskandar.
In the women's draw, the top four players are through to the
semi-finals, with Shelley Kitchen, Madeline Perry, Kasey Brown and
Jaclyn Hawkes all winning in straight games.
The semi-finals get under way at 2pm on Saturday.
Men's First Round:
Josh Greenfield (NZL) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
4/11, 4/11 retired injured
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Martin Knight (NZL)
11/1, 11/9, 11/7
Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Chris Lloyd (NZL)
9/11, 11/4, 11/5 11/6
Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt Willie Bicknell (NZL)
11/1, 11/5, 11/4
Women's First Round:
Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Jackie Laurenson (NZL)
11/3, 11/7, 11/5
Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Amanda Cranston (NZL)
11/9, 11/6, 11/5
Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Kylie Lindsay (NZL)
11/9, 11/8, 12/10
Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Joelle King (NZL)
11/9, 11/2, 13/11 |
Bayfair Webcam
 |
|
|
07-Aug-08:
Qualifying
Complete ...
Gary Denvir reports
The draw is now complete for
the International Festival of Squash, which officially gets underway
in Mount Maunganui this afternoon.
Jackie Laurenson, Amanda Cranston, Willie Bicknell and Chris Lloyd
have earned the right to play on the all-glass court in the heart of
the BayFair Shopping Centre, after winning through qualifying last
night.
Lloyd will be the first of the qualifiers on court, taking on New
Zealand number one Kashif Shuja at 3:30 this afternoon, while
Bicknell is up against Malaysian world number 13 Azlan Iskandar at
6:30pm.
Cranston's reward for qualifying is a crack at Irish world number 13
Madeline Perry while Laurenson has the unenviable task of trying to
topple New Zealand's world number seven Shelley Kitchen.
05-Aug-08:
Stars come out in
Maunganui this weekend
Gary Denvir reports
The draw has just been released for the eagerly anticipated
International Festival of Squash which kicks off on Friday, with New
Zealand's Shelley Kitchen head-lining an impressive line-up
of players on an all- glass court, set up right in the heart of the
shopping centre.
The world number seven will face a qualifier in the first round on
Friday, with fellow kiwis Jackie Laurenson, Lana Harrison,
Amanda Cranston and Lisa Cowlard fighting for the two
spots available in the field.
Joining Kitchen in the main draw are another three players in the
world's top 20 - Australian Kasey Brown (#13), Ireland's
Madeline Perry (#15) and fellow kiwi Jaclyn Hawkes (#19).
The men's draw also features an impressive line-up, with Malaysians
Ong Beng Hee (WR#9) and Azlan Iskandar (#13) making
the trip to New Zealand to showcase their skills in front of BayFair
shoppers, which will pose a major challenge for New Zealand number
one Kashif Shuja (WR41), who comes into the event fresh from
a runner-up finish at the Australian Open in Clare.
The innovative international event, sponsored by BayFair Shopping
Centre, Delta and Squash New Zealand, has captured the imagination
of the New Zealand squash public, with the Mt Maunganui Open, which
runs from Thursday to Sunday, attracting a whopping 180 entries.
The huge number of entries has forced officials to schedule some
games at the Tauranga and Te Puke squash clubs, to accommodate as
many players as possible.
|
Bayfair Webcam
|
10-Jul-08:
Mt Maunganui International Festival
08-10 August, Bayfair Shopping Centre |
Top Australian confirmed for
Mt Maunganui Festival
 The
final piece of the puzzle is complete in the planning for the Mt
Maunganui International Festival of Squash with the signing of World
number 13 Kasey Brown. The event which will be staged in the
BayFair Shopping Centre now has a full complement of
international players.
The Australian joins World number seven and NZ number one Shelley
Kitchen as well as Irelands Madeline Perry (WR #16) in
the Women’s draw. In the men’s Malaysians Ong Beng Hee (World
#11), and Azlan Iskandar (World #13) are joined by a full
complement of New Zealand’s leading men, including New Zealand
number one Kashif Shuja.
Kasey Brown is one of the fastest improving players on the circuit
and recently beat Shelley Kitchen in the Korean Open. The 22 year
old who is now based in England was the winner of the 2006
Australian Open Winner, and has recently shown some impressive form
on the women’s WISPA International Circuit.
“To be able to confirm another leading international player is
extremely positive and we now look forward to some very exciting
squash action in the BayFair Shopping Centre” said Mt Maunganui
Squash Club President Mike Flood-Smith.
Planning is well underway for the innovative squash event which has
been made possible through sponsorship and support from the BayFair
Shopping Centre, Delta Corporation and Squash New Zealand.
In a move away from the traditional squash club, Bayfair Shopping
Centre will be the venue for this innovative sporting event. The all
glass court will be erected in the shopping centre creating a
stunning visual setting for this dynamic squash event, the first
time ever in New Zealand that a squash series has been held in this
environment.
“The event has created a buzz throughout the Bayfair Shopping
Centre, and all involved are looking forward to hosting the worlds
top players in our centre” said Bayfair Centre Manager Andrew
Wadsworth.
Running in conjunction with the international event, the week long
squash festival will also include a local Mt Maunganui Open event
which is already attracting a great deal of interest.
The event will take place on August 8-10, with a qualifying event
scheduled for August 6-7 at the Mt Maunganui Squash Club.
|
www.mount-maunganui.co.nz
|
11-Jun-08:
Good Morning Shoppers ...
this morning's special is squash in aisle five
...
Gary Denvir reports |
Mount Maunganui will be the scene of an innovative first for
squash in New Zealand, with an international tournament to be staged
inside a shopping centre in August.
Mt Maunganui Sports Club has announced the Mt Maunganui Festival
of Squash, which will feature some of the world's best players
competing on a glass court at the Bayfair Shopping Centre.
Malaysians Ong Beng Hee (world #11) and Azlan Iskander
(#13) have been confirmed in the men's event, along with New
Zealand's Kashif Shuja (#42), while Ireland's Madeline
Perry (#16) joins Shelley Kitchen (#7) and New Zealand's
other top female stars in the women's draw. Another top 10 player
will also be confirmed next week.
The event will be held on August 8-10 and has been made
possible through sponsorship and support from the Bayfair
Shopping Centre, Delta Corporation and Squash New Zealand.
"Bayfair Shopping Centre is extremely excited to be part of such an
innovative event and looks forward to hosting the worlds top players
in our centre" said Bayfair Centre Manager Andrew Wadsworth.
Squash NZ CEO Mike Thompson says the national body is
thrilled to add its support to the event. He says it is a great way
to promote the sport to the general public "NZ hasn't seen a squash
event of this nature since the early 1990's, and the ability to take
squash into a shopping centre allows us to connect to a wider
audience which is very exciting for our sport" |
www.mount-maunganui.co.nz
|
|
|
|
