Six teams from Gisborne’s Surf City Squash Club qualify for National events

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Six teams from Gisborne's Surf City Squash Club have qualified for National SuperChamps events in September.

The Eastern District eliminations were held at Surf City Squash Club over a weekend late last month.

National SuperChamps events will be held around the country from September 23 to 26.

- B Grade men (Palmerston North).

- C Grade men (Napier) .

- C Grade women (Napier).- D Grade men (Blenheim).

- F Grade men (Manurewa).

- F Grade women (Manurewa).

This is the 28th year in a row that a Surf City team have won the right to represent the Eastern District (Gisborne/Hawke's Bay) at the B Grade SuperChamps.

Surf City beat Hawke's Bay Squash Rackets 3-2 with wins to Rios Moleta, Jacque Davis and Matt Ross. Davis produced a big performance at No.2 for his win.

The Surf City C Grade men's team — Matt Tietjen, Torin Donnelly, Daniel Newman, Jonny Hardie, Jamie Brodie and Phil Collier — fought off strong challenges from Havelock North Squash Club and Hawke's Bay Lawn Tennis Club.

Although both clubs fronted up with strong teams, Surf City recorded 4-1 wins against both.

Surf City C Grade women — Catherine Harbott, Aana Donnelly, Casey Miller, Trudy Harrison, Raewyn Ross, Paige Bentley and Kate Richards — gained automatic entry to the nationals as they were the only C Grade women's entry from the Eastern District.

A great 3-2 victory over Hawke's Bay Squash Rackets earned the Surf City D Grade men's team their National SuperChamps spot.

Tremaine Rangi had an early win but the team were in a spot of bother at 2-1 down, not that you would have guessed by looking at team manager and captain Don Kennedy.

He was a picture of composure and played extremely well to tie the match up at 2-2.

Matt Oakley, playing in his first district teams elimination event, then brought home the win.

Surf City F Grade men's and women's teams gained automatic entry to the National SuperChamps as they were the only Eastern District entries.

Club president Daniel Newman said it was disappointing not to have any opponents for these teams.

“Most of the team members in the F Grade are new to the game and they are all very excited to be travelling to Manurewa to represent Eastern,” he said.

Jemell Kupenga coaches the men's F Grade team, whose members are Jereme Taylor, Jarrod Carter, Connor Fahey, Simon Bunyan, Alin Zaharia and Ky Bartlett.

Newman said that Willie Donnelly had done a fantastic job with the F Grade women's team.

The team included four juniors, and the club was excited to be sending them away to compete nationally and start their squash journeys.

Already in the team were Rose Reiri, Maia Hogarth, Bella Seymour-Manuel, Lane Bartlett and Florence Faulks.

Kya Thornicroft and Stephanie Collier had also started to train with the team and might be considered for the event in Manurewa in September.

Newman said he wanted to thank Donnelly and Kupenga for taking the time to coach these teams.

It was important to the club that all grades from B to F had an opportunity to represent the district and get a chance to win a national title.

“It's been 10 years since the club has won a national title — the women's F Grade team won in 2010 — and 18 years since a men's team claimed a national title — the C Grade men won in 2002,” Newman said.

“Surf City is very well respected nationally at these events, and the club has high hopes that one of these teams can get a long-overdue national title.”