Kapiti Squash Club win prestigious AD Long Cup

AD Long Cup winners, from Kapiti Squash Club, James Gould, left, Tim Seymour, Mark Millar, Paul Railton, Paul Steinmetz. Absent Sy Baker.

Kapiti Squash Club has won the prestigious AD Long National Masters Squash Tournament.

Fifteen teams competed over three days at Fraser Park Squash Club in Lower Hutt to decide the best masters team in the country.

Since 1961 the AD Long Championships has been held every year all over the country and the team from Kāpiti were very keen to try and win the trophy.

"We were seeded second but I knew we were in with a shot," team captain Paul Railton said.

"The defending champions from North Shore in Auckland had an awesome team, including two-time world masters champion Gary Duberly, who come with a huge amount of experience.

"But our team is also solid with great depth and a very keen underlying desire to win this trophy.

"We are a competitive bunch and are really not very happy when we lose."

Sy Baker and James Gould played solidly to take the team through the first rounds, Mark Millar cemented the lead with his powerful attacking game, before Paul Steinmetz, a former All Black, pulled off an incredible win to set the team up for the finals.

Tim Seymour dug deep and kept the team in the lead, and in the final game Railton clutched victory from the jaws of defeat after being two games down in a nailbiting final against Duberly.

In the best of five games format, Railton finished the job in just under an hour with a 15-13 win in the fifth game.

"A great effort all round," said Railton, praising the team.

For information about the Kapiti Squash Club, including open days and more, go to www.kapitisquash.co.nz.