Former NZ squash rep Shelley Kitchen back to lead Northland team

Former NZ rep Shelley Kitchen, from Kaitaia, is back in the Northland Senior Squash team to compete in the National Inter-District Teams Championships in Auckland this weekend.

Former NZ squash representative and Commonwealth Games medallist Shelley Kitchen will lead the Northland women's team at this weekend's national inter-district teams championships in Auckland.

Kitchen, from Kaitaia, will again play at No 1 for the Northland women's team after missing last year's nationals due to the imminent arrival of her third daughter.

A former world No 6 ranked professional player and Commonwealth Games medallist, she was inducted into the Northland Legends of Sport last year.

Now based in Auckland but remaining a proud and loyal Northlander she is the high
performance manager for Squash New Zealand.

"It's always a privilege playing for Northland and I'm looking forward to bringing the trophy to the north," Kitchen said.

At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, Kitchen beat World No. 1 Nicol David of Malaysia in the third-place match to capture the women's singles Bronze Medal. She also won a Silver Medal in the women's doubles at the games, partnering Tamsyn Leevey.

Earlier that year, Kitchen and Leevey won the women's doubles title at the World Doubles Squash Championships. In 2004, Kitchen finished runner-up in the mixed doubles at the World Doubles Squash Championships, partnering Glen Wilson.

After getting sick in an attempt to come back for the 2010 Commonwealth games, she announced her retirement in December 2010. In the 2011 New Year Honours, Kitchen was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sport.

Kitchen's sister, Trina Moore, Sacha Pou-Tito and Annmarie Holst will once again represent Northland while Jacinta Matson is welcomed back to the team, having now completed her studies at the University of Waikato.

Heading the Northland men's team is Finn Trimble, home from college in the United States.

Trimble is joined by brother Max Trimble and Neil Rossin, who have both represented Northland numerous times..

Kerikeri's Vincent Robson returns to the fold after playing junior and senior representative squash for Northland in recent years with up-and-coming junior Riley-Jack Vette-Blomquist making his debut.

The Northland woman are seeded second and the men sixth.

Teams to compete at the 2018 Senior National Inter-District Teams Championships in Auckland this weekend:

Northland Women:
Shelley Kitchen
Sacha Pou-Tito
Jacinta Matson
Trina Moore
Annmarie Holst

Northland Men:
Finn Trimble
Neil Rossin
Vincent Robson
Max Trimble
Riley-Jack Vette-Blomquist