Squash: Tough time on southern sojourn

The Northland masters squash team, wearing their true colours after the national tournament in Dunedin, from left, back: Eugene Venter, Bruce Smith, Shelley Kitchen, Richard Van Rynbach, Neil Rossin; front, Sharon McDonald, Cindy Hassan, Hongi Laing, Linda Matson, Julie Geange.

Northland reported mixed results at the national masters squash tournament in Dunedin earlier this month.

The northernmost club at the tournament found the going tough in the teams' event, finishing in seventh place out of eight districts at this year's championships, held at the Otago and Taieri squash clubs from October 7-11.

Team members fared better in individual results, with Kaitaia ex-pat Shelley Kitchen winning the women's 35-39 championships, Bruce Smith taking out the consolation plate in the 45-49 grade, Cindy Hassan, from Kaitaia, winning the women's division one with Julie Geange runner-up, Sharon McDonald winning the women's division 2, Richard Van Rynbach winning the special plate in his division, and Eugene Venter winning the consolation plate in the men's 40-44 championship grade.

Other results included Kaitaia's Hongi Laing coming runner-up in the men's 65-69
division and Neil Rossin placing third overall in the men's 35-39 grade.

Northland team member Nirelle McDonald noted Auckland took out the team's event, but said despite the result, the Northland team spirit was fantastic.

"It was mentioned by an ex-Kaitaia player who had previously represented Auckland how much more enjoyable it was playing for his home region."

Nirelle also noted there was foul play afoot when the Northland team mascot went missing after the second-round games - a retaliatory gesture to Northland's mascot kidnapping last year.

"The next day a photo was received on the [Northland] team captain's phone of our smurf in the garden with Central's mascot, Sammie the Lambie," she said.

"A few more photos were sent over the next day and it would appear Northland's mascot saw more of Dunedin than the team did."