A strong field of around 63 competitors has been attracted to the Wanganui Badminton under-15 and under-17 opens this weekend at Springvale Stadium.
The under-15s are competing today from 9am, while the older players start tomorrow at around the same time. Action starts with mixed doubles games, followed by girls'and boys' singles matches and moving on to the girls' and boys' doubles.
Finals for each section will be played at the end of the afternoon.
Graham Feist, secretary/treasurer of the Wanganui Badminton Association, said the Under-15 section includes the winners from the Oroua Open last week, plus two highly ranked Auckland players. Overall 30 are from around the North Island.
"Wei Lim (Manawatu) will be favoured to take the boys' singles title while the girls' singles final is likely to feature Rebecca Ye (Manawatu) and Niamh Alley (Wellington North)."
Top attraction for the under-17s tomorrow will be the recently crowned 2013 Australasian U-17 boys' champion, Taranaki's Pun Thepkunhanimit.
"Pun, from Thailand, is furthering his schooling in New Plymouth and he brings a new level of skill to the Kiwi game," said Feist. "The top ranked Central Region girl, Pingkan Polak (Wellington North), will be favoured to take the girls' singles but will be kept on task by Caragh Alley (Wellington North)."
