Wanganui eye national glory

Wanganui Squash Club will have a home team entered when they host the E-grade national championships in August after the men's team won the Central Squash District title at the weekend.

Taking a well-drilled squad which included a number of players now qualified for D-grade, the Wanganui men's team beat Ohakune 5-0 on Friday evening, then picked up back-to-back wins on Saturday over Palmerston North (5-0) and their New Plymouth hosts Kawaroa Park (4-1).

Delighted coach John Roestenburg, who could now confirm the team had been in training for the Superchamps since January, said overall the team won 42 games and conceded only seven.

"That's what the team's been focusing on and now we want a crack at a second national title in two years."

Wanganui men won the D-grade title in 2012, while a victory in August would be the first time the club has won the E-grade championship.

Roestenburg said the top five players in the team were all unbeaten over the weekend, winning most of their matchups in three games.

Pakistani ex-pat Hamzi Ali was especially outstanding.

Roestenburg said several of the players had progressed so rapidly to D-grade that some had made C-grade by the time they appeared in the E-grade nationals.

The championship will be held in Wanganui on August 21-26.

"We expect to completely pack the gallery with supporters decked in Wanganui gear in August so that will be a great spectacle," said Roestenburg.

"Superchamps squash is the only squash competition where the crowd goes a little nuts just like Davis Cup tennis so expect some fireworks then."

Wanganui's women were not quite as successful in New Plymouth, finishing fourth in the six-team competition, which was their pre-tournament seeding.

Roestenburg said they were unlucky to lose some close matches in a tight draw.