SVG ready for Caribbean squash meet

Vincentians will bear witness to some of the finest athletes in the region, as the 2010 National Lotteries Authority 18th Caribbean Squash Championships gets on the way on Saturday, August 15.{{more}}

Over 100 players from seven countries (Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, the OECS and Trinidad and Tobago) will hope to bring home the titles in the individual and team events.

Among these players are eight medallists (singles, doubles and teams) at the recent Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Bogota, Colombia.

Heading the women’s field is Karen Meakins, coming off a fine silver medal performance at the CAC Games. The tall Bajan has been runner-up in the last three events and will be looking to capture her first Caribbean Women’s title.

An All-Barbados final is expected, with compatriot Cheri-Ann Parris coming in as the number two seed. The 20-year old is coming off a solid rookie season at Bates College, where she was named NESCAC Rookie of the Year and is expected to be a formidable opponent.

The Trinidadian duo, Rhea Khan and Kerrie Sample, ranked third and fourth, will attempt to prevent an all Bajan showdown.

On the men’s side, much excitement will undoubtedly surround the return of Guyana’s Richard Chin to the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) squash. The six-time Caribbean Junior Champion in the 80s, has since gone on to coach in the US and has played for various US national teams. Chin will face stiff competition however, particularly from Jamaican Chris Binnie. The defending champion will be hoping to build on his historic performance from the CAC Games, where he became the first Caribbean male to win a medal in singles.

As always, the men’s field will be extremely competitive, with strong challenges expected from the likes of Trinidadian Colin Ramasra, Shawn Simpson (Barbados), Patrick Foster (Bermuda) and Cameron Stafford (Cayman Islands).

Following the individual event, Trinidad and Tobago will seek to repeat their winning performance of last year, returning most of the members from the 2009 squad.

The men’s team title will be hard to come by, as many of the other teams have bolstered their lineups with strong additions from previous tournaments. The dark horse will be hosts OECS, as they welcome the debut of former World number 10, Joe Kneipp, an Australian who has been living in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) for the past few years.

Defending the women’s title will also be difficult, with Barbados in particular hoping to regain their former glory. The usual suspects will be coming out in full force in the veterans team competition, with heated battles expected between the teams from Barbados, Cayman Islands, the

OECS and Trinidad and Tobago.

Prior to the event, there will be a CASA Referee certification clinic on August 14, sponsored by the National Olympic Committee (NOC). The clinic will be conducted by Canadian Rod Symington, one of only 2 Senior Assessors appointed by the World Squash Federation.

The clinic is part of an initiative to improve the quality of refereeing throughout the Caribbean. In anticipation of a successful tournament, the SVG Squash Association would like to thank its sponsors: Title Sponsor – National Lotteries Authority; Gold – IK-TV and Karib Cable; Silver – BMC Agencies, Ottley Hall Marina, SVG General Services, RBTT, and Ellco Rentals; and Bronze – Mountain Top Spring Ltd and Invest SVG.

Fans can follow the tournament online at www.squashsite.co.uk.