Another sure sign of things turning around is the tournament calendar at the Racquet Club returning and the first event of the new season wrapped up late last week.
The Freeze-Up Open saw close to 50 players hit the courts for four evenings of action that began on Dec. 6. The finals for all seven divisions of play happened on Dec. 9 with the top division SA国际影视传媒� menSA国际影视传媒檚 advanced SA国际影视传媒� featuring Devin Madsen take on Garrett Hinchey in the best-of-five final.
Madsen would come out on top in three straight over Hinchey but it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 an easy three straight.
SA国际影视传媒淕arrett always makes you work for it,SA国际影视传媒� said Madsen. SA国际影视传媒淭he Hinchey boys have been doing for so long SA国际影视传媒� squash is in their blood SA国际影视传媒� and itSA国际影视传媒檚 never easy. TheySA国际影视传媒檒l make you move and theySA国际影视传媒檒l put the ball into all the corners. If you donSA国际影视传媒檛 get the ball deep, theySA国际影视传媒檒l make you pay for it.SA国际影视传媒�
ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 where fitness comes into play, he added, and not making too many unneeded moves.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 all about efficiency, making no more steps than you have to,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
This is the first tournament at the club since the NWT Squash Championships this past May and Madsen said it was a very nice feeling to be able to play other players instead of the same group over and over again.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e done bubbles for almost the last year,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e started with groups of six, then it went up to 10. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 good that we were able to play but you always want to play someone new, someone who maybe you havenSA国际影视传媒檛 played in a while.SA国际影视传媒�
In the other divisions, Walker Redshaw took the menSA国际影视传媒檚 intermediate title by beating Bharat Sethi while the womenSA国际影视传媒檚 intermediate champion is Cassandra Trevisani thanks to her win over Gale Payne. Sofia Ardiles defeated Andrea Sidler to win the womenSA国际影视传媒檚 novice division while Kael Enns and Logan Doll are the junior B and junior A champions respectively with Enns beating Nate Larade and Doll winning over Leo Ehrlich. In the junior girls division, Mairin Campbell beat Melanie Messier to win that.
Jeff Hipfner, the clubSA国际影视传媒檚 head squash pro, said one of the things he liked seeing over the course of the tournament was the amount of new faces on court.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was fun to see people new to the game trying their hand at competition and really enjoying themselves,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 looking forward to squash continuing to grow, here in Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒�
Hipfner also pointed out some juniors from the clubSA国际影视传媒檚 Sunday program trying their hand in their first tournament as well as two womenSA国际影视传媒檚 divisions.
SA国际影视传媒淲omenSA国际影视传媒檚 squash continues to grow and we really saw that with this tournament having two divisions, 15 participants between the two of them,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪ome of the players also participated in out ladies clinic that took place five weeks prior to the tournament and for some, it was their first-ever tournament.SA国际影视传媒�
The next scheduled event is the Tournament in February but Hipfner said there could be a junior tournament in January with the hope of some players from Fort Smith making the trip up the highway to take part.
FACT FILE PLEASE
Here are the full results:
Junior Girls: 1st SA国际影视传媒� Mairin Campbell, 2nd SA国际影视传媒� Melanie Messier, 3rd SA国际影视传媒� Kaylee Andrews
Junior Boys A: 1st SA国际影视传媒� Logan Doll, 2nd SA国际影视传媒� Leo Ehrlich, 3rd SA国际影视传媒� Cooper White
Juniors Boys B: 1st SA国际影视传媒� Kael Enns, 2nd SA国际影视传媒� Nate Larade, 3rd SA国际影视传媒� Jayden Hwata
Women Novice: 1st SA国际影视传媒� Sofia Ardiles, 2nd SA国际影视传媒� Andrea Sidler, 3rd SA国际影视传媒� Edyta Ratajczyk
Women Intermediate: 1st SA国际影视传媒� Cassandra Trevisani, 2nd SA国际影视传媒� Gale Payne, 3rd SA国际影视传媒� Mickey Marshall
Men Intermediate: 1st SA国际影视传媒� Walker Redshaw, 2nd SA国际影视传媒� Bharat Sethi, 3rd SA国际影视传媒� Lo茂c Hipfner
Men Advanced: 1st SA国际影视传媒� Devin Madsen, 2nd SA国际影视传媒� Garrett Hinchey, 3rd SA国际影视传媒� Claudio Ardiles
source: Racquet Club
