Squash: Juniors shock favourites for titles

Whangarei Squash Club members Max Trimble and Abbie Palmer with their trophies for winning the recent boys and girls NZ Junior Open titles. Photo/Supplied

Whangarei Squash Club has a lot to celebrate after two of its junior players - Max Trimble and Abbie Palmer - upset the New Zealand squash fraternity by winning both the boys and girls New Zealand Junior Open titles recently at Royal Oak, Auckland.

Max Trimble went into the tournament seeded third in the open division and faced stiff opposition from fellow Junior World Squad members all trying to impress the New Zealand selectors at the first selection tournament of the year.

The team will be selected mid-June after three more selection tournaments. The team will travel to Namibia in August to contest the Junior Boys World titles in individual and team events.

Max advanced to the final last Sunday after having four wins and had the daunting task of facing the top seed and hot favourite Scott Galloway from Wellington.

In the final Max sensationally beat the top seed 11-8, 2-11, 11-8, 13-11 to cause a major upset and claim the coveted title of Male New Zealand Junior Open Championship, this being the first time a Northland male has brought home this title. Northland have won the female title with Shelley Kitchen winning the title in 1995 and 1997.

Fellow Whangarei Squash Club member Abbie Palmer, who plays her squash for Auckland, also upset the form books by overpowering top seed Ellie Epke from Auckland in three sets. The title came just a week after Abbie won the Australian Junior Girls Under 17 title in Geelong, Australia.

Hopefully Max's great form will carry on for the next three selection tournaments in Wellington, Palmerston North and Auckland, after these he will find out whether he has made the World team, but with this title to his name it must increase his chances to achieve the ultimate reward of representing his country at the World Champs.

Other Northland winners were Aaron Randall from Dargaville winning boys Division 2 and Kodi Foster from Maungaturoto taking boys division 4.