Club attracts top women for squash Open

A top-class female field will feature at the Whangarei Open in Squash New Zealand's Year of Women's Squash.

In an initiative to grow the sport among women, Squash NZ is looking to local clubs to help drive the promotion.

Whangarei is supporting the initiative and is delighted to have three A-grade players contesting the club's Open, which starts tonight , and concludes on Saturday night.

Auckland youngster Ellie Epke, Northland's Abbey Palmer and Sacha Pou-Tito who moved up to A-grade last year, headline the women's field.

For Sport Northland's squash player of the year Palmer, 13, Epke, 13, and Jacinta Matson, 16, of Mangakahia Squash Club who is also competing during the next few days, 2012 is a crucial year.

The trio, named in the national women's junior development squad recently, are vying for a spot in the team for next year's world junior championships in the Cayman Islands. They join a field of 80 competitors at the Open.

Having so many top-level players turn up to a club open is a coup for Whangarei, Squash Northland administrator Sharon Crawford said. "It will be a very high level of competition with the A-grade players there."

Games begin at 5.30 tonight at Whangarei Squash Courts.