Young Northland squash players tops

Whangarei Squash Club's rising squash star Finn Trimble continued his stellar season, capping it off by winning the national under-13 boys title at the New Zealand Junior National Individual Squash Tournament.

The Whangarei Intermediate student headed to the Nationals at Henderson Squash Club in Auckland, seeded No 1 in the tournament after winning his division at the South Island Age Group Tournament in July, and a second place at the North Island Age Groups one week later.

After comfortably winning all his matches, Trimble, aged 12, sailed through to the under-13 final where he met No 2 seed Quinn Udy from Marlborough Squash Club.

The young duo battled it out, with Trimble eventually defeating his South Island peer, 3-2 after an intense final set, going in Trimble's favour, 18-16.

Squash Northland's Sharon Crawford said Trimble, a Northland Junior Elite Squad member improved dramatically throughout this season and was a player to look out for. Trimble was one of 15 competitors, all members of the region's elite squad coached by former England and New Zealand coach Paul Wright, who contested the nationals.

"The elite squad had four training camps this season, and their last one was the weekend before the nationals, which finished on Monday - it was planned that way, so they would go into the tournament after a hard training camp," Crawford said.

Five of the Northland contingent were competing in the under-15 boys division, with three featuring in the top ten.

Sam Sayes was second, Finn's older brother Max Trimble was fifth - and Reagan Wakeling was sixth.

In the under-11 boys Jayden Maugham from Kamo was competing in his first major tournament away from Northland and finished fourth, while in the under-19 girls age group, Wellsford's Brittany Gibbons placed sixth, with Kate Shepherd of Kerikeri winning the plate. Jacinta Matson playing in the under-17 girls, finished fourth.

"Everyone of the Northland players either retained their seeding or bettered it, which is great," Crawford added.

Some of the players stayed in Auckland this week, for the New Zealand Junior National Teams Squash Tournament, where Northland has both a boys and girls team in action.

The tournament concludes today.