update August 1 2004

ESSEX CLOSED 2004

ESSEX CLOSED SQUASH & RACKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT KINGSWOOD

The 2004 Essex Closed Squash & Racketball Competition was held at Club Kingswood in Basildon on the weekend of 24th & 25th of January 2004. There were about 100 Competitors this year with Kingswood players featuring high in the final’s honors list. Enthusiastic crowds supported throughout the weekend and were treated to plenty of superb action!

Essex Closed Report

The Ladies Senior event saw Kingswood’s Sarah Neller and Wanstead’s Lynda Stiffell battle it out after both having very tough semi finals in the morning. Sarah beat off a very strong challenge from Zoe Merry gaining revenge on Zoe whom earlier knocked Sarah’s sister Philippa out in the quarterfinals. Lynda faced youngster Myriam Hardy (just 13) in the semi-finals, and had to use all her skill and experience to win through. Myriam is a very promising junior who could go far in squash. The Ladies finals match was every bit as exciting as the earlier rounds; a hard fought battle with long grueling rally’s. Both Lynda and Sarah play very powerful games and seem to be able to retrieve almost any shot. Lynda again drew on her experience eventually beating Sarah 3 games to 0.   

 The Senior Men’s event was an all Kingswood affair and promised to be every bit as good as the earlier rounds. Last year's winner (and world no 41) Peter Barker had been unable to enter due to training commitments for the national squad leaving the title open. Peter’s old adversary (and one time coach) Darren Webb (himself an ex-world ranked player now retired from the circuit) reached the final and found himself against fellow Kingswood player Martin Watts. In the semi Martin had played a grueling marathon with Flight’s Ian Lawrence, and was in for a very hard time from Darren. The match lived up to expectation with both players stunning the crowd with amazing arrays of shots, long rally’s and unbelievable retrieving, Darren remained steady, moved & positioned himself well, played very tight and accurate, but Martin held the pace well surprising Darren many times with blinding shots. Both players had had a very tough weekend, and although Martin stretched Darren to the limit, Darren’s experience from the world circuit proved too much for Martin with Darren just taking the 3rd game to give him the win 3 – 0.

 The other finals had kicked off earlier with the Men's Plate where Maldon’s Paul Newbury beat Darren Atkins. In the Men's O'35 number 2 seed Dave Lazerus from Redbridge proved too strong for Flights Ian Holdsworth winning 3 – 0.

 The Racketball match proved every bit as exciting as last years event, Darren Web again retained the title beating Woodford Wells’s Fred Cooke 3 - 0 in a tough final.

 Next matches on were - the Men's O'55 which was won by Len Cawley beating Kingswood's Peter Cowell 3 – 1, in the O’55 plate John Preston beat John Sands in a marathon 3 –2. And the Men’s C saw 2 new faces to the finals Daniel Jacobs from Flights beat Darren Vickery after both taking out seeded players in tough matches through the competition.

 In the Men’s B last years runner up Dave Cooper had a stonking match against Fred Cooke eventually winning 3 - 1. The play continued with Woodham’s Dave Wyman regaining the Men’s O'45's title beating a very determined Graham Jones 3 - 0. Unfortunately in the Ladies Vintage (O'50's) Barbara Sanderson withdrew with a virus giving the title to Avril Murphy who was also in the Ladies Veterans (O'50's) and beat Elaine Chubb claiming both crowns. 

 The weekend was a great success pulling in players and spectators from all over Essex. Matches were exciting, fairly contested and marking was to a high standard. All finalists received a trophy, a prize, and T-shirts thanks to generous sponsorship from the local businesses listed below.

 Sponsors

Maurice Webb                                     RSW Partnership, Southend

Tim Guppy                                            RacquetLink.com

Alister Guppy                                       Host Club Kingswood.

Dave Millane                                        Millane Contract Services Ltd

Andy Gill                                               Visteon UK                                                          

And Others

Kingswood Staff & Caterers              Patience, friendliness, setting up, cleaning up & of course the food

Players & Markers                               Patience, enthusiasm and fair play.

ESSEX CHAMPIONS FOR 2004

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