Hometown Favourites Clinch Double National Titles

In front of the hometown crowd and 200 spectators, local squash favourites Danielle Letourneau and Andrew Schnell captured the 2018 National titles at the GSL GM City 2018 Canadian Squash Championships presented by AirSprint hosted by the Glencoe Club. 

 

For the first time in her career and in her third consecutive national championship final appearance, Glencoe Club athlete and High Performance squad member Danielle Letourneau captured the 2018 crown in front of family, friends and fans. The all-glass showcase court centred in the heart of the Glencoe Club was the perfect setting for what would be Letourneau's storybook finish. With her parents court side, her father winning a national title of his own earlier in the day and her mother a major player in the host organizing committee, Letourneau faced HP squad teammate and reigning champion, Hollie Naughton in the thrilling final. The athletes would split the first two games of the match but Letourneau would find her shots and take the next two to capture the title 3-1 [11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 15-13]. 

 

Following the Women's final, the crowd was ready and anxious to see if they would witness a bit of Canadian squash history – would they see a double hometown win? Would the Women's and Men's Champions come from the same club and win the national titles while their home club hosted? 

 

Stepping on court for the men's final would be reigning champ Nick Sachvie and Letourneau's fellow Glencoe member Andrew Schnell. After failing to make the finals last year, Schnell was determined to make his way back to championship day and the chance to reclaim the title. Schnell, 2016 Champion and HP squad athlete, was laser-focused but knew that in front of him posed an opportunity to not only win in front of family and friends but to stake claim in a bit of Canadian squash history. Perhaps fuelling of the energy of Letourneau's first national title victory and the atmosphere it created, Schnell dialled in to take an early lead on Sachvie enroute to a 3-0 [11-8, 11-6, 11-7] win. 

 

In total 18 national titles were awarded at the 2018 Canadian Squash Championships. For four squash-filled days Alberta was treated to some of the best squash Canadian has to offer.