Squash Canada is pleased to announce that Squash Moncton will be hosting the world doubles’ team selection trials between June 19th and June 22nd in preparation for the World Doubles Squash Championship in Manchester, England August 1 to 5, 2017.
Squash Canada is pleased to announce that Squash Moncton will be hosting the world doubles’ team selection trials between June 19th and June 22nd in preparation for the World Doubles Squash Championship in Manchester, England August 1 to 5, 2017.
“Following Squash Moncton’s winning bid and installation in late 2015 of the Toronto Pan Am Games ASB Legacy Courts, this club has become an ideal site to host some of Squash Canada’s training and selection camps such as the upcoming world doubles trials”, states Squash Canada’s Executive Director Dan Wolfenden. “Their local squash community will benefit from the highest quality of international doubles during that week, while our top players will have access to the club’s facility including its two convertible international doubles courts and will be well received with good old Maritime hospitality. Furthermore, through the generosity of local patrons and other contributors, the event will help finance some of our costs to send selected players to the World Doubles Championships, making this a win-win relationship all around”.
“Six of Canada’s top men and four of Canada’s top women players will be in Moncton to vie for selection as the two men and two women who will roster Team Canada at the Worlds. They will compete in their respective doubles event, as well as re-configure for the mixed doubles event. The selection of which athletes will represent Canada will undoubtedly be difficult. The importance of these trials and selection is to reach our goal for a 5th place finish or better at the World Doubles Championships and thereby enhance our podium potential at the 2018 Commonwealth Games next April in Australia”, said Squash Canada’s Performance Director, Jamie Hickox. To assist in the selection process two national team coaches, Yvon Provencal and Graeme Williams, will be on site.
Competing on the men’s side will be the 2015 Pan Am Games doubles silver medalists, brothers Andrew and Graeme Schnell from Calgary, Montreal’s Shawn De Lierre and David Baillargeon, and 2017 Canadian Squash Men’s Open Champion Nick Sachvie (St. Catharines) and 2017 finalist Mike McCue (Toronto). Within the women’s group, 2016 and 2017 repeat champion Hollie Naughton (Toronto) and finalist Danielle Letourneau (Calgary) will be on hand, as will Sam Cornett (Toronto) currently the highest PSA ranked Canadian player at #33, with Naughton at #38 and Letourneau at #45. Naughton, Letourneau and Cornett will be joined by doubles specialist Regina’s Nikki Todd, two-time 2015 Pan Am Games silver medalist (Women’s Doubles and Women’s Team events).
With some 28 matches to be played over the 3-day period, the coaches and selectors will have the opportunity to observe players’ ability to adapt to different partners and to demonstrate their effectiveness in both the men or women doubles’ categories as well as in mixed doubles.
“Our members including our growing junior class and many guests will have the opportunity to witness something perhaps few have in Canada thus far, that is international squash doubles played by our top Canadian men and women with the stakes so high,” states Squash Moncton’s President Patrick Daigle. “There is no question that the atmosphere will be absolutely electric. Our members had the opportunity to witness a wonderful double’s exhibition earlier this year and were blown away by the speed of play and the athleticism; this is going to be up a few more notches without a doubt. We are all looking forward to it and are grateful to Squash Canada for the opportunity to act as host and provide support”.
ABOUT SQUASH CANADA
Founded in 1915, Squash Canada is a non-profit, national sport governing body responsible for the development of athletes, coaches and officials and sets the standards for Canadian squash. Squash Canada is a proud member of the Pan-American and World Squash Federations and participates in the Pan-American Championships, Commonwealth & Pan-Am Games as well as World Championships at the junior and senior level. Each year Squash Canada hosts nine national championships across the country and works with its provincial and territorial partners to promote the growth and development of squash across the country. For more information, visit www.squash.ca. Join the conversation, get social with squash – follow Squash Canada on Facebook and Twitter
Founded in 1915, Squash Canada is a non-profit, national sport governing body responsible for the development of athletes, coaches and officials and sets the standards for Canadian squash. Squash Canada is a proud member of the Pan-American and World Squash Federations and participates in the Pan-American Championships, Commonwealth & Pan-Am Games as well as World Championships at the junior and senior level. Each year Squash Canada hosts nine national championships across the country and works with its provincial and territorial partners to promote the growth and development of squash across the country. For more information, visit www.squash.ca. Join the conversation, get social with squash – follow Squash Canada on Facebook and Twitter
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