JERSEY returned from neighbouring Guernsey with the squash & racketball inter-insular crown, following a faultless display in the latter of the two disciplines.
The Caesareans won the affair at Beau Sejour 18-12, with a perfect ten from as many racketball rubbers proving vital, highlighting the firm grasp over their neighbours that they have developed in the sport.
Both the men’s and women’s contests in the squash went to the wire, with 3-2 victories for Jersey in both.
Guernsey did sweep the men’s B 5-0 and celebrated a rare success in the veterans’ category.
Jersey squash club manager Tom Price credited multiple factors for his Island’s dominance on the racketball side.
‘We put a lot of volunteering time and effort into it,’ he said, while also giving credit to a strong local league, off-Island aims, and a young group of players who specialise in the discipline.
He added: ‘We were coming to win.’
‘Racketball’s where the split was, we knew that – that’s the main thing.
‘We haven’t lost since its inception and that has been the deciding factor in our recent dominance of the inter-insular.
‘We know we need to work on our squash B, and we’re slowly getting better in the squash A.
‘There are a lot of juniors in the B team, who have bundles of ability, but probably not the experience yet to compete on that stage.
‘But that will come with time and our aim will be to continue to improve in the sections we are continually beaten in.’
In what was a first Guernsey inter-insular since 2019, Guernsey’s squash development officer Martin Watts was taken back by the amount of support for the contest.
‘For me, as development officer, it’s been five years since we saw that many people watching at Beau Sejour,’ he said.
It’s disappointing we lost, but it was a good event.
‘There’s massive rivalry between Jersey and Guernsey, but these guys really appreciated it.
‘We were there to pick them up from the airport as well. That’s the Channel Islands for you, it wouldn’t happen in the UK.’
Unfortunately for Jersey’s number one squash talent, Charlie Griggs, his showdown with top Guernsey player Chris Simpson was put on ice.
Simpson, who is based in the UK, was forced to withdraw from the contest with an injury just a couple of days earlier.
Price said: ‘There were a lot of people keen to see that duel, and I’m certain that their game drew some extra numbers in.
‘Charlie is currently based on the mainland too, but working very hard to push for the next Commonwealth Games.
‘The opportunity to face Chris would have been huge and we are hoping that match-up can be arranged in the future.’
Jersey
Men’s squash A: Charlie Griggs, Matt Boote, Anthony Harkin, Scott Gautier, Isaac Freckelton.
Men’s squash B: Dave Young, Julian Adamson, Oscar Barrette, Will Turpin, Charlie Bullock.
Ladies squash A: Beth Garton, Sue Turpin, Ronnie McCallister, Amelie Turpin, Tyler McCallister.
Men’s racketball A: Ian Furness, Richard Brocken, Harry Cadigan, Stuart Conroy, Jon Southern.
Men’s racketball B: Charlie Journeaux, Ed Fletcher, Charles White, Richard Le Cornu, Pet Ahier.
Squash Veterans (o45): Jon Hibbs, Hugh Jones, Chris Burn, Andrew Lewis, Ian C Goodfellow.
