National squash circuit officially launched

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 44

National squash circuit officially launched

Prize money exceeds $13,000 for the inaugural Adidas Tournament Players Championship — a 12-event national squash circuit — which was officially launched in Christchurch last evening.

A large part of that figure, $3OOO, will be shared out only among the top eight men and women who qualify for the T.P.C. finals at Khandallah from August 20 to 22. The grand finals are to be televised live on Television One.

The 12 qualifying events are the nine district championships, the North and South ■ Island championships, and the New Zealand national championships (where the points will, naturally enough, be loaded). New, Zealand’s two top touring professionals, Bruce

Brownlee and Ross Norman, are certain to be after a place in the Khandallah finals, though yet to return to this country from Europe.

After three events in the circuit the points table is headed by the Hawke’s Bay player, Paul Viggers, even though he suffered a surprise reversal against Wayne Rowlands (Gisborne) in the semifinals of the Northland championships last week-end.

Annette Owen (Remuera) easily leads the women’s standings having won all three of . the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Northland championships. Davenport (who has played only one circuit tournament) and Miss Owen are the clear favourites for the North Island, championships at. Tauranga over Queen's Birthday week-end.

The top seedings in the draw are —

Men: Davenport 1. Barbour 2, Hayes 3. Viggers 4, Lovett 5, Andrew Sinclair (Tawa) 6, Rowlands 7, Mills 8. Women: Miss Owen 1, Mrs Webster 2, Miss Blackwood 3, Miss Devoy 4, Miss Milne 5, Pam Guy (Tauranga) 6, Miss Lever 7, Miss Glenny (Thorndon) 8. The leading points-getters to date are:—

Men: Viggers, 95, 1; Rowlands, 75, 2; Neven Barbour (Henderson), 70, 3; Dean Lovett (Hamilton), 61, 4; Stuart Davenport (Havelock North) and Rod Hayes (Christchurch), 44, equal 5; John Mills (Collegians), 42, 7; Mark Smith (Tawa), 42, 8. Women: Owen (Remuera), 132, 1; Jenny W’ebster (North Shore), 70. 2; Susan Devoy (Geyser City), 65. 3;. Joanne ’ Milne (Otago University), 56, 4: Karen Lever (Mount Maunganui), 42, 5; Donna Gurran (Edgecumbe), 35, 6; Robyn Blackwood (North Shore), 30, 7; Cheryl Butler (Geyser City), 28. 8.