$75,000 squash prize money

Press, 14 May 1982, Page 15

$75,000 squash prize money

Bv

TIM DUNBAR

Prize money totalling 575.000 should ensure the success ' of the ninth world squash championships to be held in New Zealand in October. 1983. The New Zealand Squash Rackets Association has put up $50,000 for the individual championships (October 6 to 12) and is looking at prize money of $25,000 for the teams' championship (October 13 to 20). These will be the first of the International Squash Rackets Federation's world championships to carry prize money since, the sport became open in 1980. When the championships were last held, in Sweden in 1981, the absence of prize money was largely, responsible for the late withdrawal of 17 leading players (including ' the top Pakistanis, Jahangir Khan and ■ Qamar Zaman) from the individual event.

Thus, the fine effort of New Zealand's Craig Blackwood in reaching the I.S.R.F. individual final, where he lost in five games to Steve Bowditch, of Australia, did not meet with the acclaim it

would normally have received.

No such “boycott” is possible this time in New Zealand and the world championship director, ..Mr Rod Sturm, of Auckland, is confident that all of the leading professionals will compete, including the 18-year-old Jahangir, who recently became the youngest British open champion. “We are working hard to get all the top players down here. New Zealand's location is a problem, but I believe we. will see all the leading countries at top strength.” said Mr Sturm. Sixteen nations are , already regarded as “definite” entries for 1983, among them Pakistan, Australia. Egypt, England. Sweden, Scotland, the United States, and Canada. :.i

The world championship committee is also hopeful that a further nine countries will make the trip, including such interesting possibilities

as Zimbabwe; Thailand, Papua New Guinea, and Jordan. , :

Each country is allowed four players per team, with three actually playing in each tie. . ;

Headquarters for the world championships will be the highly-regarded Henderson Squash Club complex with six courts, including two glass-backs. Other Auckland

squash clubs, and Hamilton, will be used for practice and some of the early rounds in the teams’ event. The 1983 New Zealand Open will be played in Wellington during the week after the world, championships.

Mr Sturm, an Auckland solicitor and former president of the North Shore club, will have strong backing on his world championship committee.

Among the members are the former chairman of the 1.5.R.A.. Mr Murray Day, of Hamilton, the president of the N.Z.5.R.A.,. Mr Bruce Davidson, of Wellington, the N.Z.S.R.A.’s full-time executive officer, Mr Bill Murphy, of Tauranga. and the wellknown New Zealand trainer, Mr Rob Crothall, of Auckland. Another member is the gritty Henderson player, Neven Barbour, who has already represented New Zealand at five world teams championships (1973. 1976, 1977. 1979, 1981), and. although now well into his thirties, is showing such good form recently that he might yet make a sixth appearance in 1983.

New Zealand last staged the world championships in 1971 and they have since been held in South Africa. Britain. Canada. Australia, and Sweden.