$50,000 at stake in squash

Press, 9 May 1985, Page 44

$50,000 at stake in squash

New Zealand squash players, together with a Canadian and an Australian, will be competing for 550,000 in prize money — easily a record — in this year’s Adidas championship series.

Just 513,000 in prize money was offered for the inaugural series in 1981, while 536,000 was at stake last year. The series is made up of a national circuit of all ten districts championships as well as both the North

Island and South Island titles. The top eight men and women will then play off in the grand finals at Khandallah from August 25 to 27.

The first of the 12 qualifying events for the grand finals was the 54000 Waikato open which was contested in Hamilton last week-end. Of the tournaments the most lucrative is the Wellington open from June 28 to 30 which has the lure of 56000 in prize money. Not

far behind is the Canterbury open from June 7 to 9 with 55000.

Players finishing in the top eight qualifying positions will divide another 53000 between them at the end of the circuit and then fight for 56000 more in the grand finals.

Of the international circuit players it is possible that Stuart Davenport, of Wellington, will compete in two or three of the events in June. The British Open women’s champion,

Susan Devoy, is not now expected back in New Zealand until mid-June, but may be in action on the domestic circuit after that.

The overseas interest in the series will be provided by the Canadian, Gerry Gerry, who made the top eight last winter, and a leading Australian player, Rae Anderson, who is about to take up a professional coaching job with the Henderson club for the season.