Three Essex British champions will team up at Connaught Squash Club on Saturday to join in the exhibition fun headlined by current world champion Laura Massaro and England international Jenny Duncalf.
Alice Green, Elise Lazarus and Anna Kimberley, all former or current British junior champions, join forces with top Essex coach and former WSA professional player Lauren Selby for an exhibition doubles match as a taster to the main event of the day, the Massaro-Duncalf head to head which promises to be a cracker.
Anna Kimblerley who is playing doubles at Connaught
Essex Junior Squash are staging the event to help promote the women’s game. During the day there is a girls-ladies only tournament which will showcase the county’s best players, and that will be followed by the doubles match and the main event of the evening.
World champ Laura has been full of praise for our efforts to promote the women’s game. She told England Squash recently: ”This a fantastic event and I want to see as many girls and ladies down at Connaught as possible. It will be a great day of squash where the girls and ladies get the chance to show how good we all are. Essex is lucky to have someone like Lauren Selby driving the sport. Jenny Duncalf and I can’t wait to meet everyone there.
“There is a problem with some teenage girls drifting away from sport. There are many factors, boyfriends, pressures of study, entering the work place, plus a lack of bespoke events for women and girls. Squash is recognised as one of the best sports for all-round fitness and events like the Connaught Challenge will help show what we have to offer.”
As Laura said, Lauren Selby is the driving force behind the event. She told EssexJuniorSquash.com this week
“When we asked Laura and Jenny to help they said ‘yes’ straight away,” revealed Lauren, who played alongside the world’s best on the WSA tour until last year. “All profits from the day will be ploughed straight back into Essex Junior Squash so we are determined to make it a brilliant event. Everyone we have told is incredibly excited by the idea. I know I am.
“We have quite a healthy programme for girls’ squash and we want to build on that. We have been running an exciting schools coaching scheme which has unearthed some amazing young talent.”
Entry to the Ladies’/girls’ tournament costs just £20, which includes a ticket for the evening’s exhibition match. But don’t worry if you don’t wish to play, you can purchase a ticket just to watch the action.
Laura, the world number two, was crowned World Champion when she beat Egyptian Nour El Sherbini in the final in Penang, Malaysia. It was a glorious victory which puts English squash at the top of the game. Nick Matthew from Yorkshire is also a World Champion and world number one. Both players are this week competing at the Allam British Open in Hull
For ticket information and entry forms for the Essex tournament and exhibition, please contact Karen Selby at karenselby@gmx.com or call 07866455594.