PNGSRF has big plans for a World Class tournament in 2004

The PNG Squash Rackets Federation has plans to host a world class squash tournament in PNG next year as part of their ongoing plans to continue to raise the profile of the sport in the country. The PNGSRF hosted a very successful 2003 PNG Open in March which attracted a number of overseas players. This was followed up by a clean sweep of the gold medals on offer at the South Pacific Games in Fiji. 

The tournament will be run under the supervision of the Players Squash Association - the body that run the world squash tour and is responsible for the issuing the world rankings. A number of local sponsors have already indicated that they are keen to support the event. The tournament will be a class above any squash event that has ever been held in PNG. The organisers are expecting up to fifteen players with the top players invited expected to be ranked in the top 25 in the world.

The event is expected to take place in late August or early September with a final date to be confirmed once the world tour calendar is finalised. 

Coach conducts Level 1 Accreditation Course

The Port Moresby Squash Club resembled a classroom over the weekend of 13th -15th of December as the PNG Squash Rackets Federation hosted a Level 1 Squash Coaching Course that was made possible by the Silver Jubilee Sports Program.

The course facilitator was ex-PNG representative player and resident Marc Forster. Forster is currently the Development Officer for Q Squash, the Queensland Squash Rackets Association representative body. Forster was most recently in the country when he competed in the PNG Open in March this year. He impressed everyone with his passion for the game and he promised he would come back to help with the development of the sport in PNG.

There were 10 attendees who hope to attain their Level 1 Coaching Accreditation after completing the course. Six players attended from Port Moresby, and two each from Lae, Mt Hagen and Madang. The attendees were Derek Hunter, Tony Carbry, Peter ODonnell, Madako Suari Snr, Tina Yansom (Port Moresby), Murray Fletcher, Sarufa Pryke (Lae), Michael Rucklinger, Liam Leahy (Mt Hagen), Jason, Kirby Weythman (Madang). 

Most of the weekend was spent on the practical aspects of coaching. The participants are required to complete some of the theoretical material in their own time and undertake further practical assessment after they have accumulated some relevant experience. It is only after these requirements are met that the accreditation will be awarded. The course is run under the supervision of the Australian Sports Commission.

The PNGSRF has a development plan which includes encouraging more juniors to take up the game. This plan includes promoting squash within the schools around the country as well as providing junior competitions and coaching clinics on a regular basis. One of the problems that young kids in PNG face with getting started in squash is a lack of access to equipment and facilities. The Oceania Squash Federation is helping out by providing a supply of second-hand rackets out of England. The PNGSRF is hoping that some of the local businesses will also assist by providing help in meeting the costs of other equipment such as balls, training aids and court hire.

Rucklinger competes in 2003 Australian Junior Squash Championships

Michael Rucklinger recently returned from the Australian Junior Squash Championships that were held in Adelaide, South Australia from 26th September to 30th September. Rucklinger went into the event as the number three seed in the 15 years ages group. He was the winner of the 14 years age group in the previous year but because he was unable to attend any other tournaments in Australia during the last year he was unable to take the number one seeding into the event.

The event was run under a new format which allowed less well known players who might receive a lower than deserved seeding to get a second chance if they were are unlucky enough to come up against one of the top seeds in the first round. Under the new format initial seedings are given to all players and they are matched up against each other as for a standard knockout event (eg 1st seed plays last seed, 2nd seed plays second last seed etc). Players are listed in this order in a table. The winners all move up one or more positions in the table while losers move down one or more positions. This keeps going until all rounds have been completed. Under this system the winner will rise to the top no matter what their initial seeding. Players who lose to top seeds may drop initially but they still have the chance to rise close to the top by the end of the event and hence get a fair ranking.

Rucklinger played number 14 seed Elijah Roberts from Tasmania in the first round. He won this match comfortably in three games to maintain his position in the table. In the second round he was up against number 6 seed Rex Hedrick from Victoria. He went down in four sets and in a very close match. He lost the first game 10-8 and then came back to win the next game 9-0. Unfortunately he then lost the next two games 9-7 9-7. He then beat number 7 seed Huw Geddes from the ACT 3-0. This left him with one more match to improve his final position to fifth. He was unable to beat Nathan Tacaks of Victoria and ended up in sixth position overall.

While Rucklinger was dissapointed that he did not attain a better result it is still quite a feat to be ranked 6th in Australia for his age group while be based in Mt Hagen where he lacks the competition that his rivals are able to experience. 

Rucklinger will be attending school at Nudgee College in Brisbane next year and has been invited to play at the Queensland Squash Institute so we came expect some big things from him in the years to come. 

2003 Port Moresby Open 

The Port Moresby Squash Club hosted the annual Port Moresby Open Championships over the weekend. 92 players took part in the championships with 149 individual entries. Players came from as far away as Cairns, Lae, Mt Hagen, Popondetta as well as the other clubs around Port Moresby. The organisers were particularly pleased with the turnout of juniors.

Over 20 juniors, with most of them in the Under 15 age group competed in the championships. And a lot of them were not just content to take out the junior titles.

Fifteen-year-old Michael Rucklinger of Mt Hagen stepped up another level when he won through to the finals of the Men’s Open event. Rucklinger beat current number two PNG player Scott Evans in a grueling five set encounter. Evans, who has lost a bit of match fitness since the SP Games in July, cruised through the first game comfortably and looked set to make short work of the encounter. However, Rucklinger had other ideas and he worked his way back into the match to narrowly take the second games 9-7. The frantic pace of the match started to take its toll on Evans and despite winning the third game he could not keep up with his younger and fitter opponent. Rucklinger won the last two games to claim victory and a place in the final against Derek Hunter who had disposed of SP Games team mate Alan Tsang 3 games to nil. Prior to the Men’s Open final Rucklinger beat former PNG representative Joe Yaminao in the final of the Men’s Closed event. The workload of the weekend took its toll on the youngster and he did not have the stamina to keep up with the more experienced Hunter in the Men’s Open eventually going down 3-0.

Other juniors that performed well in the senior divisions included Lokes Brooksbank, son of PNG representative Imong Brooksbank, who won the Men’s B Grade event as well as the Under 19 Boys. Moreaina Wei of Lae who also competed in the Boys Under 19 event took out the Men’s C Grade title. Vanessa Nagul of the Port Moresby Club won the Ladies C Grade title as well as coming runner-up in the Girl’s Under 15 event.

The Ladies Open event was taken out by Naluge Guy, who, despite having a season out of competitive squash was still far too strong for fellow PNG teammate Tina Yansom.

With a number of PNG’s senior representative players fast approaching the twilight of their representative squash careers it is heartening to see a number of promising juniors starting to coming through the ranks.

The organisers of the event would like to thank the tournament’s major sponsors Taubmans for their continued support as well as support sponsors Brian Bell and Arnott’s and all the other organisations that provided support in kind – House of Gemini, Head Australia, Steel Industries, TNT Air Cargo, Guard Dog Security, WR Carpenter and Johnston’s Pharmacies.

Hunter retains Australian Masters title

Derek Hunter retained his Australian Masters Title for the second year in a row at Australian Masters Squash Championships on the Gold Coast last week. Hunter won the title for the first time in 2002 in Tasmania in his first year in the Masters division. In the 2003 event Hunter was only really challenged in the final where he dropped one game to Alistair McCray of Brisbane. The game was a marathon four set game that lasted in excess of ninety minutes. This was the last overseas event for Hunter before he takes a 6 month break from the game. That break will take place after the Port Moresby Open Championships this weekend.   

Hunter takes out 3rd place in World Masters

Derek Hunter returned home to PNG with a bronze medal from the of the 2003 World Masters Squash Championships where he competed in the Over 35 Years division . The competition was held in the city of Espoo in Finland. Any apprehension of playing squash in the chilly climate of a country that is situated next to the North Pole was short lived. The tournament was held in a week when Europe experienced one of the most severe heat waves in years in decades. The climate was not much different to playing on a balmy afternoon in Port Moresby.

Approximately 60 players competed in the Over 35 years division and the event was played in a knockout format. Hunter comfortably cruised through the early rounds. Hunter's first major hurdle was against local hero Hanni Elopuri, a former member of the Finnish team on the all-glass court in front of parochial Finnish crowd. After a nervous start Hunter came back from 8-3 down in the first game to win the game and the following two games to secure the match. The biggest hurdle was yet to come - No1 seed Craig van der Wath of South Africa in the semi-final. Van der Wath was the defending champion and had looked very impressive in his early games. The games was played at a frenetic pace, however Van der Wath was too consistent and took out the match 3-0. Van der Wath went on to win the title after defeating his fellow countryman in the final. Hunter defeated the his Canadian opponent in the third place play-off. Medals were awarded by squash legend and World Squash Federation President - Jahangir Khan.

Port Moresby Open Preparations Begin 

The Port Moresby Squash Club will be hosting the Port Moresby Squash Open over the weekend of the 19th to 21st September. Players from all over Papua New Guinea are invited to attend this event which will be held at the courts at Taurama, Port Moresby. Entry forms are being forwarded to all clubs and following the record number of entries at the PNG Open held earlier this year a good turnout is expected. Most of the gold medal winning PNG Squash Team will be playing in the event. A disco will be held on the Saturday night and a presentation on Sunday afternoon. Billets are available for visiting players.

Entries will close on Wednesday 17th September. Please get your entries in as early as possible to help the organisers. Entries can be submitted by fax 325 3028 or by email speedy@daltron.com.pg or leave your entry with the staff at the club. Entry fees are K25 for senior events, K10 for junior events and K15 for a second event (max two events). Entry fees are to be paid on the weekend but prior to the first match. 

First match times will be available from 12pm on Friday. Either drop by the club or phone 325 5725 to get the time of your first match.  

Squash's Clean Sweep (Story courtesy of Martin Liri - Post Courier)

PAPUA New Guinea completed a clean sweep in squash as our top seeds Derek Hunter and Naluge Guy picked up their first South Pacific Games gold medals in the singles on Friday.
Earlier in the week, PNG won gold in both the men’s and women’s team events. And Scott Evans and Imong Brooksbank capped off PNG’s impressive medal hunt with a bronze apiece to bring our tally in squash to four gold and two bronze.
Friday’s win further stamped PNG’s authority as the champions in squash at the South Pacific Games.
Hunter defeated Emrick Delaveuve of New Caledonia in straight sets, 9-1, 9-3, 9-0. In the women’s decider, Guy knocked off her Cook islands opponent Tepua Russell just as easily, winning in straight sets, 9-3, 9-2, 9-1.
“It was a big relief,” Hunter said after the win.“When people expect you to win, it puts a lot of pressure on you. So when you win, it’s a big relief,’’ Hunter said. The result was always a foregone conclusion when Hunter, who had not dropped a game throughout the tournament, easily won the opening set 9-1.
Hunter always looked a class above his Caledonian opponent and made it look all so easy.
“It looked easy but it was tough,’’ Hunter said. And it was just a matter of how quickly he would end the contest.
The left-handed Hunter won the second set 9-3 before completing the whitewash with a 9-0 drubbing in the third set.
Hunter said Emrick was a good player and played some good shots but “he doesn’t persevere’’.
Champion women’s player Naluge Guy said she was very pleased about her win.
“Oh yes, very proud, I wanted to win here,’’ she said. Twelve years ago when she was a C-grade player, Naluge went and watched the final between Fiji and PNG at the 1991 SP Games in Port Moresby. “I wanted to be like them,’’ Naluge recalled. “They were moving so fast and I was wondering how they were so fast.” “I was only a lower grade player so I was slow at the time, she said.
But Naluge has since graduated to the elite level and has gone from strength to strength since. She has competed in many international events but Fiji was her first SP Games.
In the bronze games, PNG proved too strong for Fiji with Evans defeating Warren Yee 3-2, 9-5, 1-9, 9-5, 5-9, 9-7 in the men’s and Brooksbank shocking Fiji’s No. 1 W. Samat in straight sets in the women’s. Damien Tam beat New Caledonian Laurent Guepy 3-2, 9-3, 8-10, 9-2, 1-9, 9-6.

Squash on target (Story courtesy of Martin Liri - Post Courier)

PAPUA New Guinea squash, gunning for four gold medals, is on target with its preparations for the South Pacific Games.
Team manager Paul Speedy said he was pleased with the effort and progress of the team with vital tournaments squeezed in to ensure players get appropriate match practice.
He was speaking after the Trukai PNG SP Games Squash Team fund was bolstered by K2000 – thanks to a generous donation by Pacific Rim Plantations Ltd.
Acting group general manager Mike Scott said he was pleased PACRIM could offer such support to the squash team, with PACRIM employee Scott Evans No 2 in the men’s team.
Evans hoped this kind of assistance would encourage others within the Group (which employs 6000 workers at their three Oil Palm Plantations in Popondetta, Alotau and Kavieng) to strive for similar representative honours. 
Other sponsors who have made contributions in addition to the team’s major sponsor Trukai are TNT Air Cargo, National No. 1 and Sigri Coffee, Coca-Cola Amatil, Lae Biscuit Company, Street Scene, PC 2000 and Fletcher Morobe. Speedy said most of the members came together in Port Moresby during the Queen’s birthday weekend for squad training and competitions.
Another squad training weekend is set for June 13-15, where a mini round-robin tournament will be held at the Boroko Squash courts in Port Moresby. 
Squash cleaned up the medals at the 1991 SP Games in Port Moresby and Speedy’s team is working hard to emulate that performance. 

Making squash tick (Story courtesy of Christine Banian - The National)

Meet the Trukai PNG squash team that will be in the thick of things come June 28 when the 12th South Pacific Games kicks off in Suva, Fiji.
The team of 10 athletes boasts players in the calibre of reigning South Pacific champion Naluge Guy and PNG men's No. 1 seed Derek Hunter.
Squash did not take part in the last South Pacific Games in Guam but showed their worth at the 2001 Mini South Pacific Games in the Norfolk Islands when it returned home with four gold and one bronze medal.
The gold medal winners were Guy and Hunter in the individual events and the men and women separately in the team events. Damien Tam bagged the bronze in another individual event.
The full PNG team is Guy, Imong Brooksbank, Barbara Stubbings, Brigith Matrus, Tina Yansom in the female division and Hunter, Scott Evans, Tam, Michael Rucklinger and Alan Tsang in the men's team.
Guy has been PNG's best ever-female player reaching a career high 53rd placing in the world. 
From Milne Bay Province this pint-sized young lady more than makes up for any lack in size with skill, speed and timing. 
She can hit the ball harder than most male players and currently plays at number 1 position in the men's A Grade competition in Port Moresby. 
Guy has been named SP Sportswomen of the year on three occasions and has won numerous titles both in PNG and overseas. 
She is the reigning South Pacific Champion - a title that she has held for the last six years. 
Brooksbank is one of the senior members of the team and has been a member of PNG gold winning team ever since the 1991 SP Games in PNG. 
She has represented PNG on eight occasions at major events including the SPG, Arafura Games and Oceania Cup over a 12-year period.
She relies on her deft touch to outwit her younger opponents. 
She currently resides in Kuranda just outside of Cairns where she plays and is one of the strongest players in the local Cairns competition. 
She is currently ranked second in PNG. 
Stubbings, until recently was better known for her prowess on the netball court rather than the squash court. 
She represented PNG on numerous occasions in netball before trying her hand at squash. 
Her excellent eye-hand co-ordination and speed around the court helped her to make rapid improvements in the early stages of her squash career. She was playing as a number 2 player in the men's A Grade competition in Port Moresby before her recent move to Brisbane. 
She collected a PNG team gold medal at the 2001 Mini Games in Norfolk Island and is the number three-ranked player.
Matrus is Lae's sole representative in the travelling side to Fiji. 
She has been selected as part of a senior PNG team for the first time in her squash career after dominating the PNG junior ranks for a number of years. 
Despite the lack of female competition in Lae she is training hard under the guidance of dedicated squash coach and administrator, Murray Fletcher. 
Her aim is to help the PNG Ladies team bring back the gold medal from Fiji. 
Yansom, known affectionately by team members as Mamma T, is another senior member who has had a lot experience representing PNG. 
She has been part of the gold medal winning PNG team at the 2001 Norfolk Island Mini Games, 1999 Oceania Cup in New Caledonia, 1997 Oceania Cup in Cook Islands, 1995 Arafura Games in Darwin and the 1993 South Pacific Cup in Fiji. 
From the men's team, Hunter has lived in PNG for the last 10 years and has represented the national side at numerous events over this period including the Arafura, Mini SP, Oceania Cup and the Commonwealth games. 
He is the reigning PNG and South Pacific Champion and is PNG's number one player. 
He has only been defeated once on PNG soil over the past decade by former world number 14 Austin Adarraga of Australia in the 2001 PNG Open. 
Scott hails originally from New Zealand but is now more at home on the island of Buka where he spends his holidays away from work with his wife Wendie and their four children. 
He is currently based at the Higaturu Oil Palm plantation in Popondetta where he has almost exclusive access to the single squash court. 
Scott has been a member of the gold medal winning team performances at the 2001 mini SP, 1999 Arafura, 1997 Oceania Cup and 1995 Arafura games. 
This is likely to be Scott's last time as a representative in the PNG Team which will make him extra determined to help the team bring home the gold medal.
Tam has been a regular member of the PNG Team through both the junior and senior ranks including trips to both Kuala Lumpur and Manchester for the Commonwealth Games. 
He picked up the individual bronze medal at the 2001 South Pacific Mini Games in Norfolk Island and would like to go at least two better in the individual event as well as making a contribution to the team performance. Damien was the 2002 PNG Open Champion. 
Michael Rucklinger is the face of the future for PNG Squash. He impressed everyone with his win in the 2002 Australian Junior Championships in the 14-year age group. 
He will be the youngest player ever to represent PNG in a senior team and has been nominated by the PNG Squash Rackets Federation for the SP Junior Sportsman of the Year. 
Michael lives in Mt Hagen where he is now the best player by far. 
He has landed sponsorship deals with Head Australia to market rackets, clothing, shoes and bags as well as the National No1 Tea and Sigri Coffee.
His sponsors will ensure his travels and expenses to tournaments within PNG and overseas are generously met. 
Alan Tsang is the most senior and experienced player in the PNG Team. His proudest moment was winning the individual gold medal at the 1991 South Pacific Games in front of a home crowd. 
He was also a member of the gold medal winning team at the same event. He has won the PNG Open title and represented PNG on numerous occasions. 
After playing squash on a casual basis over the last few years he decided to knuckle down and train hard for one last big effort at representing PNG. 
He secured a place in the PNG team following his performance at the recent PNG Open Championships where he displayed his trademark never-say-die attitude. The PNG Team has adopted his motto in their quest in Fiji.
The management team includes Fiona Pryke as the manager.
Fiona has been actively involved on the committee of the Port Moresby Squash Club for a number of years. 
The team coach is Paul Speedy who has taken over from the late Phil Cridge as PNG Squash Rackets Federation president and the manager/coach of many of the representative teams in the last few years. 
After a successful career as a player he has taken to the managerial and coaching role like a duck to water and is one of the reasons that the PNGSRF has been able to meet the deadlines and requirements of the PNG Sports Federation. 

Federation Cup postponed

The Federation Cup which was originally scheduled to be played in Mt Hagen over the weekend of the 2nd to 4th of May has been postponed due to difficulty with some provinces in fielding full strength teams.

The Cup will now be played in Goroka over the weekend of the 22nd to 24th August. The Bird of Paradise Hotel will host the event. It is expected that playing the event in Goroka will increase the participation level as clubs such Madang, Lae and Mt Hagen will have the option driving rather than flying.

Teams from Port Moresby, Lae, Mt Hagen, Madang, Goroka and the Air Niugini Squash Association are expected to attend.

For more information about the event please contact President of the PNG Squash Rackets Federation - Paul Speedy - on speedy@daltron.com.pg 

Tsang answers challenge to take his place on Trukai PNG Squash Team 

Experienced campaigner Alan Tsang fought off a challenge to cement his place on the Trukai PNG Squash Team to the South Pacific Games in Fiji. Tsang was forced to defend his position after an appeal by Port Moresby based player Joe Yaminao was lodged with the PNG Squash Rackets Federation Selection Committee. The Committee accepted Yaminao's appeal after it was decided the results from the recent PNG Open did not provide him with a chance at playing off for the final position in the team, despite being beaten 3-0 by number four player in the team, Michael Rucklinger from Mt Hagen. 

Tsang and Yaminao played the challenge match at the Port Moresby Squash Club on Thursday 10th of April. Tsang started strongly in the first game taking a 5-0 lead before Yaminao fought his way back into the game. Yaminao worked his way to be 8-6 up and serving for the game. Tsang showed his trademark gritty determination to fight back and win the first game 10-8. He then won the second game comfortably 9-1 with Yaminao offering little resistance. Realising this was his last chance, Yaminao came out firing in the third game to take a 5-0 lead. Tsang then knuckled down and took advantage of mistakes made by his tiring opponent to claim the game and the match 9-5. If Tsang had lost to Yaminao another playoff would have been required between Yaminao and the other non-travelling reserve, Sean Topeyava of Lae. However, Tsang had already beaten Topeyava in the recent PNG Open Selection Event.

The team is continuing its preparation for the Games with a variety of lead-up events. Michael Rucklinger of Mt Hagen is currently spending time in Popondetta training with number two Mens Player Scott Evans who is based at Higaturu Oil Palm. The two players will then travel to Port Moresby over the Easter weekend for further training with the Port Moresby based players. Brigith Matrus from Lae will travel to Port Moresby a week later to train with the Port Moresby based ladies team. All the PNG based players will travel to Mt Hagen on the weekend of the 3rd & 4th of May to play in the inter-provincial Federation Cup. Naluge Guy and Derek Hunter will travel to the Arafura Games in mid May to give them some much needed match practice which will supplement their current training. They are expected to come up against tougher opposition in Darwin than they are likely to meet in Fiji. 

The team will be holding a fundraising 'Mexican' night at the Port Moresby Squash Club on Saturday 24th May for all those who would like to have a fun night out while supporting the Trukai PNG Squash Team. Tickets which are available from the Port Moresby Squash Club are K75 and include a complimentary drink on arrival, full Mexican dinner and limited beer and table wine during the night. 

Trukai joins squash team (Story courtesy of Christine Banian - The National)

RICE manufacturer Trukai Industries will sponsor the PNG squash team to this year's South Pacific Games.
Confirmation on the sponsorship was announced in Port Moresby yesterday. The team will now be known as the PNG Trukai squash team.
Trukai sponsorship coordinator Elizah Bernard told reporters: "We believe that through athletes such as Derek Hunter and Naluge Guy, PNG stands a very good chance of winning gold medals in squash at the South Pacific Games."
Bernard did not disclose the amount of the sponsorship.
The sponsorship is over and above Trukai's current commitment to the PNG Sports Federation and Sports Commission. 
The commitments include bodybuilding, weightlifting, powerlifting, Trukai fun run, Prime Minister's Corporate Golf Challenge, Prime Minister's Charity Walk and Trukai Sports Youth Leadership program.
PNG's No.1 male seed Derek Hunter, who was present during the announcement, thanked Trukai for their support.
"It makes our job of raising the funds to cover our levies, cover our training cost, uniforms and others a lot more easy to bear.
"It's quite a considerable cost involved in sending the team over to Fiji, and this will definitely help."
Hunter explained that squash had a number of self-fundraising efforts and squash also has a number of minor sponsors beside their major one Trukai. 
Squash has already announced its 12-member team to represent PNG at the games.
The final team was announced by the Selection Committee straight after the 2003 Arnott's and Sharp PNG Open Squash Championships held in Port Moresby last month.
The ladies team comprises Naluge Guy (Port Moresby), Imong Brooksbank (Cairns), Barbara Stubbings (Brisbane), Brigith Matrus (Lae) and Tina Yansom (Port Moresby).
Male representatives include Derek Hunter (Port Moresby), Scott Evans (Popondetta), Damien Tam (Port Moresby), Michael Rucklinger (Mt Hagen) and Alan Tsang (Port Moresby).
Hunter explained that a fifth female player was subject to a play-off match between Tina Yansom (Port Moresby) and Deanna Dawanincurra (Port Moresby) in which Yansom won.
For the men's team, Hunter said: "We actually have another play-off; we had an appeal from one of the players. 
"A play-off is being organised tomorrow (Thursday) evening to find out if this case will go further and whether it will be settled by that play-off.
"That's between Joe Yaminao and Allan Tsang."
Apart from that, the team is gearing up for the SP Games with Guy and Hunter standing very good chances of bagging gold for PNG.
"In the team events we have a good chance winning gold but it won't be an easy task.
"New Caledonia will be the prime competition, Fiji will be up there but New Caledonia will be the ones to beat." 

Yansom wins playoff

Tina Yansom yesterday won the playoff match with Deanna Dawanincurra for the final spot in the PNG Squash Team. The match was required because the results from the recent PNG Open Championships, which were the selection event for the team, were inconclusive. Yansom took out the match three games to love 9-5 9-1 9-5. Dawanincurra has been named as a non-travelling reserve.

The final team for the games is:

Men - Derek Hunter, Scott Evans, Damien Tam, Michael Rucklinger, Alan Tsang

Ladies - Naluge Guy, Imong Brooksbank, Barbara Stubbings, Brigith Matrus, Tina Yansom

Officials - Paul Speedy, Fiona Pryke

Non Travelling Reserves - Sean Topeyava, Joe Yaminao, Deanna Dawanincurra

Squash names team (Story courtesy of Martin Liri - Post Courier)

TEENAGER Michael Rucklinger was given an early 15th birthday present yesterday when he was named in the Papua New Guinea squash team to the South Pacific Games in Suva, Fiji later this year.
Rucklinger, who represented Mount Hagen at the 2003 PNG Open squash championships in Port Moresby at the weekend, will turn 15 on April 1.
The day is considered a fool’s day, but for Rucklinger it will be his birthday and 14 days into solid training for the SP Games.
“I feel great,” Rucklinger said about his selection.
Of Austrian and Manus parentage, he becomes the youngest player to represent PNG in an Open tournament such as the SP Games.
But Rucklinger, who started to taste success last year when he won the Under 14 Australian title, was not surprised with his selection.
“I was confident, but (now) I have to work harder on fitness and my racquet skills.” 
Rucklinger, was pitted in the men’s Open championship against players two to three times his age. The youngster fought hard but faltered against the might of eventual PNG champion Derek Hunter in the quarter-final. He had earlier defeated rival squad members Alan Tsang and Sean Topeyava, three games to nil.
The efforts paid off with Rucklinger’s selection, an important part of PNG’s aspiration to emulate 1991 when squash made a clean sweep winning all the gold medals on offer. He joins Hunter, Scott Evans, Damien Tam and Allan Tsang, 1991 individual gold medallist.
PNG Open women’s champion Naluge Guy, Cairns-based Imong Brooksbank, Barbara Stubbings (Brisbane) and Lae’s Brigith Matrus form the women’s team. Selectors said the fifth member would be decided between Port Moresby’s Tina Yansom and Deanna Dawanincura within the next 14 days.
All were required to compete in the PNG Open in order to be considered for selection. However, the team is subject to endorsement from the PNG Sports Federation Justification Committee.
Players not named, who feel they have been unfairly omitted have the right to appeal to the PNG Squash Racquets Federation within 14 days of the official team announcement. A squash federation statement welcomed the new faces, Rucklinger and Matrus, and old hand Tsang back.
“Michael Rucklinger is a potential champion of the future.” 
Matrus is a former PNG junior champion, who graduated into the senior ranks with convincing wins over Yansom and Dawanincura.
She also gave PNG Open semi-finalist Stubbings a scare, winning the first game before succumbing three games to one in the women’s closed semi-final. 
PNG squash enjoyed recent success when they won four gold medals and a bronze at the 2001 SP Mini Games in Norfolk Islands. 
All PNG-based players meet in Port Moresby in April/May for an intensive week-long training camp. 
The Federation Cup, the inter-province teams event to be held in Mount Hagen in May will also provide much-needed match practice. Overseas tournaments will be subject to availability of funds.

Hunter, Guy win squash titles (Story courtesy of Martin Liri - Post Courier)

TOP seeds Derek Hunter and Naluge Guy lived up to expectations yesterday, winning the men’s and women’s titles respectively in the 2003 PNG Open squash championships in Port Moresby.
But Hunter and Guy, aided by the hot conditions and their superior skills, had to work hard in the defence of their titles before claiming the top prizes in a tournament which was described as the biggest in 20 years.
Hunter, who doubled up in the three-day championships as a tournament organiser, said the event marked an excellent weekend during which the PNG squad for the South Pacific Games was exposed to solid hit-outs.
Hunter had to overcome his younger opponent, 20-year-old Queenslander Steven Finitsis 3-1 in the men’s final last night while Guy, earlier in the day, defeated Lisa Camilerri 3-1 for the women’s crown.
It wasn’t exactly a stroll in the park for Hunter who had to come back after losing the first game, 7-9 to Finitsis, who is ranked 31 in Australia and 216 in the world.
“You are always worried when you lose a game,” Hunter said after wrapping up the title.
Hunter took control in the second game, 9-1 and with the Queenslander dropping some crucial points as the heat took its toil, pushed on to win 9-2 and seal his rival’s fate with a another commanding 9-0 in the final set.
“I went alright,” Finitsis said about the first set “but he (Hunter) basically took over from there because he is used to the conditions.”
However, he gave credit where it was due, adding that Hunter deserved his win because “he is a very good player”.
“He dominated the T and pushed me around.”
Hunter, who had the benefit of match fitness after a recent tournament in Brisbane, called on his experience and knowledge of the Port Moresby squash courts and admitted that the game was not over until the last shot. “It was very hard work. But I’m used to it (the hot conditions).”
“Absolutely,” he said when asked about the top quality competition he received from Finitsis, which was a bonus to his preparations for the SP Games in June in Suva, Fiji.
Finitsis had to eliminate PNG players — Lae’s Sean Topeyava in the quarter-final and Scott Evans in the semi-finals — to set up the meeting with Hunter.
The PNG No.1 had to get past 14-year-old Michael Rucklinger of Mt Hagen in the quarter-final and Queenslander Marc Forester in the semi-final.
Guy, who was playing her first overseas opponent at home, admitted that the Queenslander pushed her hard.
Starting off too hard and winning the first two sets cost her dearly when she dropped the third set to her rival when fatigue started to overtake her.
She won the opening games, 9-2, 9-6 before Camilerri won the third 2-9. 
“But I was able to hang in there, plus I had the advantage of the climate,” Guy said referring to the last game which she won 9-5.
The tournament, which started on Friday attracted players — both juniors and seniors — from Port Moresby squash club, Holiday Inn, Aviat, Mt Hagen, Lae, Madang, Lae, Cairns and Queensland.