Cayman team seeks glory in squash championship

| 08/08/2011

(CNS): The 2011 edition of the Senior Caribbean Squash Championships commences on Monday, 8 August, with eleven teams set to take their chances for podium glory. The competition is to last three days for the individuals and then three days for the most patriotic stage of the tournament—the team event.  Cayman will be represented by 14 individuals for singles event. In the Men’s and Women’s divisions, Guyanese players Richard Chin and Nicolette Fernandes are predicted to take the gold whilst Cayman’s elite duo, Cameron Stafford (left) and Marlene West, are ranked third in the Men’s Division seeded fourth in the Women’s Division respectively.

In 2009, the Cayman Islands hosted the same event and managed to pull through with placing second overall. The team bagged 1st place in the Veterans division over Barbados, finished 2nd in the Women’s division behind Trinidad & Tobago in a nail-biting final and the men’s side managed to squeeze past Jamaica for the bronze.

Although Cayman is expected to come home with the gold this year on home turf, three key players are unavailable for this year’s championship. Mark Chaloner, a resident of the Cayman Islands and former World #7 on the Professional Men’s Circuit, was deemed ineligible to play this year. CASA (the executive board of Caribbean Squash) had discovered that Chaloner did not satisfy tournament regulations for participation due to the fact that he has not lived in the Cayman Islands for four consecutive years. Caroline Heal, Islands Games Gold Medallist, is off-island for the event and had other important obligations to complete; lastly Jackie Ridgeway, Silver Medallist at the Island Games is away in South Africa and could not take part as well due to other personal obligations. Although the Cayman side is lacking three key players, they are, nonetheless predicted to come home with Gold in the Men’s, Women’s and Vet’s side respectively.

The Cayman side is being led by national coach Glenn Stark—one of the most experienced and successful squash coaches the squash world has seen. With the Men’s and Women’s and Vet’s sides being spearheaded by Cameron Stafford and Marlene West and John Macrury, the chances for Gold are limitless. The Women’s side is equipped with an arsenal of experienced players: Marlene West is ranked #80 on the Women’s Professional Circuit; Alison Strobridge is a seasoned veteran; Chantelle Day is a former Caribbean U19 Junior Champion and a former Commonwealth Games’ team player; Samantha Hennings is a former Caribbean U17 Junior Champion and a valiant team player who usually pulls the upsets in the Team Events; and Eilidh Bridgeman is the team captain of the Junior Girls’ Team that brought home the Bronze Medal from Guyana in July. 

 

 

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  1. Shelly Ebanks says:

    I hope Alison pulls through today against her Bajan Opponent!

  2. Anonymous says:

    cool

  3. Anonymous says:

    Go team Cayman!