Lae squash shifts open date forward

By MARJORIE FINKEO
THE squash competition in Lae has been disrupted because of the Apec meeting in November, says Lae Squash and Racquets Association captain Graeme Gangloff.
Gangloff said traditionally the Lae Open was held in November, however due to the Apec and the activity in Port Moresby, “We have decided to bring it forward to this week so the competitors from Port Moresby ccould take part.”
Gangloff said the competition would start on Friday and end on Sunday at the Chinese Club in Eriku.
He said seven players would be heading down from the Mt Hagen Squash Club, one player would drive across from Madang, plus one from Kokopo and two players from Kimbe, who would be flying over to the Morobe capital.
“We’ve also got 19 players from Port Moresby who have registered so far, while the rest of the players will come from Lae.”
Gangloff said in the women’s open division because they were not able to attract any top seeded females aside from Cairns junior Catlin Porter.
Locally Phyonna Gangloff and Olding Suari were the number one and two ranked females.
The divisions that would be competed in are: mixed open, women’s open, B and C grade; junior divisions: U18 men and women, U12 mixed division.
An exhibition doubles tournament will also be staged concurrently with the open.
The open’s sponsors include Anderson’s Foodland, Pelgen’s Small Goods, Credit Corporation, Reca Engineering, NCI, Swire Shipping, NKW and Gangloff Consulting Bank South Pacific, Lae Sport Store and Impact Signage.
“The Lae Open is not a team event, it is an individual event and everyone’s playing for themselves, but obviously they are representing their local clubs,” Gangloff clarified.
He said Lae squash had a great junior programme currently underway, which was headed by Phyonna Gangloff who is the club’s junior coordinator.