Seeding predictions were fulfilled in both the Oceania Junior U19 Squash Championships and European Junior U19 Squash Championships when youngsters from the two World Squash Federation regions came together to do battle in New Zealand and Portugal, respectively.
There were home successes in both the men’s and women’s championships in Auckland where Finn Trimble survived a surprise all-New Zealand men’s final to beat third seed Quinn Udy 11-1, 11-8, 11-0 – and Kaitlyn Watts beat Australian Alexandra Haydon 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 to take the other title at Henderson Squash Club.
The European individual championships in Lisbon saw England lose their grip on the two titles. Victor Crouin battled for 56 minutes to see off England’s No.2 seed Kyle Finch 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-8 in the men’s final at Lisboa Racket Centre to become the fourth Frenchman to claim the title – but the first for seven years.
The other final produced the first ever Spanish women’s champion when Madrid-based Cristina Gomez despatched England’s Elise Lazarus 11-9, 12-10, 11-1 to come through the event without dropping a game.
However, it was a 31st triumph since the inaugural championship in 1984 – and the eighth in a row – for the top seeds in the European U19 Team Championship final where England defeated surprise finalists Spain 2/0.
Czech Republic celebrated bronze medal success to achieve their best finish since 2011, while Norway recorded a best-ever 14th-place finish.
RESULTS: Oceania Junior U19 Squash Championships, Auckland, New Zealand
Men’s quarter-finals:
[1] Finn Trimble (NZL) bt [6] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6
[5] Mitchell Kempton (NZL) bt [4] Lachlan Coxsedge (AUS) 8-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 15-13
[3] Quinn Udy (NZL) bt [7] Nicholas Calvert (AUS) 11-9, 11-9, 2-11, 11-7
[2] Caleb Johnson (AUS) bt [8] Rafa Yam (NZL) 11-4, 11-4, 11-5
Semi-finals:
[1] Finn Trimble (NZL) bt [5] Mitchell Kempton (NZL) 11-5, 11-7, 11-6
[3] Quinn Udy (NZL) bt [2] Caleb Johnson (AUS) 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 14-12
Final:
[1] Finn Trimble (NZL) bt [3] Quinn Udy (NZL) 11-1, 11-8, 11-0
Women’s quarter-finals:
[1] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) bt Winona-Jo Joyce (NZL) 11-2, 11-4, 11-3
[4] Nadia Hubbard (NZL) bt [5] Ellie Jones (AUS) 11-2, 11-13, 11-9, 3-11, 11-8
[3] Anika Jackson (NZL) bt [7] Camden Te Kani-Mcqueen (NZL) 9-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7
[2] Alexandra Haydon (AUS) bt [8] Courtney Mather (AUS) 11-6, 11-1, 11-2
Semi-finals:
[1] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) bt [4] Nadia Hubbard (NZL) 11-7, 11-2, 11-7
[2] Alexandra Haydon (AUS) bt [3] Anika Jackson (NZL) 11-7, 11-8, 11-9
Final:
[1] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) bt [2] Alexandra Haydon (AUS) 11-8, 11-8, 11-4
RESULTS: European Junior U19 Squash Championships, Lisbon, Portugal
Men’s quarter-finals:
[1] Victor Crouin (FRA) bt [9/16] Harry Falconer (ENG) 8-11, 11-3, 16-14, 11-2 (54m)
[5/8] Roman Allinckx (SUI) bt [3/4] Charlie Lee (ENG) 11-7, 4-11, 11-7, 3-11, 11-9 (59m)
[5/8] Tom Walsh (ENG) bt [3/4] David Zeman (CZE) 11-8, 11-2, 11-5 (33m)
[2] Kyle Finch (ENG) bt [5/8] Nilo Vidal (ESP) 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 (23m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Victor Crouin (FRA) bt [5/8] Roman Allinckx (SUI) 12-10, 11-3, 11-7 (40m)
[2] Kyle Finch (ENG) bt [5/8] Tom Walsh (ENG) 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 10-12, 11-5 (64m)
Final:
[1] Victor Crouin (FRA) bt [2] Kyle Finch (ENG) 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-8 (56m)
Women’s quarter-finals:
[1] Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt [5/8] Fanny Segers (FRA) 11-5, 11-3, 11-2 (16m)
[3/4] Elise Lazarus (ENG) bt [9/16] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 (25m)
[3/4] Céline Walser (SUI) bt [5/8] Kristýna Fialová (CZE) 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 (18m)
[2] Cristina Gomez (ESP) bt [9/16] Grace Gear (ENG) 11-2, 11-4, 11-3 (20m)
Semi-finals:
[3/4] Elise Lazarus (ENG) bt [1] Lucy Turmel (ENG) 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 (44m)
[2] Cristina Gomez (ESP) bt [3/4] Céline Walser (SUI) 11-3, 11-6, 11-1 (21m)
Final:
[2] Cristina Gomez (ESP) bt [3/4] Elise Lazarus (ENG) 11-9, 12-10, 11-1 (36m)
Mixed Team Championship semi-finals:
[1] ENGLAND bt [4] CZECH REPUBLIC 2/0
[5] SPAIN bt [2] SWITZERLAND 2/1
Final:
[1] ENGLAND bt [5] SPAIN 2/0 (Kyle Finch bt Nilo Vidal 11-6, 11-6, 11-5; Charlie Lee bt Sergio Garcia Pollan 11-8, 11-4, 11-4)
Bronze medal play-off:
[4] CZECH REPUBLIC bt [2] SWITZERLAND 2/0 (Viktor Byrtus bt Roman Allinckx 11-6, 11-5, 11-4; David Zeman bt Nils Roesch 12-10, 13-11, 11-9)