Teams Event Finalists Found

The top two seeds in the mens and womens teams event have progressed safely to the finals.

Home-town favourites Auckland have made their way safely to the final of both Inter District Teams Events at Royal Oak Racquets Club overnight.  The womens' team eased past Canterbury 3/1, with their only loss at number one.  However, even then top junior Ellie Epke impressed in pushing world number 46 Megan Craig to the wire.  Their opponents in the final will be Bay of Plenty, who dispatched Northland with a minimum of fuss.

The Auckland mens' team beat Bay of Plenty 3/1, with a good win for Jamie Skiffington over Jonathon Gallacher at number four the only blot on the Aucklanders' copysheet.  Their opponents in the decider will be Canterbury, who beat Central 3/1 in a monster clash.  The highlight was Paul Coll avenging his loss to Kashif Shuja in the third place playoff in the individual championships with a clinical 3/0 victory.

Womens’ Semi-finals

Auckland beat Canterbury 3/1
Ellie Epke lost to Megan Craig 5-11 8-11 11-9 11-13
Kerry Wickett beat Emma Sim 11-7 11-7 11-7
Abbie Palmer beat Jacquie Kingi 11-2 11-4 11-5
Hayley Hughes beat Carla Campbell 11-7 11-7 11-7

Bay of Plenty beat Northland 4/0
Amanda Landers-Murphy beat Trina Moore 11-7 11-5 11-8
Jo Shanks beat Sacha Pou-Tito 11-5 16-14 11-2
Vicki Beker beat Michelle Heron 11-7 8-11 11-7 11-9
Becky Clarke beat Jacinta Matson 9-11 11-4 11-3 11-3

Mens’ Semi-finals

Auckland beat Bay of Plenty 3/1
Campbell Grayson beat Matiu Te Kani-McQueen 11-5 11-2 11-5
Lance Beddoes beat Ben Grindrod 11-7 11-7 11-4
Michael Sunderland beat Eugene Black 11-6 11-9 11-8
Jonathon Gallacher lost to Jamie Skiffington 11-7 12-10 11-9

Canterbury beat Central 3/1
Paul Coll beat Kashif Shuja 11-8 11-6 11-5
Chris van der Salm beat Joseph Watts 11-7 10-12 12-10 4-11 12-10
Jonny Barnett beat Matt Nation 10-12 12-10 12-10 11-6
Andrew Ellis lost to Tom Nash 9-11 11-2 6-11 11-8 11-6