Jersey Squash have announced their team line-up for the Orkney Island Games, with Matthew Boote, Antony Harkin, Beth Garton, Will Turpin, Amelie Turpin and Susan Turpin (team manager and Ladies reserve) hoping to turn Silver into Gold in the Team Event.
The team selected blends both experience and youth, with three players having played in the 2019 Gibraltar Island Games event and two players, under the age of 20, included in the team.
Jersey have had success in previous games, winning a Silver Medal in the 2019 Team event and a Bronze Medal in the Men’s Doubles event.
Team manager Susan Turpin said: “It’s fantastic to see squash return to this year’s Island Games event. It’s unique and so special for the squash competitors to compete in multi-sports, community events, such as the Island Games.”
“The squash playing schedule includes Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles and a Team event, so it’s six full days of squash. We have some talented young players in the team, who will gain invaluable experience from competing in the Games.”
“We expect a high level of competition from other islands, as it’s now six years since we all last competed and the players involved will likely have changed significantly. The team are all training hard and hoping to achieve great success for Jersey Squash at this year’s Games.”
Matthew Boote, current Island Men’s Squash Champion and former top ten South African National player, will be spearheading the Men’s Team. This will be Matthew’s first time playing in the event and he will provide an unknown level of competition for his opponents.
Antony Harkin, who played in the 2019 Island Games in Gibraltar, winning a Bronze Medal in the Men’s Doubles and a Silver Medal in the team event, will play the singles and pair up with Matthew Boote for the doubles event.
Will Turpin (17) has secured the third slot in the team and will play in both the Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles events. This season Will has won both the Dorset County Under-19s and Island Junior Championships.
The Island Games is a great opportunity for Will, who is a very promising upcoming talent for Jersey Squash. Will sits his A-levels this summer, so it’s a case of “study hard, train hard” before the Island Games event, before starting university in September.
In the Ladies Team, Beth Garton, now an astrophysics PhD student at Liverpool John Moores University, will be hoping to improve on her fantastic 4th-place finish in the Ladies Singles at the 2019 Island Games and secure a place on the podium.
Amelie Turpin (19) takes the second slot in the Ladies Team. Amelie is a second-year mathematics student at Bath University and the current Ladies Island Squash Champion.
Amelie will pair up with Beth for the Ladies Doubles event and will also team up with her brother Will for the Mixed Doubles event. Amelie and Will have regularly trained together as juniors and have a good understanding of each other’s game, it could be a successful pairing for years to come.
Susan Turpin, mother of Amelie and Will, is travelling as squash team manager, but will also be on stand-by as a Ladies reserve player.
The team is very appreciative of sponsorship towards travel costs and playing kit provided by Axis Mason and Colin Smith Partnership (CSP).
The Director of Axis Mason, Malcom Pitt, stated: “Axis Mason (and Colin Smith Partnership) are proud to be supporting the Jersey Squash team at this summer’s Island Games in Orkney.
“As sponsors for the squash team, we’re delighted to back local talent and be part of a sporting event that celebrates teamwork, dedication, and Island pride.
“Best of luck to the whole squad – we’ll be cheering you on!”
