HELD over four days, the 47th Jersey Squash Festival proved to be a monumental success, attracting 40 teams of five or more players across five competitive divisions.
Participants and spectators alike revelled in not just the high-stakes matches, but also the vibrant atmosphere that has made the annual festival a beloved fixture in the British squash community.
Liz Casely, the Jersey Squash and Racketball Club’s vice-president, said: “Not only was this even massively successful for the club, but for me personally it was really memorable.
“It’s a really unique event and the feedback we’ve received has been amazing.”
In addition to the squash, attendees enjoyed live music, a fully stocked bar and catered food, creating a festive environment that kept spirits high throughout the event.
Local players and teams from afar showcased their skills and fair play, while the camaraderie fostered by the festival brought everyone together.
Notably, and due in no small part to the event bringing around 200 tourists over to the Island for four days and nights, the event contributed “an estimated £125,000 to the local community”, according to Casely.
Ultimately, the festival culminated in a highly anticipated Division 1 clash between reigning champions Jersey and majority-professional outfit Horsham, who looked to extend their winning record to 21 titles.
First on the show-court was Jersey’s Stanley Tanguy against fellow Caesarean Scott Gautier, who has represented Horsham for a number of years now.
Tanguy got his team off to a flying start, earning a thoroughly deserved first-ever victory against his training partner in what team manager Ian Furness dubbed “the best win of his young career”.
Next up was the Jersey Squash and Racketball Club’s coach Antony Harkin.
With a familiar crowd behind him, Harkin strode onto court with confidence.
Given some words of wisdom to try to keep the rallies short, the local coach won the first game in the blink of an eye.
Unfortunately for the Jerseyman, his opposition, Alfie Laws, was able to acclimatise to his explosive play, growing stronger throughout the match, ultimately dispatching a wilting Harkin 3-1.
Following that loss, it was up to the charismatic Matt Boote to reignite the hopes of the enthusiastic crowd.
His match against professional Joe Green enthralled the audience and despite losing his first-ever match on Jersey soil, Boote’s efforts were well appreciated by his adoring local fans, keeping them in high spirits.
Best out of five, and two matches to one down, it was Charlie Griggs’s turn to step into the fray, knowing that he needed a favourable result to keep his team’s hopes alive.
It was Ronnie Hickling, the UK’s junior no. 3 and semi-finalist at the recent British Open, that stood in the his way.
Griggs started strong, winning the first game against his up-and-coming opponent, rekindling hopes of a Jersey victory.
Feeding off the energy of the onlookers, Griggs subsequently earned himself a game-ball opportunity to go 2-0 up and place Jersey right back into contention for the title.
Sadly, however, a controversial decision by the match referee went against the saviour-to-be, putting the wind into Hickling’s sail and blowing out all hopes of a deciding tie-break.
With the overall result decided, Jersey’s imported no. 1 seed, Will Salter, lost to Horsham’s Jack Mitterer in a dead rubber, meaning that Horsham had re-claimed the festival’s top plaudits 4-1.
With Salter ranked just outside of the top 150 worldwide, and Mitterer equally as talented, having represented England on multiple occasions, the clash was a thrilling spectacle.
Casely continued: “Obviously it’s disappointing to lose out in the final, but that doesn’t take away from the event as a whole.
“To me, the festival is really a proof of life for the club; not only do we have top-level players here, but also a phenomenal community surrounding us.
“Looking forward, we want to make everything here at the club bigger and better, especially with squash now heading for it’s Olympic debut.
“As a club, we would love to discuss corporate or other sponsorship opportunities so we can do exactly that.”
Following another successful iteration of the Jersey Squash Festival, Casely expressed her sincere gratitude to all who participated and contributed, promising that the event’s 48th outing would be just as, if not more, special.
