Cornwall Squash and Racketball

Dear All, this year’s County AGM will be held at Hendra Hall on Tuesday 19th July starting at 7pm. ALL WELCOME but at least one representative from each club is expected to attend. An agenda will be emailed out closer to the date but if you’d like to include an issue/topic/question and you are unable to attend in person please send it to me by July 12th latest. The evening will conclude back at TSLC with a pasty supper so it would be helpful to know in advance if you are attending. Looking forward we are hoping we can attract new teams to the leagues but we will have to return to player and team fees after our post covid free season. We will need to know which teams are entering by mid August latest. The Committee is looking for new members and it will need a new Chairman as I will be standing down after ten years of service to CCSRA. Let me know if interested. Hoping you can make it! Tony

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Jim Peyton from St Ives. Jim will be fondly remembered amongst the legends of Cornwall from the 80s and 90s. He played for the St Ives Club during the squash heydays after settling in Cornwall from Wiltshire. He became a regular in the county side and also played for Ireland O45s having been their national champion. Many will remember his tenacity on court and those unretrievable boasts just inches above the tin. A great competitor, Jim lost his fight to the big C….in a ‘tie break in the fifth’, you might say and will be sorely missed by family, friends and all of us from the squash community. His funeral will take place at Treswithian Downs Crematorium, Camborne on Monday 20th June at 2:30pm followed by a wake at West Cornwall Golf Club, Lelant. RIP Jim. 

Truro S&LC won the Pawle Cup 3-2 against holders Newquay, whilst BUDE SC turned the tables against the Pirates (3-2) by taking the Hine Plate. Both matches went down to the wire in the 5th and final rubbers, a very fitting climax to a great season – by all accounts the bash that followed was greatly appreciated! Many thanks of course to Huw and The Falmouth Club for hosting the event and to Terry Becket, CCSRA President, for presenting the trophies. For more on the finals go to the Pawle and Hine tab under events…..

Great news again for such a small county! Following the successes of our County Juniors and National Schools’ Champions Truro School, it’s now a big shout out for our O45s and O55s masters sides who both made it to the All England Inter-County Squash Finals at the Hallamshire Club, Sheffield at the weekend. The O55s beat Sussex in the quarters but didn’t fair so well against Surrey or Middlesex but ended an impressive 4th. They certainly felt they could have done better had a few not succumbed to something they’d eaten! A place on the podium was certainly merited for the O45s who made it to the grand final against mighty Yorkshire!!! They swept aside both Bucks and Cambridgeshire in commanding style. Second in England is the best ever achievement of any county side from Cornwall. The stuff of legends! Heroes all! 

TR1 Captain and TSLC Chairman Neil Counter will surely feel elated! Truro are County Champions again after taking the title in style by winning both Autumn and Spring Leagues thereby making a play-off unnecessary for the first time since it was introduced. The final fixture of the season was delayed somewhat but by winning 3-1 against club rivals TR3 they ensured both hands on the famous Boardwalk trophy. A night of celebration will not distract from the next objective, the Pawle Cup at Falmouth on Super Saturday 7th May from 2pm – all welcome. Our traditional end of season will see 4 teams in action at Falmouth and plenty of space to pitch a tent should you wish to join the customary jollity including a chance to go OUT OUT in the town! Thank you to Huw et al! Bude look to have booked their place in the Hine Plate Final but two semis will be needed before we know all the teams present at our season’s climax! Watch this space…….

Truro School’s KS5 team became All England National Squash Champions by beating defending champions Wycliffe 4-1 in the final in Nottingham. This is the first time that the school has won a National title at any sport. Team head coach Tim Smith was ably supported by co-coaches Alison Waters and Jamie Lang. This is the culmination of many years of development in squash at Truro School and probably represents thousands of hours of training both before and after school. It is also the first time that a Cornish side has triumphed on the National stage in our sport – a truly historic occasion. You’ll all be familiar with the mini-heroes in Tim’s team as they all play in our CCSRA county leagues another factor in their rapid rise to stardom! Please spread the word and celebrate as you think fit! 

Pawle Cup and Hine Plate Rd 1 and semi-finals scheduled for mid-to-late April, same format with all 6 clubs invited to enter. Towards the end of March an order will be taken from the six clubs which the draw will be based on. The highest placed Div1 club will play the lowest placed Div2 club. 1 v 6, 2 v 5 & 3 v 6. POINTS FOR and AGAINST will determine who proceeds. The highest scoring winning club will earn an automatic place in the final @ FALMOUTH on SUPER SATURDAY 7th MAY. Likewise the highest scoring loser, leaving the others to play out semi-finals.

Cornwall Racketball Champs @ Falmouth 9th and 10th April – Mark Newton organising. More info out in mid-March!

SENIORS @ HOVE SQUASH CLUB in ICC 26/27 Feb. Alan Murray managing the side, Jared capt.; OVER 45s and 55s away in Wilts and Somerset ST PIRAN’S DAY 5th MARCH. Matt Harford and Neil Counter in charge respectively. Results on Leaguemaster.