Pietermaritzburg.
The cream of South Africa’s squash players together with some powerful international players, especially in the men’s section, will converge on Pietermaritzburg from Monday 11th July until Friday 15th July when the 57th Annual Jarvis Kaplan Cup interprovincial squash championships will be hosted by the Midlands Squash Association for only the second time in the history of the event.
Egyptians Karim Gawad, ranked 8th in the world and Tarek Momen, ranked 10, will appear for SACD A and Central Gauteng A respectively. South Africa’s Steve Coppinger, ranked 24 will lead Kwazulu Natal in defense of the title they won in 2015 when they narrowly defeated Western Province in a tough final.
Competition will be razor edged with Kwazulu Natal’s line-up including Laurens Anjema of the Netherlands, Gary Wheadon, Andrew Martin and long time captain Adrian Hansen who will have to pull out all the stops in trying to subdue Western Province’s side led by Shaun le Roux. There is only 1 change in the Western Province side from 2015 with Pedro Schweertman joining Le Roux, Clinton Leeuw , Rodney Durbach and Zuko Kubukeli. Central Gauteng, placed third last year, could provide a few surprises. Their attack led by Momen also includes 2016 S A Nationals runner-up, Thoboki Mohohlo, Devon Hendrikse, Kyle Maree and Paul Atkinson.
The remaining teams in the A section which will be played on a round robin basis include SACD spearhead by Gawad and Christo Potgieter: Northerns A with Zambian, Kelvin Ndhlovu in the top berth, and newly promoted Free State led by Omar Addel Meguib.
In the Kaplan Cup (the women’s A section) the final could well be between last year’s top two teams Central Gauteng and Western Province. For Central Gautng Egyptian Heba el Tourky, ranked 23 in the world, has Cheyna Tucker and Elani Landman – both losing semi-finalist at last week’s national championships – Lume Landman, winner of the recent Reunion Championships and Tukkies student Mariska Wiese completing the defending champion’s line-up. Western Province sees Siyoli Waters, Alexandra Fuller, Karen Blom, Sacha West, Miranda Lang and Karen Schultz hungry to regain the trophy they last won in 2013. The surprise team could be Northerns who finished second last in 2015. In number 1 slot is England’s Sarah-Jane Perry ranked 12 in the world, followed by 2016 S A National Champion Milnay Louw who is in great form at the moment, Christine Ferreira, winner of the World Deaf title in 2010 and 2012, Megan Page and Makgosi Peloakgosi.
SACD A and Eastern Province A complete the section’s line-up.
There are 4 sections in the men’s championships with 2 in the Women’s which will be hosted in daily sessions from 9h00 at Collegians Club, Epworth, and Victoria Country Club.
