Prince O3 Squash Challenge Underway

Local squash club rivalries have been put to the test around the UK in the first round clashes in the new Prince O3 Squash Challenge.

The inter-club event is for teams of three players: one male, one female and one over-35 male. Players who have represented their country or county, at any age group, are not eligible.

Team members have been invited to use the revolutionary new Prince O3 racket, which has already won World Games and English Open titles for England's double Commonwealth Games gold medallist Peter Nicol, and British Open and World Open trophies for Malaysia's world No1 Nicol David.

Newcastle's Northumberland LT&SC will go forward to face Bannatynes H&SC of Durham for a place in the North Area final after comprehensive 3/0 wins over Carlisle and Tynemouth SC, respectively. The other semi-final will feature Yorkshire clubs Chapel Allerton, from Leeds, and Sheffield's Hallamshire SC, following their victories over Pontefract and Manchester Northern.

East Midlands rivals Nottingham and Duffield will face off for a place in the Midlands Area final after wins over Grantham and Leicester's Chase Hotel & Leisure, respectively. West midlands rivalries will be tested when Coventry & North Warwicks take on Edgbaston Priory. The Coventry club despatched Leamington Spa 3/0, while the Birmingham club narrowly beat Wolverhampton 2/1.

In the East Area, Martlesham Heath defeated Ipswich Sports Club 3/0 to line up a semi-final battle with Cambridge, who took out R3 Leisure Stevenage by a 3/0 margin. Elsewhere, Chingford's Connaught club beat Lambs Fitness Exchange of London 3/0 and will now meet Amida Twickenham after their 3/0 win against Wimbledon S&B.

In the South Area, Lee-on-Solent will face Chichester after the Hampshire club beat Winchester 2/1 and the Sussex club defeated David Lloyd Portsmouth 3/0. Gloucester's Riverside beat county rivals Strings, from Tewkesbury 2/1, while Bristol overcame Weston Super Mare 2/1.

Prince International Player Promotions Manager Andy Bunting commented: "I'm delighted with the way the first round has gone. It is a grassroots event and it would seem that, win or lose, a good time is being had by all. I have also received some very positive comments about the new Prince O3 Silver racket which all the players are using. This new exciting technology is giving them both power and control. One team player said to me 'I'm hitting my better shots more often'."

1st round:
Northumberland LT&SC bt Carlisle SC 3/0
Bannatynes H&SC, Durham bt Tynemouth SC 3/0
Chapel Allerton SC, Leeds bt Pontefract SC 2/1
Hallamshire SC, Sheffield bt Northern SC, Manchester 3/0
Nottingham SC bt Grantham SC 3/0
Duffield SC bt Chase Hotel & Leisure, Leicester 3/0
Coventry & N Warwicks SC bt Leamington Spa SC 3/0
Edgbaston Priory SC bt Wolverhampton SC 2/1
Martlesham Heath SC bt Ipswich Sports Club 3/0
Cambridge SC bt R3 Leisure Stevenage 3/0
Connaught LT&SC, Chingford bt Lambs Fitness Exchange, London 3/0
Amida Twickenham bt Wimbledon S&B 3/0
Lee-on-Solent SC bt Winchester LT&SC 2/1
Chichester LT&SC bt David Lloyd Portsmouth 3/0
Riverside SC, Gloucester bt Strings S&F, Tewkesbury 2/1
Bristol LT&SC bt Weston Super Mare SC 2/1