The 2017 Canadian Junior Open Championships, held at The White Oaks Club, December 9 – 12, hosted 290 players, including 110 from outside Canada. Seven of the eight titles were won by players from Columbia, Ecuador, Egypt, New Zealand, and the USA, with Emma Jinks of PEI being the sole Canadian winner, in the GU 19 group.
The eight competitors from the ODSA area had some great results. Iman Shaheen (Barrhaven Squash Club) reached the final of the Girls’ under 13 Main Draw, losing 3-11, 6-11, 11-8, 2-11 to Sophie Hodges of New Zealand. In the Boys’ Under 19 events, Dominic Wren (Sportheque) lost a heartbreaker 12-14 in the fourth and final game of the Consolation final against Alvaro Buenano of Ecuador, while Thomas Porter (OAC) reached the the Bronze semi-finals, where he lost 1 – 3. Barrett Aass (OAC) advanced to the 4th round of the BU 17 Consolation event, while Benoit Salmon and Frederik Bemeur-Thorson,( both of Sportheque), reached the quarterfinals of the BU 13 event, with Benoit losing a nailbiter 10-12 in the 5th. The BU15 event had a particularly strong field, so Romain Salmon(Sportheque) and Max Shewchenko (OAC) lost in early rounds.
Congratulations to all on a fine showing, and good luck to those who will be competing in the US, Scottish, and British Junior Championships, all of which are being staged within the next 4 weeks.