Airfares hurt Saint Lucia Squash Open…but Play will go on

The Saint Lucia Squash Association gave the sponsors of the 2008 Saint Lucia

Squash Open a chance to meet players and the press, when the press launch

was held at the Saint Lucia Yacht Club.

sponsors, government, and squash association officials pose

In addressing the gathering, sports consultant at the Saint Lucia Tourist Board

Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira heaped praise on past and present executive committees

of the Saint Lucia Squash Association for their hard work in developing one of

the lesser known sporting disciplines in Saint Lucia.

However, this year’s Saint Lucia Open, along with its sister tournaments, namely

the Barbados Open, and Jamaica Open, has been hit hard by low foreign player

turnout due to the ever increasing airfares.

Cheryl Renwick

Saint Lucia Squash Association President Cheryl Renwick, was very disappointed

with the absence of top foreign based players, which robs the tournament of the

high standard it has become known for.

Astronomical cost of airfares have allowed only twelve overseas players to

compete at this year’s tournament, against the almost twenty-five which has

been the norm.

Joseph 'Reds' Perreira

Despite this, the 2007 champions Josh Pinard of Trinidad and Karen

Meakins of Barbados, and the participation of Nicolette Fernandes a Guyanese

national who in 2006 was once ranked number 27 in the world, will be

competing.

Meanwhile over in the Barbabdos Open, Saint Lucia's number one Charlie

Sonson defeated Barbadian Marlon White 9/5 9/7 9/7, and then defeated

another Barbadian Rhett Cumberbatch 9/5 9/4 9/2 but to Barbadian number one

Shawn Simpson 3/9 6/9 0/9 in their semi-final clash.

Despite the many trials and tribulations faced, according to Perreira "For any

event to last 15 years, it is in fact in its own way making a very strong statement

because that reflects that there is in fact a commitment to continue, a

commitment not to be a flash in the pan."