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Star-studded charity squash event



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Published Date: 04 September 2008
THE Lesley Willstrop Memorial Doubles Championships, held at Pontefract Squash Club and organised by Lesley's son James, was an unqualified success.
The event raised more than £7,000 for the children at Martin's House Hospice, Wetherby.
There were three categories and a pro-am event that featured some of the sport's best-known players, past and present.
The who's who of world squash included Va
nessa Atkinson, world champion and number one in 2004; Peter Marshall, the world number two in the days of the illustrious Jansher Khan and the current British Over-35 Closed Champion; current world number three Willstrop; world number six Jenny Duncalf; former world number three Simon Parke, the British Over-35 Open champion and national coach David Campion; world tour player Sarah Kippax and rising Pontefract-based star Lauren Siddall.
Much to his delight, club owner Mick Todd, who was partnered by Atkinson, found himself on the pro-am winner's rostrum. They beat Parke and John Wrigley 11-6 11-7 in the final.
The men's title went to the stalwart pairing of Simon Gittins and Stuart Hargreaves, who have given such loyal service to Pontefract Squash Club.
They proved too steady in the end against the York duo of under-19 international Neil Cordell and Sam Burton, winning 13-15 15-10 15-10.
The women's championship went to Siddall and Spanish international Andrea Santamaria, who is now a member at Pontefract. They beat Deon Saffery and Kathryn Campion, Lesley Willstrop's granddaughter, 15-10 15-11.
The mixed event was won by Sam Wileman and Saffery, who beat George Wileman and Maria Emmerson 15-9 11-15 15-9. Wileman was combining his efforts with the Andy Gill Memorial in Rochdale where he had done well to reach the final of the 'B' event.
An auction raised more than £3,000. A signed poster from the Leeds-Reading rock festivals raised £550; John Taylor paid £400 for an autographed St Helens shirt - they won the Carnegie Challenge Cup earlier in the day - and Paul Moulton bid £320 for a signed photograph of ex-Scotland soccer ace Denis Law.
Barclay's Bank matched the amount raised at the auction to £750 and John Taylor and Paul Moulton, who both paid for the privilege of competing in the pro-am competition, were main contributors to the £7,000 total.
Derek Ryan, Ireland's best-known player who at one stage got to eight in the world, brought over a party from Dublin and they were very much in evidence during the auction. Ryan played at Pontefract for many years.
The crowd also included former long-time member Christian Donelan and his wife Jenny, both of whom were seriously injured in a bomb outrage while abroad on honeymoon.
Happily, both are well on the way to making a full recovery. Willis Rushton, who organised the superb musical entertainment, Terry Dudley, the tournament director, and Josie Walsh, who was responsible for all matters financial, including the input of Barclays, were three major players in the event.
OTHER WINNERS: men's Plate: Christopher Emmerson and Nathan Bedford; women's Plate: Gill Choyce and Julie Nevins; mixed Plate: Craig Mansfield and Andrea Santamaria.



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  • Location: Pontefract & Castleford
 
 
  

 
 


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