Eastern Retain Title at 2026 Central vs Eastern Challenge
On 31 January 2026, 18 of Central’s top juniors travelled to Dannevirke Squash Club for the annual Central vs Eastern Challenge, hosted this year on Central soil. It marked an exciting start to the season, with several players making their debut in Central colours and proudly stepping up to represent the region for the first time. From the opening matches it was clear the day would be tightly contested. There were some particularly tough match-ups in the Under 13 and Under 15 boys’ grades, with long rallies and determined performances setting the tone early. Every point was hard fought,
Central Squash Celebrates 60 Years in Style
Central Squash proudly celebrated 60 years of squash across the Central district on Saturday, 22 November, bringing together past and present members at Heritage House in Whanganui. The Central district is one of the largest of New Zealand’s 11 squash regions, stretching from Waitara to Levin and supporting 23 clubs across the region. The evening acknowledged the strength, history, and growth of squash in Central, with Dame Susan Devoy as guest speaker and Grant Smith, former Central President and current Palmerston North Mayor, among the honoured attendees. Alongside the jubilee celebrations, the night featured the annual Central Squash Awards,
Central Masters Shine in Nelson at NZ Masters Nationals
What a week it’s been for our Central Masters! The 2025 NZ Masters Championships wrapped up in Nelson after a huge week of squash, camaraderie, and plenty of competitive spirit — and our Central players did us proud across both the Individuals and Teams events. Individual Championships The week kicked off with the Individual Championships, where players from all around the country battled it out for national titles across the age groups. Central had a strong contingent taking the courts and showing that age definitely doesn’t slow our players down! A huge congratulations to Matt Nation, who was crowned
Central Squash Scores Double National Titles at Junior Nationals
Central Squash had plenty to celebrate at the recent New Zealand Junior National Championships in Auckland, with two national titles coming home and a week full of standout performances. The event, held at Henderson Squash Club, featured New Zealand’s top juniors battling it out from Under 11s through to Under 19s, with individual play over the weekend followed by the inter-district teams event. Whanganui’s own Maximus Mathews was in sizzling form, taking out the NZ Under 19 Boys title in his first year in the division. Coming in as top seed and fresh from representing New Zealand at the
Wellington vs Central Junior Challenge Comes Down to the Wire
The annual Wellington vs Central Junior Challenge proved once again why the one day challenges can be some of the most exciting fixtures on the squash calendar, with the result coming down to the narrowest of margins. Central made a strong start in the morning session, heading into the lunch break with a 5–3 lead after some massive battles on court. With plenty of squash still to come in the afternoon, it was clear the tie was shaping up to be a cracker. The second half delivered on every expectation. Players from both districts fought tooth and nail, trading
Ladies E Grade & Below Series Wraps Up in Style at Rangitikei
The Central Ladies E Grade and Below Series came to a close on Sunday at Rangitikei Squash Club, capping off what has been a hugely successful four-part initiative. Designed to give new and developing players a taste of tournament-style play in a welcoming environment, the series has provided opportunities for both graded and ungraded ladies to gain valuable match experience while building confidence on court. The final day drew a strong field of 14 players from around the district, with three divisions on offer. The competitive but supportive atmosphere summed up the spirit of the series, as players battled
Central Teams Bring the Fire at Senior Nationals
It was a weekend of grit, drama, and plenty of squash action for our Central men’s and women’s teams at the NZ Senior Nationals, hosted at SquashGym in Palmerston North. Day One: Making a Statement Central’s campaign kicked off in style, with both the men’s and women’s sides storming past Eastern in the morning session. Convincing 4–0 victories across the board sent a clear message that Central had arrived ready to compete. The evening session delivered all the drama fans could ask for. The women went head-to-head with Midlands in a tense 2–2 battle, eventually edging them out on
Central Squash Shines at NZ Masters Club Team Champs
The NZ Masters Club Team Champs delivered three days of squash at its absolute best — early starts, late finishes, huge rallies, and Central teams bringing home serious silverware. With Whanganui and SquashGym both in action across multiple divisions, it was a weekend packed with drama, grit, and plenty of proud moments for our region. Day One – Making a Statement Whanganui 1 (Matt Nation, Paul Tuffin, Kent Darlington, Matt Ratcliffe and Dan Potter) came out firing, with Potter grinding out a five-set nail-biter to set the tone. The rest of the crew backed it up with straight-game wins,
Central Squash Triumphs at National Graded Champs, Secures District Trophy
The Central Squash Team made a strong statement over the weekend at the National Graded Championships, hosted at North Shore Squash Club in Auckland, with seven of their nine players making it to the finals—and a flurry of national titles and runner-up finishes to show for it. From Day 1, Central signalled they meant business. Rebecca Bennett, Jayden Bailey, Jessie Harding, Madison Lee, Lily Alabaster, Joe Waetford, and Laurie Potter all kicked off their campaigns with straight-set wins. Despite tough losses for David de Villiers and Jesse Perkins, the team maintained strong momentum heading into Day 2. Saturday proved
Champions Crowned in Action-Packed Central Open
The 2025 Central Open wrapped up in style over the weekend, with SquashGym Palmerston North playing host to one of the region’s biggest events of the year. A strong field of 150 players took to the courts across 22 divisions, delivering a fantastic weekend of squash filled with quality match play, hard-fought rallies, and great energy throughout the venue. A huge thank you goes to the team at SquashGym for their superb organisation and warm hospitality, and to InspireNet for their ongoing support as tournament sponsor. Their contribution helped create a top-notch event that players and supporters alike thoroughly
