REPORT ON 2014 VICTORIAN OPEN RACQUETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
SINGLES
Grade
Men’s Open
Women’s Open
A
B
C
Runner-Up
Garry Pedersen
Sally White
Charlie Stevenson
Adam Lander
Michael Bruce
D
Winner
Cam White
Melody Francis
Craig Royle-Young
Gary Hosie
Campbell
Shobbrook
Tom Freire
E
Casey Macpherson
Darcy Macpherson
Junior Girls
Junior Boys
Alexandria Freire
Jackson LanderMitchell
Nicola Baines
DOUBLES
Grade
Open
A
B
C
D
Winner
White/Stevenson
Jarrott/Deans
Rossouw/Murphy
Collins/Thornton
Smith/Birse
Mitchell Nero
Runner-Up
O’Donnell/Bruce
Binda/Long
Robinson/Bartheyl
Sorenson/Shobbrook
Dowling/Lane
The highlights of the 32nd edition of the Genesis Victorian Open Racquetball Championships held in Boronia
were; Cam White extending his unbeaten tournament record to 14 years, Melody Francis recording her first GP
Women’s Open victory, the continuing dominance of the Albury/Wodonga “Mob” in singles events, this time
snagging no less than five Victorian titles, including a unique Freire family double, plus having four out of the
seven Squash and Racquetball Victoria Board members participating in the event , with two, El Presidente, Peta
Murphy, and her ‘side kick’ Nicci Rossouw, thumping the guys to capture the B Grade doubles title.
SINGLES RESULTS
MEN’S OPEN
As certain as night follows day, once again Cam White stepped in to overdrive and annexed his 13th Victorian
Open Racquetball Championship, and with it “begging the question,” will he at least duplicate Squash Legend’s ,
Heather McKay remarkable reign of 18 years for that sport. In the final stanza, White overpowered second seed
Garry Pedersen, 21/16, 21/5. In their respective semi finals, White defeated Tasmanian, Matthew Creely, 21/17,
21/19, and Pedersen outpointed Geelong training partner, Peter French, 21/16, 21/14.
WOMEN’S OPEN
Recently retired , former World # 34 Squash player, Melody Francis, became the fourth female to win both a
Victorian Open Squash and a Victorian Open Racquetball Women’s Championship, the others being Lynne Ferry,
Dianne Desira and Sarah Fitz-Gerald, when she accounted for 2014 Australian Open runner-up, Sally White in the
final, 21/15, 21/11. In the penultimate round, White outgunned third seeded Queenslander, Liz Lopes, 21/18,
21/13, with Francis coming back from one game down against Westerfold’s Vanessa Pickerd, to take out a very
entertaining contest, 21/22, 21/16, 21/14.
A GRADE
With the inform Chris Rollauer confined to barracks after cart wheeling down the slopes of Mt. Buller the previous
weekend, the A Grade event developed into a ‘last man standing affair’, punctuated by several hotly contested
affairs. In the end it was the 2012 Victorian Open A Grade champion, Craig Royle-Young who stole the show, but
not before surviving a close opening encounter with Albury’s Tim Paramore, 21/18 in the third, then putting the
sword to second seeded South Aussie, Sam Abishara in the semis, and eventually surviving an absolute “gut
buster’ against top seeded Charlie Stevenson, 21/19, 21/22, 21/12. In his semi final, Stevenson returned the
favour on Albury’s Peter Baines, for his demise at the same stage in the recent Geelong Classic, 16/21, 21/14,
21/7.
B GRADE
In a replica of the Geelong Classic B Grade event, Albury’s Gary Hosie made it three GP titles from three starts,
when he again outlasted Corio’s Adam Lander in a high quality final, 21/15, 21/18. To reach the event’s final
chapter, Lander had accounted for Tasmania’s Heath Kemp, 21/6, 21/12, with Hosie disposing of local hope Don
Groom, 21/2, and 21/13. In the playoff for 3rd/4th, Kemp defeated Groom 12/21, 21/12, 21/11, with the Oxygen
Man, Tony Robinson holding sway, 19/21, 21/10, 21/17, over Jason Bartheyl, in the battle of the Lakes Entrance
gladiators for 5th & 6th positions.
C GRADE
Over the past couple of years, the Albury/Wodonga clan, which includes all age groups and standards, have been
fantastic supporters of our GP tournaments, with several of them claiming GP titles. Wodonga Club President,
Campbell Shobbrook has now been added to that illustrious list, following his annexing of the C Grade title.
Although Shobbrook came through his three preliminary rounds relatively unscathed, including his semi final win
over Yarrawonga’s Shaun Quinn, 21/13, 21/18, the final was a completely different scenario. Whilst Shobbrook
was bathing in straight games victories in the bottom half of the draw, Ballarat’s eighth seeded, Michael Bruce,
in only his second GP event, was cutting a swathe through the top half , dispensing of the event’s ‘dark horse’ Lao
Biesbroek, and top seeded Chris Thornton, both in 3 games, then fourth seeded, Helen Collins . The final
commenced at a hectic pace going point for point, with Bruce eventually taking the first game 22/20, before
Shobbrook shot to early lead in the second and was never headed, levelling the match at 1-all. The third game
followed a similar pattern to the first, before Shobbrook put his head in front near the wire, claiming it 21/16.
D GRADE
One of the great pleasures provided by our GP tournaments, is seeing the large number of youngsters entering
these events and displaying skills and character far beyond their respective ages, which is a great credit to their
very supportive parents, plus coaches such as Lizzie Lopes. As has been ‘the norm’ for some time, two Wodonga
teenagers Tom Freire(14 years) and Mitchell Nero(15 years), reached the ‘pointy end’ of this event, with Freire
capturing his second GP title for the year, closing it out, 22/20, 21/14. To reach the final, Freire overcame an ever
improving local, Wilson Swan, 21/11, 21/22, 21/9, whilst Nero accounted for GP debutant, Danny Williams, 21/13,
21/12.
E GRADE
Although this event was littered with players of varying age groupings, plus longevity in the sports of Racquetball
and Squash, it was two Wodonga siblings who fought out the final rendition, plus the bragging rights for the long
return journey home. Fourteen year old Casey Macpherson held on to inch out older brother, Darcy, in a nail biter
for their parents Kaylene and Dean, 22/20, 18/21, 21/17. In their respective semi finals, Casey dashed the hopes
of local stalwart, Tony Holland, 21/11, 21/7, with Darcy overpowering the indefatigable Tim Hill, 21/19, 18/21,
21/16.
JUNIOR UNDER 13’s
This type of event has only recently been included on to our GP Circuit, but as I stated in my report on the
Geelong Classic, for some time now the Albury/Wodonga mob have been producing a myriad of very good
junior racquetballers; well they released another one at the Vic Open, twelve year old, Alexandria Freire, who
took out the Junior Girl’s section over Wodonga stable mate, Nicola Baines, 21/14, 21/0, to capture a unique
double for the Freire family, with older brother Tom, winning the D Grade event. Nine year old, Jackson LanderMitchell from Corio landed his first title, securing the Junior Boy’s section.