Army loss at squash nationals
Volume 11, No. 52, September 21, 2006

Selected: Sgt Kim Booth-Collis has been selected for the 2007 Arafura games.

DESPITE a small presence at the 2006 ADF squash nationals, Army still featured in the finals and won places in the coming representative tour teams.

Fifty-six competitors from the three Services contesting the titles at the four-day tournament at Williamtown from August 15-18.

In the men’s open Cfn Stuart Stephens, ALTC LWC/NQ, took it to the top players before retiring injured in one of the round-robin matches against RAAF Sgt Daryl Bessell, who went on to win the title.

Tpr Benjamin Steinfelder, 2 Cav Regt, made the trip from Darwin worthwhile by making it to the finals in C-grade, but lost a hard-fought final 0-3.

Army and Navy played for the right to challenge 2005 interservices champion, Air Force. Army edged Navy out of contention, but Air Force convincingly retained the title for the fifth successive year.

In the women’s open, RAAF Sgt Madonna Doyle had a hard-fought battle against rival Sgt Kim Booth-Collis, Norcom.

Sgt Booth-Collis won the first before losing in four sets and has been selected as one of the ADF representative players for the Arafura Games in May 2007.

Meanwhile, despite an undefeated effort from Lt-Col Phil Langworthy, Army finished second to Air Force at the ACT Interservice Squash Competition on August 16.