Wānaka Squash Club president Tony Johnston says last weekend’s Queen’s Birthday tournament was one of the biggest highlights in the club’s 40-year history. 

He said the men’s final between brothers Lwamba and Temwa Chileshe, ranked second and fourth in New Zealand respectively, was “a pulsating match of high-quality squash, with long exhausting rallies and was very close right to the end.”

“Never before have we had two such highly ranked players playing at our tournament,” Tony said.

“The men's final between Lwamba and Temwa was everything we had hoped for.”

More than 100 spectators packed the Wānaka Squash Club to watch the men’s final which was won by younger brother Temwa 4/11, 11/6, 11/6, 7/11, 11/3.

Both men have been selected to the New Zealand Commonwealth Games Team and they will compete in Birmingham in July and August.

In the semi-finals last weekend, Temwa beat former New Zealand junior champion and former New Zealand senior team member Oliver Johnston (Christchurch) three games to one, while Lwamba beat Tom Pickles (Oamaru) by the same score.

The women's final was won by Dunedin’s Lowri Waugh who beat Queenstown’s Tracey Flux 11/5, 11/5, 6/11, 11/5.

Tony said the weekend was “fantastically successful” and thanked local businesses Wanaka Flooring Xtra and Stonewood Homes as gold sponsors for making it happen.

“The contribution from so many local businesses amazes me and just shows the type of community that we live in,” he said.

PHOTO: Supplied