Photo by MARCEL VANDER WIER
BIG WINNER 鈥 Cameron Webber beat Mustafa Syed 3-1 in the final of the Men's Open Saturday night at Better Bodies Fitness. The game was the final match of the Yukon Open, the last tournament of the squash season.
Photo by MARCEL VANDER WIER
BIG WINNER 鈥 Cameron Webber beat Mustafa Syed 3-1 in the final of the Men's Open Saturday night at Better Bodies Fitness. The game was the final match of the Yukon Open, the last tournament of the squash season.
Photo by MARCEL VANDER WIER
TO THE LIMIT 鈥 It took Kai Knorr all five games, but he did eventually beat Claude Garceau in the men's A final.
Photo by MARCEL VANDER WIER
RISING STAR 鈥 B.C.'s Michele Garceau, front, beat Lori Alaska tradition since 1984. Muir 3-0 in the Ladies Open final Saturday night.
Photo by MARCEL VANDER WIER
Pictured Above: Mustafa Syed
Consistent shot-making guided Cameron Webber to a big win at the Yukon Open Saturday night, sending him into the summer a champion.
Consistent shot-making guided Cameron Webber to a big win at the Yukon Open Saturday night, sending him into the summer a champion.
Webber recently returned to the territory from Australia, just in time for the weekend tournament.
The 31-year-old, who works seasonally as a gravedigger, beat Mustafa Syed 3-1 in the Men's Open final to win the title.
"It's a good homecoming,鈥 he said of the win. "I didn't play last year, but usually it's one of the only tournaments I end up playing. Usually I'm not back in time, but it was good that I caught it.鈥
The No. 2 seed 鈥 a former Yukon junior player 鈥 said the ability to keep his unforced errors to a minimum was the difference in the final.
"His game is consistent,鈥 said Syed. "He doesn't waver. His shots are always consistent 鈥 It threw me off. It got me frustrated.鈥
Syed, 15, admitted he was playing with an injured sternum after an injury sustained in the gym at Vanier Catholic Secondary School.
The No. 4 seed did his best to fight through it, but it wasn't to be.
Michele Garceau of Surrey defended her 2012 title in the Ladies Open, defeating Lori Muir 3-0 in the final.
Garceau, a top female player in B.C., recently finished third in U-16 competition at the national junior championship in Vancouver.
The Grade 11 student recently turned 17. Garceau attends this tournament to spend time with her good friend Shermaine Chua, the daughter of local squash pro Khoon Chua.
"It's one of the funnest tournaments of the year, to be honest,鈥 she said of the Yukon Open.
"Everyone's just so nice and friendly, and it's just fun to play here. We come up here for fun, and winning's a bonus.鈥
Garceau admitted a national title is her "ultimate goal,鈥 followed by a strong university career.
"I obtained all my goals that I wanted to obtain this year, but I've set new goals already for next year,鈥 she said. "I just want to take squash as far as my junior career will take me.鈥
Muir, a top local female player, said it was a pleasure to play "skilled squash鈥 against Garceau, who raised the level of competition in the four-person women's division considerably.
"Going in, I didn't expect to win it,鈥 Muir said of the final. "But I did have a personal goal, and that was to get as many points as I could. I got 25 points out of the three games, so I was pretty happy with that. My goal was at least seven points a game.鈥
Garceau also competed in the Men's Open, and nearly upset Syed in their first-round matchup, eventually losing in five games. She would go on to win the consolation tournament.
"I was surprised I won,鈥 Syed admitted. "Michele is really good. I was just like 鈥榃ow, how did I beat her?'鈥
Syed went on to knock off No. 1 seed Blair Barceau in his second game, en route to the final.
Kai Knorr, who along with Syed, also competed at the junior nationals for the Yukon last month, beat Garceau's father Claude 3-2 in the men's A final.
"It's nice to win first-place at a home tournament and kind of show my place,鈥 said Knorr, 17.
Knorr, also a Vanier student, said the sport comes naturally to him, and he enjoys the independence of the competition.
In Mixed B competition, Chris Ziegler beat Taylor Love 3-2 in the final to claim that division,while Andre Benoit beat Shermaine Chua 3-2 to win the Mixed C/D title.
The Yukon Open began Friday, with a variety of players from Outside the territory competing.
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