To the winner goes $6,000. That’s the situation at next week’s South Island Indoor Tennis Challenge at Cedar Hill Recreation Centre.
The annual tournament has attracted some young up-and-comers and some savvy veterans this year. Leading the way is former Canadian Davis Cup player Philip Bester, who is coming off a lengthy injury rehab but is back climbing the Association of Tennis Professionals world rankings. Pushing Bester will be one of Australia’s young guns, Harry Bourchier. At just 18 years old, Bourchier has just joined the ATP. At the other end of the spectrum is 47-year-old Israeli Oren Motevassel. Motevassel is the oldest active player with an ATP ranking. And of course, it wouldn’t be a South Island Challenge without Victoria’s own Patrick Flint. Flint, has played in all five South Island Indoor Challenge events.
Qualifying for the tournament begins Tuesday with the top two qualifiers moving on to the eight-player main draw, which begins Thursday. The championship final is slated for Sunday afternoon. Spectator event passes are $20.
Vikes golfers shine in Portland
Rookie Brianna Carrels has the University of Victoria Vikes women’s golf team peaking at an opportune time.
With their own Vikes Shootout just a few weeks away, the UVic women ventured to Portland this week for the Cavalier Classic and came home with some hardware.
Led by Carrels, the Vikes won the team silver medal at Rose City Golf Course, finishing just behind the UBC Thunderbirds. Carrels fired rounds of 74, 79 and 74 to claim the overall individual title, two shots better than UBC’s Kat Kennedy. Cari Chow was the next highest Vike, finishing tied for eighth with rounds of 75, 87 and 79. UVic’s Michaela Abey wound up 11th after rounds of 84, 80 and 81.
In the men’s event in Portland, the Vikes finished third overall in the team rankings, behind champion UBC and runner-up Concordia University.
Matthew Broughton was the top UVic golfer, finishing with rounds of 71, 70 and 75 for a fourth-place finish. Teammate Lawren Rowe was 11th after shooting 74, 73 and 73.
Next up for the Vikes is their own Shootout, which takes place Oct. 20-21 at Cordova Bay.
Islanders impress at PNGA seniors
Vancouver Island was well represented at the recent 28th Annual Pacific Northwest Golf Association’s Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.
Alison Murdoch of Victoria and Jackie Little of Port Alberni finished tied for third place at the prestigious event, played this year at Fairwood Golf and Country Club in Renton, Washington. Murdoch, who plays out of Victoria Golf Club, came in with rounds of 79 and 79, while Little fired rounds of 80 and 78.
The Island pair finished three shots back of champion Melanie Grant of Kelowna, who opened with an 82, but got hot in the final round, shooting a 73. Karen Kloske of Lake Cowichan finished in a tie for seventh after rounds of 81 and 82.
The PNGA is made up of clubs from B.C., Alberta, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
Timberline girls win volleyball gold
Timberline Secondary in Campbell River helped keep the trophy on the Island at the annual Camosun Chargers High School Girls Invitational Volleyball Tournament.
Timberline beat South Delta 2-1 (20-25, 25-21, 15-10) in the gold-medal game. Port Coquitlam’s Riverside downed Ladysmith 2-0 (25-20, 27-25) in the bronze-medal match.
Oak Bay finished tied for fifth place with Ballenas, while Lambrick Park tied for seventh with Little Flower Academy.
Sarah Chase from Timberline was named the tournament MVP, while the tournament all-star team included Mariah St. Pierre (Ballenas), Nicole McNamara (South Delta), Tommi Corder (Timberline), Kelsey Hutt (Ladysmith), Taryn Toscani (Riverside) and Megan McNamara (South Delta).
