BUDE junior squash player Mitzi Irish landed the runner-up prize in the girls’ U11 event at the Cornwall Riviera earlier this month, losing in the final to the U11 England number five player, Dorset’s Amy Wynter-Cambell.

The Riviera is a bronze-ranked event, held annually at Truro Squash Club and Truro School. This year, the event attracted a number of very high-ranking juniors from 13 counties, from as far afield as Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Kent.

Despite the stiff competition, three other Bude players performed admirably, with Fin Irish taking runner-up in the U13 boys’ plate competition, and Theo Amery (U15) and Billy Brown (U17) both competing as the youngest in their age groups against very experienced players.

Other Cornish players also saw success, most notably Newquay and Truro player Jared London, who won the boys’ U19 title and now secures his place firmly in the top 20 in the country.

Truro’s Ras Madsen took the boys’ U13 title against Newquay’s Owen London, while Zefron Counter and Katy Brickell were runners-up in their age groups.

Linda Brickell, outgoing chairperson of Cornwall junior squash, commented: “This was a fantastic event and a great display of squash by Cornwall’s up and coming youngsters.

“Huge thanks have to go to all our sponsors and supporters — notably Rodda’s, Karakal, HTN, Matt Harford, Truro School, Truro Squash Club and David Fairclough — without whom we would not have been able to host an event on this scale.”

Bude junior squash coaching takes place at The Recreation Ground on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings. For more information, please contact Cal Irish on 01288 352353.

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week’s edition of the Post.