Over 4 days, our juniors competed in the National Junior Championships in Manchester at the National Squash Centre, and Ross, Jackson, Jessica and Hannah had mixed results.

	Hannah Crichton, British Junior Championships Girls under 19 Plate Winner

In the boys under 13's Ross Singleton (National ranking 40) was outplayed by his opponent Sam Todd (Yorkshire, under 11 n.r 4) in the qualification competition, losing in three games 7/11, 9/11, 4/11, which meant that he played no further part in the competition.

Jackson Holliday (n.r 73) in the boys under 15's fared little better in his qualification game against Charlie Cowie (Lancashire, n.r 38), having never beaten him, but run him close when they played in the Inter County last week, he expected better than the 3-1 reverse he suffered here, losing 3/11, 11/7, 8/11, 4/11, this also meant Jackson was out of the competition at the first hurdle.

Better was hoped for from our girls and they again delivered.

Jessica Winder in the girls under 17's (n.r 14) had an easy looking first game against Emily Carr (Oxfordshire n.r 31) and so it turned out, Jessica winning 3-0, 11/4, 11/1, 11/7. This result put her in the top 16 Monrad draw but from there things went rapidly downhill, her next match against Lucy Pallet (Warwickshire n.r 6) was lost 3-0, 7/11, 12/14, 3/11, and in the next game she faced the number 1 seeded player from Wales, Fiona May-Murphy who had unexpectedly lost her second match. Jessica couldn't quite keep with her and lost again 3-0, 9/11, 7/11, 2/11. Next up for Jessica was Alison Thompson (Surrey, n.r 53) and again Jessica wasn't able to put her opponent away, as she retrieved everything Jessica played for a 3-1 loss, 11/6, 9/11, 9/11, 8/11. Jessica was now in the playoff for 15th/16th position on the Sunday and beat Lydia Hume (Hampshire n.r 13) 3-1 to salvage 15th position with scores of 11/5, 11/8, 8/11, 11/9.

Hannah Crichton in the girls under 19's (n.r 27) played Lucy Townley (Cheshire n.r 7) on the all glass court in her opening match and lost 3-0, 9/11, 8/11, 5/11. This result meant Hannah was in the knockout side of the draw, where any loss from then on would mean her exit from the competition. Her second opponent Lauren Casling (Buckinghamshire n.r 58) was despatched easily 3-0, 11/3, 11/6, 11/6, and Hannah had the luxury of a bye in the next round, which bearing in mind she played Emily Peach (Yorkshire n.r 25) on Saturday night, and they always have long games, was an added bonus. Against Emily, Hannah was always in control despite the game scores being tight, Hannah winning the opener 11/7, and the second 11/9. Emily is a terrier around court, but her wild style didn't impress the referee, nor Hannah, and Emily was coming worst off in a physical third game until at 7-9 down she hit Hannah in the face with the racket. Hannah was allowed a few minutes to ice her injury and compose herself before coming back on court and finishing the match with a 14/12 third game for a 3-0 win. This was the longest match of the entire girls under 19 competition and by winning it Hannah guaranteed herself a place in the Plate Final on the Sunday. The opponent who she played for position 17th/18th was Annie Openshaw-Blower (Cheshire n.r 50) and Hannah opened up slowly losing the first game 8/11, but she played better in the next three games to take the match 3-1, 11/7, 17/15 (the longest girls game of the entire weekend), and 11/8. Hannah had finished 17th which was the goal she set on losing her opening game, and 3 good wins later she achieved it.