Squash | South African Country Districts Set To Defend Proud Record In Growthpoint Squash Interprovincial
Western Cape, South Africa: The South African Country Districts squash teams will be defending a proud record when they put their Growthpoint Interprovincial titles on the line in the country’s premier team tournament in Cape Town next week.
Played at various venues around the Western Cape capital, the Kaplan Cup (women) and Jarvis Cup (men) events will take place from July 8-12, with more than 40 teams and 230 players vying for honours across four men’s sections and two women’s divisions.
The week remains a constant highlight on the national calendar and Squash SA president Kyle Potgieter said they were delighted to welcome all players, spectators, and officials to the event “in the Mother City”.
“This is the eighth year of Growthpoint’s involvement in the Jarvis and Kaplan Cups, for which Squash SA thanks them,” Potgieter said. “We sincerely appreciate their valuable and ongoing sponsorship of this great tournament, which is unique in the world. “The competition will be fierce once again and it is the responsibility of each player to play the matches in the spirit of the tournament, making squash the winner. “On the social side, renew friendships, make new friends, and return home with the feeling that Growthpoint IPT is a week that rocks.”
Despite their domination of the competition since 2019, SA Country Districts Jarvis team captain JP Brits knows that they will have a target on their backs next week.
“We have a strong men’s A section side, which includes Gareth Craigen in his senior team debut, and also a strong women’s team for the Kaplan Cup,” he said. “Even though we are missing a few players as the tournament takes place during the school term, we are still confident of doing well in the A sections.”
Previously considered the underdogs of the Growthpoint interprovincial, Brits said their success in the past few years had made them the team to beat, but that that they were ready for the challenge.
“There will be really strong competition, especially I think from a team like Western Province who have brought in Clinton Leeuw (former SA player) and Rodney Durbach (now based in the United States) for the week,” he said. “They will be a real challenge and, of course, there will be the traditional opposition from Northerns and Joburg Squash, so it is going to be another week of intense squash.”
Western Province will also present a strong challenge for the women’s Kaplan Cup, with former professionals Alex Fuller, Growthpoint national champion in 2020 and 2022, and Siyoli Waters spearheading a team who have depth and experience.
Even though he has the experience of 13 Growthpoint interprovincial behind him, Brits says the excitement for this annual week burns as strongly as ever.
“This is still may favourite week of the calendar and the whole year is built up to preparing for the Growthpoint Interprovincial,” the SACD player said. “It’s been great having a lot of success over the past couple of years, but regardless of winning, you always have a good week at this event.
“That is one of the strengths of the IPT that even if you don’t win, the week is full of memories and renewing friendships, and making new ones.”
The Growthpoint Interprovincial A section teams are:
Women’s Kaplan Cup: Eastern Province A, Joburg Squash A, Northerns A, Serr Synergy SA Country Districts A, Western Province A
Men’s Jarvis Cup: KwaZulu-Natal A, Joburg Squash A, Joburg Squash B, Northerns A, Serr Synergy SA Country Districts A, SA Country Districts B, Western Province A, Zambia A
Squash, Squash SA, Growthpoint Squash Interprovincial., South African Country Districts