SEVEN titles are for the taking at the Ogier’s Island Junior Championships. Around 40 players are expected to compete and there could also be the prize of an inter-insular team place.

The tournament starts today at 4pm at Beau Sejour and runs until 5pm tomorrow.

It has been squeezed into two days because many of the juniors will be travelling to the UK to play for Hampshire straight after the event.

Natalie Dodd and Issey Norman-Ross will continue their rivalry in the U-17 girls’ event.

‘The two girls have really shone this season,’ said Martin Watts, assistant director of squash. ‘They are best of friends and after this match will be travelling to the UK to play in their inter-county team event.

‘Matches between them have been very close – it will be a difficult result to call,’ he said.

In the other categories, James Brehaut (U-17 boys) is a clear favourite to retain his title.

‘James has been one of our best juniors for many years and has won a few titles in the UK as well as winning this championship at all junior age groups.

‘A strong performance in the senior event could even see him make the Ogier’s inter-insular men’s team in Jersey this year.’

The U-15 boys’ competition is wide open with no fewer than six players in with a chance of winning the title.

Jack Tacon is seeded one, closely followed by Harry Martel who has improved immensely this season.

But they will be hard pushed by Jonathan Laws, Jacques Ogier, Oliver Brehaut and Gareth Banton.

Janick Radford is favourite to win the U-13 boys’ event, but Charles Stenner, still only 11, has improved a lot and, having reached the final in both the Uniglobe Travel Junior Open and NRG Channel Island Championships, he hopes to go one better.

There are five girls in the U-15 and U-13 events, which have been combined with the two titles available.

Katherine Jensen is favourite to win both as she has performed well this season and is currently ranked 10th U-13 in the UK.

However, she will be pushed hard in the U-15s by Amy Stenner who has beaten her this season on a few occasions.

The U-11 boys’ favourite is nine-year-old Niall Adams.

The others in this age group are Jack Turvey (7), Jamie Brouard (9), Brent Oldfield (7) and Jack English (10).

All are competent players and with an average age of less than eight-and-a-half, Guernsey will certainly have some talented players coming through in a few years’ time.

All 50-plus matches played over the weekend will count towards island ranking points, which will help the GSRA choose the in-form players for the inter-insular and also go towards the playing orders in Hampshire Inter-County teams.

* Due to half-term, the Senior Ogier’s Island Championship will be played from 19-23 February at a venue to be confirmed.