Issey Norman-Ross, one of two Guernsey title winners, meets Lucy Beecroft in the under-17 girls’ final. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0809311)

GUERNSEY’S junior squash players proved they could compete against their international counterparts at the weekend with four locals reaching the finals of the Credit Suisse Guernsey Junior Open.

A Bronze England Squash Ranking Tournament, Harry Martel (boys’ U-17), Mark Le Conte (boys’ U-19), Issey Norman-Ross (girls’ U-17) and Jack Turvey (boys’ U-11) all made it through to their final with many other local juniors finishing in the top half of their respective age groups.

The most prestigious competition in Guernsey’s squash calendar, the Junior Open boasted the highest number of international entrants in its history, with top-quality players from Wales, England and France.

The two highlights came in the boys’ U-11 and the girls’ U-17 events, which saw Sarnians Jack Turvey and Issey Norman-Ross lifting these respective titles.

In his final, eight-year-old Turvey took on a younger Manuel Paquemar from France.

After taking an early lead, Turvey let the next two games slip past him, making a few errors along the way.

But his power and determination came through in the deciding game as he managed to defeat the French boy to take the trophy.

Norman-Ross made it comfortably through to the final of the girls’ U-17 where she took on Lucy Beecroft.

Four years her senior, Norman-Ross was clearly the favourite despite Beecroft’s number one U-13 England ranking.