Racketball has proved increasingly popular at King’s Life. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0819085)

RACKETBALL will have its first Channel Islands champion by the end of the weekend.

The sport has been incorporated into the Scope Furnishings CI Squash Championships at Beau Sejour with men’s, women’s and junior titles all up for grabs.

Introducing racketball is part of the Guernsey Squash and Racketball Association’s aim to build up this new, yet competitive, sport in the island and the Sarnians will be among the 12 men and five women contesting the new trophies.

Nick Taylor, Jersey’s director of island squash and one of England’s top racketball players, is the strong favourite for the competition, but Guernsey players Steve Le Ray and Greg Clinton-Tarestad are hoping to provide him with a strong challenge.

On the women’s side, Sarnians Katherine Jensen, Karen Robinson and Sally Ingrouille face Jersey’s Sarah Taylor and Nikki Faux.

The squash tournament also includes some strong, predominantly Guernsey, juniors, some of whom compete regularly in the UK; such as Jack Turvey, Tom Stewart, Niall Adams, Katherine Jensen, Jack Tacon, Harry Martel, Charles Stenner and Elliot Bourge.

On the men’s veterans side, Mark Roberts, former island champion, will compete for the first time in the over-45s age group.