ONE of the city's most impressive sporting win streaks remains alive after former Orange player Alisha Atkinson recently won her 17th consecutive Panthers Bathurst Squash Club Championships title.
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Atkinson, which is a famous name in Orange squash, won the final over Tanya Besant 15-8, 15-8. 15-0 to continue her dominance of Bathurst women's squash.
While the men's final was another straight games victory, this year to Daniel Pollard, it was a much closer contest.
Alisha's just a level above in the women's competition and she showed no mercy. It's hard to see her run of championship wins ceasing in the near future.
- Tournament organiser Dave Fuller
Pollard won an epic first game over Nathan Stanies 20-18 then gradually pulled away 15-11 and 15-7 over the next two games.
"Alisha's just a level above in the women's competition and she showed no mercy. It's hard to see her run of championship wins ceasing in the near future," tournament organiser Dave Fuller said.
"It's a fantastic winning record and she's put the work in to achieve it. She's fit, determined and focused when she's on the court.
"Daniel's fitness got him over the line and he wore Nathan down but it was a very solid game. Daniel now won seven titles and has won the last four in a row.
"It looks like he'll keep winning for a number of years yet but with the young fellas coming through you never know."
The A grade finals may have been wrapped up in straight games but the B and C grade deciders across the men's and women's competitions all went the distance.
Pat Edsall beat Matt Press to the men's B grade title and Caitlin Jones beat Brenda Smith in the women's final.
Dean Mobbs and Felicity Lovelle were C grade champions.
It's a busy month for the Bathurst club who are hosting this weekend's Intertown Squash Tournament.
"I've got 40 teams of four signed up, which would make it one of the biggest tournaments in NSW, if not Australia," Fuller said.
"It's consistently been well supported for many years. We've got teams coming from Queanbeyan, Springwood, Dubbo, Orange, Parkes, Grenfell, Cowra, Condobolin, Crookwell and Rylstone.
Both the men's and women's competitions will feature four grades.
Defending champion Panthers are expected to be in the running for the top prize on their home courts.
The Bathurst club also enter the competition as the defending women's B grade champions.
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