2023 National Championships a Celebration of Sport!
May 31, 2023
WINNIPEG – The 2023 Racquetball Canada National Championships have come to a close after an exciting week of competition at the Duckworth Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The championships took place from May 23 to 27.
Racquetball Manitoba hosted over 100 players from six provinces who competed in several age and skill categories. The tournament was very successful, attracting a number of players who have not competed in the National Championships in several years. A change in the format also ensured players of all ages and skills had an opportunity for enjoyable and meaningful competition.
Results from the Open and Junior divisions will impact national team selection. Results also count towards the selection of teams that will represent Canada at the Santiago 2023 Pan Am Games and the 2023 Junior World Championships.
In Women’s Open singles, Frédérique Lambert of Montréal finished on top of the podium with a comfortable win over Juliette Parent of Saint-Jacques in Saturday’s final. This is Lambert’s fifth national title in singles and Parent’s highest placement ever. Third place in Women’s Open singles was won by Michèle Morissette of Baie-Comeau.
Lambert and Morissette teamed up in Women’s Open Women’s doubles finishing in first place after being undefeated throughout the week in the round-robin format. This is the second time the team has been on top of the podium, but both have won the title on two other occasions with different partners. Christine Keay of New Westminster and Cassie Prentice of Delisle Saskatchewan finished second followed by Alexis Iwaasa of Edmonton and Danielle Ramsay of Saskatoon.
Samuel Murray of Saint-Hubert claimed his fifth consecutive Men’s Open national title. In a repeat of the finals from the last three years, Murray faced Coby Iwaasa from Lethbridge and once again showed why he is ranked the top male athlete in Canada. Kurtis Cullen of Brandon captured third in his highest singles finish at the national elite level.
In Men’s Open Doubles, Iwaasa and Cullen upset Samuel Murray and Tommy Murray in the final. The Murray brothers were looking for their fourth title together, but Iwaasa and Cullen came out strong and kept the momentum throughout the match. This is Iwaasa’s third Men’s Open doubles title and Cullen’s first. Lee Connell of Saskatoon and Trevor Webb of Cambridge won third place.
In junior events, Naman Gauri from Lethbridge played a very strong match in Boy’s 21U singles winning an exciting tiebreaker match against Nathan Jauvin of Terrebonne. Cassie Prentice is the 21U Girl’s Singles champion.
Many of the Open division matches were live-streamed and can be viewed on Racquetball Canada’s Facebook Page and Youtube Channel. The links can be found at the bottom of this release.
The 2024 National Championships will be hosted by the Alberta Racquetball Association at the University of Calgary from May 20 to 25, 2024.
Click here to view the complete tournament results.
National Championships Summary – Top 3 Results
Singles Divisions
Women’s Open Singles
1. Frédérique Lambert (Montréal, QC)
2. Juliette Parent (Saint-Jacques, QC)
3. Michèle Morissette (Baie-Comeau, QC)
Men’s Open Singles
1. Samuel Murray (Saint-Hubert, QC)
2. Coby Iwaasa (Lethbridge, AB)
3. Kurtis Cullen (Brandon, MB)
Elite / A Singles
1. Kirby Shwaykosky (East Saint Paul, MB)
2. Sean Stockwell (Winnipeg, MB)
3. Stéphane Parent (Saint-Jacques, QC)
B Singles
1. Aidan Fanshaw (Hazelridge, MB)
2. Noan McEwen (Sherwood Park, AB)
3. Kyrylo Tkach (Burlington, ON)
C Singles
1. Kyle Gobeil (Winnipeg, MB)
2. Bernie Grumpelt (Wetaskiwin, AB)
3. Gaetano Pugliese (Kamloops, BC)
Men’s 75+ Singles
1. Steve Hendry (Victoria, BC)
2. Barry Ould (Edmonton, AB)
3. Greg Podolsky (Winnipeg, MB)
Men’s 70+ Singles
1. Bill Burdge (Abbotsford, BC)
2. Peter Callioux (Langley, BC)
3. Jim Park (Regina, SK)
Men’s 65+ Singles
1. Manny Gregorio (Edmonton, AB)
2. Randy Pentland (Calgary, AB)
3. Gus Tsouras (Winnipeg, MB)
Men’s 55+ Singles
1. Paul Shanks (Edmonton, AB)
2. Michael McPhee (Leduc, AB)
3. Ken Storozuk (Chilliwack, BC)
Men’s 45+ Singles
1. Kyle Wiseman (Burlington, AB)
2. Kirby Shwaykosky (East Saint Paul, MB)
3. Allen Bauman (St. Albert, AB)
Doubles Divisions
Women’s Open Doubles
1. Frédérique Lambert (Montréal, QC) / Michèle Morissette (Baie-Comeau, QC)
2. Christine Keay (New Westminster, BC) / Cassie Prentice (Delisle, SK)
3. Alexis Iwaasa (Edmonton, AB) / Danielle Ramsay (Saskatoon, SK)
Men’s Open Doubles
1. Kurtis Cullen (Brandon, MB) / Coby Iwaasa (Lethbridge, AB)
2. Samuel Murray (Saint-Hubert, QC) / Tommy Murray (St-Basile-le-Grand, QC)
3. Lee Connell (Saskatoon, SK) / Trevor Webb (Cambridge, ON)
Mixed Open/Elite Doubles
1. Kyle Wiseman (Burlington, ON) / Disney Linares (Toronto, ON)
2. Christian Pocsai (New Hamburg, ON) / Ofelia Wilscam (Repentigny, QC)
3. Manny Gregorio (Edmonton, AB) / Linda Ellerington (Shields, SK)
Elite Doubles
1. Allen Bauman (St. Albert, AB) / Jeff Miller (Spruce Grove, AB)
2. Randy Pentland (Calgary, AB) / Randy Van Achte (Estevan, SK)
3. Pete Olynick (Winnipeg, MB) / Kirby Shwaykosky (Winnipeg, MB)
A Doubles
1. Matt Kushnir (Winnipeg, MB) / Sean Stockwell (Winnipeg, MB)
2. Cher Allen (Winnipeg, MB) / Terry Nelson (Windsor, ON)
3. Bill Burdge (Abbotsford, BC) / Doug Burdge (Lake Country, BC)
Mixed A/B Doubles
1. Doug Donald (Winnipeg, MB) / Cher Allen (Winnipeg, MB)
2. Steven Leduc (Valleyfield, QC) / Eva Pocsai (New Hamburg, ON)
3. Stephen Majocha (Winnipeg, MB) / Valerie Senger (Vancouver, BC)
Women’s B Doubles
1. Sue MacLeod (Dartmouth, NS) / Valerie Senger (Vancouver, BC)
2. Isabelle Lapierre (Saint-Jacques, QC) / Eva Pocsai (New Hamburg, ON)
3. Alaya Buller (Grande Prairie, AB) / Lahni Buller (Grande Prairie, AB)
B Doubles
1. Hendry / Bob Wolf (Vernon, BC)
2. Darrell Davis (Regina, SK) / Jim Park (Regina, SK)
3. Alaya Buller (Grande Prairie, AB) / Noah McEwen (Sherwood Park, AB)
C Doubles
1. Bernie Grumpelt (Wetaskiwin, AB) / Corey McEwen (Sherwood Park, AB)
2. Robert George (Lethbridge, AB) / Gaetano Pugliese (Kamloops, BC)
3. George Nyman (Winnipeg, MB) / Greg Podolsky (Winnipeg, MB)
Men ‘s 65+ Doubles
1. Marty Hansen (Regina, SK) / Graham Tamaki (Regina, SK)
2. Manny Gregorio (Edmonton, AB) / Barry Ould (Edmonton, AB)
3. Peter Callioux (Langley, BC) / Chuck Tanner (West Kelowna, BC)
Men’s 45+ Doubles
1. Michael McPhee (Leduc, AB) / Randy Pentland (Calgary, AB)
2. Allen Bauman (St. Albert, AB) / Jeff Miller (Spruce Grove, AB)
3. James Bileski (Anola, MB) / Ken Storozuk (Chiliwack, BC)
Junior Divisions
Girl’s 21U Singles
1. Cassie Prentice
Boy’s 21U Singles
1. Naman Gauri (Lethbridge, AB)
2. Nathan Jauvin (Terrebonne, QC)
3. Aidan Fanshaw (Hazelridge, MB)
Girl’s 18U Singles
1. Ofelia Wilscam
Boy’s 18U Singles
1. Christian Pocsai (New Hamburg, ON)
2. Jordan Miller (Edmonton, AB)
3. Noah McEwen (Sherwood Park, AB)
Girl’s 16U Singles
1. Chloé Jauvin (Terrebonne, QC)
2. Alaya Buller (Grande Prairie, AB)
3. Lahni Buller (Grande Prairie, AB)
Boy’s 16U Singles
1. Raphaël Guillemette (Sainte-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, QC)
2. Asher Pocsai (New Hamburg, ON)
3. Leyton Gouldie (Brandon, MB)
Girl’s 14U Singles
1. Kaitlyn Couckuyt (Brandon, MB)
2. Ariana Buller (Grande Prairie, AB)
3. Halen Pocsai (New Hamburg, ON)
Boy’s 14U Singles
1. Kyrylo Tkach (Burlington, ON)
2. Oren Gouldie (Brandon, MB)
3. Mason McPeek (Winnipeg, MB)
Junior A Singles
1. Oren Gouldie (Brandon, MB)
2. Kaitlyn Couckuyt (Brandon, MB)
3. Émile Martel (Saint-Thomas, QC)
Junior Doubles
1. Matthew Hudson (Burlington, ON) / Kyrylo Tkach (Burlington, ON)
2. Oren Gouldie (Brandon, MB) / Mason McPeek (Winnipeg, MB)
3. Émile Martel (Saint-Thomas, QC) / Halen Pocsai (New Hamburg, ON)
