Love In The Air For Prince O3 Challenge Finalists

Love will be in the air this weekend when four teams battle it out for the national title in the inaugural Prince O3 Challenge at the luxurious Vale Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort near Cardiff.

Of the four two-man-one-woman club teams who have reached the finals, two boast couples who have romantic designs on how to make the most of the £700 travel voucher that each winning team member will receive as part of the top prize on offer.

"My wife has always wanted to go on a cruise - not just any cruise, but an Alaskan Cruise," said Peter Carter, who with wife Jackie Carter and Freddie Bolton make up the Northumberland team from Newcastle.

"It would be a dream-of-a-lifetime holiday, if we were to win," added the Tyneside pharmacist.

Northumberland will join Chichester, Nottingham and London club Connaught in the finals weekend, with teams playing each other on a round-robin basis on Saturday and Sunday, scoring a point for each game won, plus three for the winning tie.

Matt King is joined by girlfriend Sarah Zipser in the Nottingham team. "It would be fantastic to win - so that we could treat ourselves to a romantic holiday to Australia, where we could also attend Sarah's sister's wedding in Perth," said the team captain.

The Prince O3 Challenge, which attracted 32 club teams from all over England, has proved to offer a unique format for inter-club competitions.

"Though we both play for our respective club teams, it's the first time we've ever played together in a team," commented Northumberland's Peter Carter. "And it hasn't caused an argument yet!"

Representing the four teams this weekend are:

Nottingham SC: Sarah Zipser, Matt King and Karl Murray
Connaught LT&SC: Jo Ravenhill, Elliott Fowell and Will Brand
Chichester LT&SC: Claire Briance, Tim McIlwain and Paul Wykes
Northumberland LT&SC: Jackie Carter, Peter Carter and Freddie Bolton

The inter-club event is for teams of two men (one of whom must be over 35) and one woman. Players who have represented their country or county, at any age group, are not eligible.

Team members have been invited to use the revolutionary new Prince O3 racket - which England squash hero Peter Nicol used to devastating effect in Melbourne last month to win two Commonwealth Games gold medals!