Seeds continue to do well at the Canadian Racquetball Championships

The higher seeds continued to win Thursday at the Canadian National Racquetball Championships at the Regina Court and Fitness Club in Regina. Thursday featured the quarter finals in both men's and women's open with the semi finals to follow on Friday and finals on Saturday.

Defending Canadian Champion and reigning World Champion Christie Van Hees of Calgary took her first step towards defending her title by defeating Geneviève Brodeur of Sherbrooke, Que., 15-6, 15-4, in the last quarter final on Thursday.

Van Hees will next face Véronique Guillemette of Calgary in the semi-finals Friday, as Guillemette defeated Linda Ellerington of Shields, Sask., 15-7, 15-5, in the quarter finals.

In the other women's quarter finals, second seed Jennifer Saunders of Winnipeg, 30, faced an opponent half her age in 15 year old Frédérique T. Lambert of Montreal, who's a current Canadian Junior Champion and ranked 10th in Canada. The first game was a tight, but Saunders prevailed in straight games, winning 15-12, 15-6 to advance to tomorrow's semi finals.

Brandi Jacobson Prentice of Saskatoon will face Saunders tomorrow, as Jacobson Prentice defeated Shelley Hepworth of Regina, 15-10, 15-7, in the quarter finals.

Thursday on the men's side, defending champion and top seed Mike Green of Burlington, Ont. stayed on track to repeat as champion by easily defeating eighth seed François Viens of Delson, Que., 15-5, 15-3 in the quarter finals.

Green's opponent will be Ryan Smith, who like Green is also from Burlington, Ont. Smith is seeded fourth and won a close match with fifth seeded Brian Istace of Calgary, 15-11, 16-14.

But on the other side of the draw, seventh seed Kris Odegard of Saskatoon was an upset winner over second seed Corey Osborne of Penetanguishene, Ont. by scores of 11-15, 16-14, 11-9. It was a rematch of the 2005 men's final that Osborne won in a tie-breaker.

Odegard's opponent in the other semi final on Friday will be third seed Vincent Gagnon of Montreal who defeated sixth seed Tim Landeryou of Saskatoon, 9-15, 15-3, 11-8.

Overall, one hundred and fifty one players are competing in 25 singles and doubles divisions at the Regina Court and Fitness Club in Regina. The championships continues through Saturday.

Les championnats canadiens de racquetball a commencé