CATRIONA CASEY and Ciana Ní Churraoin have been in America since last week, fitting in an extra tournament before the US Nationals this week in Minnesota and with excellent results into the bargain.
The Cork and Galway girls entered the annual WPH Outdoor Xover tournament at Huntingdon Beach in southern California and came first and second. It is a testing event that includes one-wall, three-wall, big and small-ball competitions and the Irish cailíní dominated.
“I came first and Ciana second,” said Irish 40x20 singles and national champion Casey.
“The Xover competitions were last weekend and then we travelled to Minneapolis for the US Nationals. I'm looking forward to defending the women's title there and, the way the seedings are, it seems that Ciana and I are expected to meet in the final.”
Casey is at number one and Ní Churraoin at number two, with only eight players bidding for the title. World champion Aisling Reilly is giving the US Nationals a bye this time around and the only other Irish player in the draw is Aoife McCarthy from Westmeath.
“It looks as if my good friend Aoife and I will meet in the semi-finals. She is a talented player. Ciana has Canadian Jessica Gawley in her half of the draw and she is another great athlete. I'm looking forward to defending the title, but I know I will have work to do. Despite the seedings, nothing is ever guaranteed,” said Casey.
While the women's nationals don't bounce off until Friday, the men's title chase began last Tuesday, with Paul Brady, Shane O'Neill, Killian Carroll and Martin Mulkerrins all getting byes into the round-of-16 on Wednesday.
World champion Brady is, of course, aiming to equal Naty Alvarado's record of 11 victories in the US Nationals, the Cavan man having won 10 of the last 11 nationals he has entered. He missed one event in that time because of injury.
Brady made a good start on Wednesday, with victory over Mallow youth Tadhg O'Neill at 11 and 11 after O'Neill had beaten Californian Andrew Garcia at 7 and 12 in the round-of-32. Brady was next in action on Thursday night against Abe Montijo from Arizona.
Carroll eased past Ryan Bowler (New York) 21-4, 21-3 to book a date with local Andy Nett, while Mulkerrins also had an easy ride against Anthony Sullivan (San Jose), winning at 3 and 3. Mulkerrins' next oponent is number two seed Sean Lenning (Washington). That could be a defining time for the Galway lad.
The men's semi-finals are on Friday with the final on Saturday, while the women's semis are Saturday and the final on Sunday.
