Landeryou & Saunders winners at Racquetball Canada's National Team Selection Event

Tim Landeryou and Jennifer Saunders were the winners of the men's and women's divisions at the Racquetball Canada's National Team Selection Event in Kelowna, B.C. at the Globe Fitness Centre on the weekend. Landeryou, the 2nd seed, defeated Eric Desrochers in the final, 15-13, 11-15, 11-7, for his first Selection Event win.

But Landeryou almost didn't get out of his first match, as Coby Iwaasa - current World Junior Boys U16 Champion - won the first game of their match 15-7. In game two, it seemed Landeryou had righted the ship as he took an 8-2 lead.

But Iwaasa came back and won the next 12 of 13 points to lead 13-9, and then went one better with a 14-10 lead. But despite having three match point opportunities, Iwaasa couldn't finish Landeryou off. The veteran Landeryou took advantage and won game two 16-14 and then took the tie-breaker 11-4.

In the semi-finals, Landeryou beat one of his training partners in Nathaniel Husulak, 9-15, 15-9, 11-5, while Desrochers, the 4th seed, won the other semi-final by upsetting the top seed Kris Odegard, 15-11, 12-15, 11-8.

Saunders won the women's division going undefeated through a five player round robin, including a win over Christine Richardson, 16-14, 15-12, in what was a see-saw match that saw Richardson take leads of 12-5 and 14-7 in game one before Saunders used all of her veteran savvy to come back and win the game.

In game two, it was Saunders who took the big early lead, as she went up 11-0. But once again the other player came back, as Richardson closed the gap to 14-12, but couldn't quite force the tie-breaker.

Nonetheless, it's Richardson's best finish at a Racquetball Canada National Team event. For her part, Saunders - the 2012 Canadian Racquetball Champion - remains unbeaten in Canada this calendar year.

Results from this weekend will be combined with results from the National Team Selection Event in February 2013 in Brossard, Que. and the 2012 Canadian National Championships last May in Brossard, Que. to select the players who will represent Canada at the 2013 Pan American Championships next Easter.

Racquetball Canada National Team Selection Event
Kelowna, B.C.

Men's Open

Final

Tim Landeryou d. Eric Desrochers, 15-13, 11-15, 11-7

Semi-finals

Eric Desrochers d. Kris Odegard, 15-11, 12-15, 11-8
Tim Landeryou d. Nathaniel Husulak, 9-15, 15-9, 11-5

3rd: Nathaniel Husulak d. Kris Odegard - Default
5th: Coby Iwaasa d. Kurtis Cullen, 7-15, 17-15, 11-3
7th: Pedro Castro d. Lee Connell, 12-15, 15-11, 11-8
9th: Mitch Brayley d. Troy Brooks, 15-3, 15-12
11th: Anthony Schonberger d. Eric Urteaga, 16-14, 15-13

Women's Open

Final: Jennifer Saunders d. Christine Richardson, 16-14, 15-12

Women's Placings

1st: Jennifer Saunders
2nd: Christine Richardson
3rd: Nadia Verilli
4th: Michèle Morissette
5th: Valerie Fallu

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