Scott Gardiner: Squash Events Canterbury spokesperson on the upcoming NZ Squash Open

The countdown continues to the NZ Squash Open 2025. 

It’s taking place at Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal in March, with tickets already on sale. 

Squash Events Canterbury’s Scott Gardiner joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat about how the event is coming along so far. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And of course in March we are counting down to
the New Zealand Squash Open and we know that it
is at the Isaac Theater Royal, which is fantastic. It's
just going to be such an amazing event. And Scott
Gardner's with again this morning. Scott, Good morning, morning Lesalily.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
How are you doing good?

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Thanks? So ticket sales are they available for the March
third event?

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Yes, your tickets have been on sale for a few
months now and are going pretty pretty well. So it's
it's really uh, you're going to be getting getting in
quick to secure a ticket.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Oh well, that's a really sharp warning for people if
they're wanting to go and see the very best. And
of course you know we're all so looking forward to
Paul Cole coming back and kind of at his home area,
although you know, just across the Alps, but we'll claim
them anyway. But we know that that glass surf that
was going to call it surface, that glass court is
going to go. And when does that start?

Speaker 2 (00:54):
So it takes about two to three days to put
the court up, so just before the event, at the
start of March, the court will get erected on the stage.
So it's literally bobbing its way back to Littleton Harbor
from being up in Hong Kong for a tournament up there,
and yeah, it'll be it'll be ready to go into
the theater just before the start of March.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
Look, we know there's a whole lot of other things
that go on behind the scenes. You're happy with where
your organization is at for this big event.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
It's obviously a huge event putting on a world tour event,
as anyone knows in any sport. But we're really excited
about hosting it here and we've got great support because
it's part of the PSA Squash World Tour. They have
a great crew back at home base overseas that help
us put the tournament on. So so that that crew,

(01:42):
along with that our local organizing committee have been doing
a lot of work around securing sponsorship, sort of player
I guess player activities and making sure we've got you know, accommodation,
etcetera lined up. So yeah, there's lots of work that
it's going really really.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Well, fantastic and then when do all the international players
start arriving into the city.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
So we've confirmed the draw literally this week, so it's
an incredible draw so it's fair to say it'd be
the strongest ever drawer of squash players ever to come
to New Zealand. So we're fortunate to have in the
woman's draw fourteen of the top twenty athletes in the world,
which is just unbelievable. And in the main we've also

(02:26):
got we've got four in the top twenty, four in
the top ten coming here, which again is amazing. And
because of the way the squash tour works much like
tennis et cetera, they are traveling around various countries playing tournaments.
So straight after US as the Australian Tour, and before
US there's some tour events in Asia and Canada, so

(02:48):
they'll start arriving, depending on their schedule, just before the
start of March, so most of them will arrive on
the weekend before the twenty eighth Februy or so. Right.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Wow, gosh, it's fantastic, great news about the quality.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
It's amazing, incredible and I encourage anyone who may not
know that much about squash to come along and have
a look. I mean, tickets start from only twenty dollars
and you can actually come along to quite a few
rounds during the week before the quarters and semeis and
it might be a really interesting time to duck out
in the afternoon or early evening and actually go along

(03:24):
what is this squash all about? And I'm encourage anyone
who's sort of not really sure or hasn't seen any
squash to dive online somewhere and just search PSA Squash
Tour and you'll see some videos in action shots of
the glass court and players in action and they are
tremendously amazing athletes to watch, So to see it up
and closer in our hometown should be just amazing.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
Oh yes, can't wait. I really can't wait, because I
think along with rowing squash, the components that you need
to last the game, especially at that high level, is
the toughest, you know.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
Physically, Yeah, that's right, And you know the work that
goes into the training of these athletes is amazing. I mean,
we all know about Paul Cole and he's probably one
of the most physical athletes on the tour, but across
the whole set of draws, men's and womens, they are
just incredible to watch and their fitness levels is just
something to be seen. So yeah, it's really worth coming along.

(04:19):
It's exciting, it's quite dynamic. We make it a great event.
The sort of lights, music, you know, it's all pretty
amazing stuff when you can put it on inside the theaters.
So it's going to be an epic event.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yeah, it sure is. We're so grateful that it's here
in christ Church March.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
Absolutely, well, Scott, thanks so much. Enjoy your weekend and
your finishing touches. Keep in touch and we'll speak again. Yeah,
before the event, we'll.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Just make sure we jump onto festivals Squash or ticke
tech to get your tickets. Then hopefully we'll see you
all there.

Speaker 1 (04:51):
Well I think that. Yeah, I really needed that website,
so say that again.

Speaker 2 (04:56):
Festival of Squash or the tickets are also available on
tic tech. Okay, so you can search first Squash on
ticket tech so that both places will take you to
the tickets.

Speaker 1 (05:06):
Great, fantastic, great info. Thank you very much, Scott Gardner.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Thanks Lelie for more from News Talks B listen live
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