The second biennial CanAm Cup, bringing together the top men’s and women’s hardball doubles teams from the US and Canada, was held the weekend of October 21-24, 2010, in Toronto (Ontario, Canada), with the US once again victorious.
The inaugural CanAm Cup, also won by the US, was held in 2008 in Boston. This year’s event not only included the CanAm Cup (overall title) but also included the Gillen/Pierce Trophy for the women and the Bernheimer/Bell Cup for the men.
Teams are chosen by the captains based upon the North American Doubles Rankings as well as by National Doubles success. The reigning National Champions, as well as the number one ranked player on each wall, gain automatic berths on the team, with the team then being filled out by “Captain’s choices.” This year’s captains, Molly Pierce, Lee Belknap, Lenny Bernheimer and Mike McGorry, chose their team this past summer in order to allow the players time to prepare for the early season weekend of squash. Teams were chosen in the Men’s Open, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+ and 75+ divisions while the women were represented in the Open, 40+, 45+, and 50+ divisions.
Play commenced on Friday morning with the “Lightning Round.” Lightning Round teams were picked randomly by wall and played similarly picked Canadian teams with each “match” consisting of one game up to 21 points. With all of the players present for the Lightning round draw, the competition was tremendous with the US coming out with an early 8-5 lead (in spite of losing two matches 21-20).
The second round of matches pitted the No. 1s from each country playing the No. 2s from the other country. These matches were worth one point. Third round matches involved the No. 1s and No. 2s each playing each other with each match worth 1½ points. The first team to 39 ½ points would win the overall event.
By Sunday morning there were nine matches left to play with the US having dominated the Gillen/Pierce portion of the event and were thus close to clinching the overall CanAm Cup. The Bernheimer/Bell Cup, for male supremacy, was still up for grabs, as each team had accumulated 22.5 points.
US Women No. 1s, Dana Betts and Emily Lungstrum, clinched the CanAm overall by winning a thrilling five game match against Canada’s No. 1 team of Shauna Keating/ Stephanie Hewitt.
This left the men’s portion with six matches to play. Canada won both 75+ matches and the US came back and won both 45+ matches leaving the two 40+ matches to determine the Bernheimer/Bell Cup. Canada won the first of the 40’s matches with Scott Stoneburgh and Jamie Bentley defeating John Conway and Scott Poirier. This left the match of the weekend, Canada’s Scott Dulmage and Paul Zander, to face American’s John McAtee and Doug Lifford. The US jumped out to a one game lead, lost the second and third, only to rebound with a terrific fourth game win to force the fifth and deciding game. With almost 200 spectators in the gallery, many waving US and Canadian flags and cheering on their countrymen, the Canadians came out on top in game five to win the Bernheimer/Bell Cup.
It was a tremendous weekend of squash, camaraderie, and nationalism—The Ryder Cup of doubles squash. The organizers and the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club deserve special thanks for their hard work in hosting such a terrific event. Chairman Jon LeHeup and crew did everything one could to make this a memorable weekend for all. A full recap of the weekend’s matches is available at www.canamsquash.com.
The next CanAm Cup is scheduled for Buffalo (NY) in October, 2012. From the looks of things there will be tremendous competition to earn a spot on each team’s roster in order to represent your country in such a prestigious event.
