A bumper draw for the national championships is a sure sign that squash is enjoying an unprecedented boom in Bermuda.

More than 150 players will take part in the Fast Forward Freight Championships, beginning today, at a time when membership of the club has passed the 600 barrier.

The tournament will be split into three men's and women's divisions as well as veterans with defending champion Nick Kyme and club pro Patrick Foster seeded one and two respectively in the main draw.

Matches begin tomorrow with the finals next week when Kyme and Foster are expected to battle it out, as they did in the final of the World Distributors Open, Foster's first tournament since arriving in Bermuda after taking over from Gary Plumstead, the South African who claimed the national championship crown in 2002.

"Both at the top-class level, with the Bermuda Masters coming here in April, and at the recreational level, interest in squash is at a high in Bermuda," said Director of Squash Ross Triffitt.

"We are delighted to see so many players taking part in our national championships and we are expecting a good level of competition.

"At the top end, although both the top seeds should have a relatively straightforward path to the final, we are anticipating an intense final between Nick, who has been ranked as high as 63, and Patrick, a former world number 69."