This event encompasses some 18 towns across the Border, North East Victoria and the Riverina.

Victorian-affiliated clubs include Commercial Club Albury, Wodonga, Benalla, Cohuna, Corowa, Echuca-Moama, Milawa-Beechworth, Shepparton/Goulburn Valley Squash-Numurkah and Yarrawonga-Mulwala.

The NSW contingent includes Leeton, Griffith, Hay, Deniliquin, Coleambally, Finley, Cowra, Wagga Wagga CSU, Temora, Cootamundra and Young.

Australian Sports Hall of Fame member Geoff Hunt is visiting the Border on Sunday to officially launch the inaugural competition.

Hunt is a giant of the Australian sports landscape, dominating squash from the late 1960s through to early 1980s.

He won eight British Open titles, along with the first four World Opens.

In all, he won 178 of 215 tournaments contested.

Only Heather McKay has a more successful record.

Forced into retirement by persistent injury, Hunt established a stellar coaching career, initially as head coach at the AIS and more recently in a long stint as head coach at the Aspire Academy in Doha, Qatar.

Hunt has also become a sought after speaker at both sporting and corporate events and kindly agreed to address the crowd at Sunday’s launch.

The family-friendly inter-town competition starts on February 25.

It is divided into four zones, with towns from as far away as Cohuna and Hay to Young and Albury.

Towns within each zone play a relaxed series of matches on Sundays throughout the year, with the winners of each zone to compete for the grand prize in December.

The trophy, named The Geoff Hunt Perpetual Shield, will reside with the winning team each year.

“Interest in the new competition reflects the fact that most regional towns still boast a set of squash courts,” Squash and Racquetball North East Victoria Association spokesman Kevin Quick said.

Anyone interested is welcome to attend Sunday’s launch and open day at the Commercial Club Squash Centre, with courts available between 10am and 2.30pm.​