The annual Great Southern Badminton Association tournament is attracting shuttlers from all over the region with a field of 90-plus expected for the event at Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre this weekend.

After taking part in the high-level Albany Bicentenary Badminton Tournament in March, local players will be excited to tackle the event which mixes competitors into scratch teams.

Albany stars Anton Cimagala and Hermar Rosquillo, who performed with distinction to reach the D-grade men’s doubles final in March, are on the roster although almost certain to be billeted to different teams.

Also in the field are Kathy Way and Shannen Higgenson, who played together in the bicentennial event.

Higgensen and fellow Albany shuttler Vincent Phan were in the M*A*S*H team which won a hotly-contested division one in the Great Southern event last year.

GSBA president Michelle Watson said the teams would be split into two divisions, according to standard.

“It’s a good format because you have to get together as a team, probably with people you don’t know, and find a way to make it work,” she said.

She said there were plenty of new faces signing up and the bicentennial event had enabled the association to better get to know the nuts and bolts around running a top competition.

The State competition, which was part of the Albany 2026 bicentenary calendar, offered prize money of $22,000.

The weekend’s event won’t offer that kind of reward, but Watson said she would love to see that standard of event come to the Great Southern again.

The tournament starts on Saturday, August 1, with finals scheduled for Sunday.