COUNTY BADMINTON REVIEW

BADMINTON: EMILY WINS A FIRST COUNTY SENIOR SINGLES TITLE, AS JAMES SECURES A DREAM HAT-TRICK

6th October, 2006

Emily James, aged 15, from Falmouth, who is a Truro School student, won a famous inaugural Ladies’ Singles title, at the Annual Cornwall Senior “Closed” Badminton Championships, 2006/2007, which were staged at St. Austell’s Polkyth Leisure Centre, last weekend (September 29th / October 1st), writes John Tresidder, with James Whetter (County Selector).

And, James Whetter, a county selector registered a marvellous hat-trick, in the tournament which attracted fifty-two competitors, including 14 youngsters from the Cornwall Youth Badminton (CYB) ranks.

The organisers were delighted with this, the largest entry for around fifteen years and great credit must go to Brian Hannibal, the Tournament Secretary, as well as the CYB organisation – a county sub-committee – together with Kath Wotton, the Badminton Development Officer for Cornwall.

Bob remembered:

Mrs. Jenny Marchant, the County Chairman, called a minute’s silence in memory of Cornishman, Bob Northcott, the Cornwall stalwart and holder of around 250 county caps, who passed away at his Plymouth Higher Compton home on August 18th.

Bob Bell, his friend and County/England Veterans compatriot, also made a contribution with a few personal words.

Emily, a sports all-rounder, is over the moon:

Emily, member of the Camborne-based First Edition Club, who has been coached immaculately, by Clif Morcom, won three-out-four games in her round-robin play, of this joint blue-ribband discipline, amassing 161 points, including the 42-37 match defeat of Janet Santillo (Liskeard) - a past champion and number on seed - who finished in the runners-up berth, with 152 points, to her name.

The young lady, who also shows considerable sporting prowess on the tennis court, as well as on the hockey field, displayed a natural movement around the court, with the stroke play to match, thus resulting in her first senior title, with which she was “over the moon”.

Meanwhile, the opening day saw the men’s singles final contested by the two favourites, with James Whetter, the number two seed, recording another Men’s singles title, accounting for his St. Austell Bay club-mate, Guy Michell (17), the defending champion, in the deciding third game, with the overall score being: 15/21, 21/14, 21/11.

Day two saw James and Guy, the two singles finalists, proceed to combine to successfully defend the Men’s Doubles title - out-pointing the experienced Nigel Holmes and Bob Bell in a three-ended battle-royale. This was subsequent to James going on to lift the MIxed Doubles, in tandem with Erica Keeling, the former England Junior International, with the outfit defeating Julian Cooper and Lynda Beer, 21/10, 21/16.

Erica’s grand brace of titles:

This mixed success meant a grand double for Erica, who had teamed up earlier, with Alison Philp, nee Williams the Former England No. 8 Junior, to register the ladies’ doubles discipline over Janet Santillo and Lynda Beer.

Amongst the supporters welcomed to the hall were: Mike Avery, the President and his wife, Pauline, who, herself, is a former county secretary; Lyndon Allen, the County Secretary, who was accompanied by his wife, Penny, together with Kath Wotton (Development).

John Tresidder
County Badminton Press Officer & Writer Cornwall.



1.00 MAIN EVENTS RESULTS:

1.01 Ladies’ Singles: (Straight Round Robin, two games of 21, per match):

  • Winner: Miss E. James (First Edition/Truro School), 161 points;
  • Runner-up: Mrs. J. Santillo (Liskeard). 152 points.
1.02 Men’s Singles:

  • J. Whetter (St. Austell Bay) bt. G. Michell (St. Austell Bay), 15/21, 21/14, 21/11.
1.03 Ladies’ Doubles:

  • Mrs. A. Philp and Ms. E. Keeling bt. Mrs. J. Santillo and Miss L. Beer, 21/18, 21/13.
1.04 Men’s Doubles:
  • J. Whetter and G. Michell bt. N. Holmes and R. Bell, 22/20, 14/21, 21/16.
1.05 Mixed Doubles:

  • J. Whetter and Ms. E. Keeling bt. J. Cooper and Miss L. Beer, 21/10, 21/16.


2.00 PLATE EVENTS RESULTS:

2.01 Men’s Singles:

  • Richard Andrews (Liskeard) bt.Tom Lyle (Launceston), 21/15.
2.02 Ladies’ Doubles:

  • Mrs. S. Biscoe and Mrs. L. Riggs bt. Miss E. James and Miss B. Wotton, 25/13, 21/13.
2.03 Men’s Doubles:
  • S. Maton and T. Lyle bt. K. Hobbs and A. Widdison, 21/18, 21/16.
2.04 Mixed Doubles:

  • A. White and Mrs. A. Philp bt. P. Bazin and Miss R. Irish, 21/15, 21/16.


FULL RESULTS: