DUCHY OF CORNWALL “OPEN” BADMINTON EMAIL ADDRESSES: lindahelston56@aol.com, john@jtbuildingdesign.wanadoo.co.uk 12th September, 2005 BADMINTON PREVIEW NO. 4 BADMINTON: SHUTTLES READY FOR LAUNCHING, AS DUCHY “OPEN” ATTRACTS A RECORD 134 COMPETITORS There has been a record entry of 134 overall, including a remarkable sixty six, in the Men’s Singles Discipline, for the Duchy of Cornwall 23rd “Open” Badminton Championships, which will see competitors drawn from a spread of twenty seven English and Welsh Counties, writes John Tresidder. The prestigious Event, in its 6th year as a Badminton England “Satellite” Ranking Tournament and with the prize-fund, swollen to £1,185, is scheduled for Carn Brea Leisure Centre, Pool, Near Redruth – this weekend - on Saturday and Sunday, September 17th / 18th. Main Sponsors: Badders.com - www.badders.com - the National Badminton Network Company, from Hampshire, together with Tag Sports - www.tagsports.co.uk - from Newton Abbot. South Devon and Portsmouth, Hants, in conjunction with Yonex UK Ltd., have once again joined forces as the Tournament’s joint main sponsors. 2/5: In addition, The Countryman Inns Group, from Piece, Carnkie, near Redruth and Dales Renault, based at Scorrier, & Summercourt, together with Competitor Jack Webb’s Construction Company, J. C. Renovations, of Southsea, Hants, are amongst the other generous sponsors, of this, an Event, which is known as one of the most popular on the English Badminton circuit. Programme-of-Events (10.00am start each day): Saturday: Men’s and Ladies’ Singles, followed by Mixed Doubles, with the latter continuing into the evening; Sunday: Men’s and Ladies’ Level Doubles There will be “Bleacher” tiered seating for supporters and spectators and the entry to the hall is free. Mr. Eric Brown, Guest-of-Honour: The Guest-of-Honour is Mr. Eric Brown, Badminton England’s newly-appointed Acting Chief Executive, who will be supporting the Event and attending to a number of Sunday’s presentations. Mr. Brown will be familiar with Carn Brea, through his having helped out with the organisation of the Cornwall Schools’ Junior “Open” Events, at the same base, in years gone by. Rebecca heads the seeding in three disciplines of play: Gloucestershire’s Rebecca Pantaney, the former England International, tops the seedings in three events - Ladies’ Singles, Ladies’ Doubles - in tandem with Joanna Dix (Hants) - and the Mixed Doubles, in partnership with Mike Haywood, her County colleague, where the duo will start out on the Saturday Afternoon, as the defending champions. Devon’s Betty Blair, from Exton, near Exeter, the Former England Under-23 International and Current World Masters’ Singles champion, will be bidding for an incredible eighth blue ribband singles title, as the second favourite. Miss Blair competes in the Mixed Doubles, too, where she teams up with Trevor Darlington (Hants), in the number two berth. 3/5: Meanwhile, Min Zhu (South Glamorgan), has been seeded One in the Men’s Singles, the corresponding blue ribband event, together with the Men’s Doubles, where he teams up with Paul Le Tocq, his Welsh County compatriot. Trevor returns: There will also be a warm welcome for Hampshire’s popular Trevor Darlington, from the Joint Main sponsors, Badders.com, who, owing to business commitments, has been unable to compete for a while. However, Trevor, the former England Ranked No. 4 Doubles player, who has been a prolific Duchy winner, in tandem with Paul Holden and Caroline Taylor, in past years, teams up with Alistair Jones, (Berkshire), the former Devon Player, in the Men’s Doubles’ 3/4 slot. * Committee of Management, 2005 onwards: Mrs. Linda Collins, Camborne: Chairman & Hon. Tournament Secretary; Mr. David Burgess, Barnstaple: Hon Tournament Referee; Mr. Paul Martin, Treasurer; Mr. Paul Collins, Tournament Co-ordinator; Mrs. Ros. White, Sponsorship Co-ordinator. Mr. John Tresidder, a Duchy “Open” Founder Member, in the 1982 inaugural year, continues in his Press Officer role. New floral sponsor: A new and welcome sponsor is: Brides & Flowers, the Florists and Bridalware Company, from Trelowarren Street, Camborne, whose display of flowers will adorn the hall over the weekend. Indeed, the Proprietors, Trevor and Valerie Dalley, were the Founders of Camborne’s famous Trevithick Day. Linda Collins says: “We look forward to One & All calling into the Carn Brea Hall, over the weekend. You will be made most welcome, as usual and witness, undoubtedly, some very exciting badminton, indeed.” Finally, the comprehensive review/results, will be published in the Press and posted on the Badminton Website: www.badders.com i.e. in the week following the Tournament. 4/5: SEEDINGS FOR THE DUCHY OF CORNWALL 23RD “OPEN” CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN’S SINGLES: 1. MIN ZHU – SOUTH GLAM. 2. PAUL LE TOCQ – SOUTH GLAM. 3/4: MATTHEW SPRAKE – CHESHIRE. MARTIN VENTHAM – HANTS. 5/8: BEN WITHAM – GLOUCS. MARK ASHTON – HANTS. STEVE SMITH – HANTS. CHRIS DAKIN – WARKS. LADIES’ SINGLES: 1. REBECCA PANTANEY – GLOUCS. 2. BETTY BLAIR – DEVON. MEN’S DOUBLES: 1. PAUL LE TOCQ/MIN ZHU – SOUTH GLAM. 2. CHRIS/PETER SHEPPERD – HANTS. 3/4: TREVOR DARLINGTON/ALISTAIR JONES – HANTS/BERKS. MIKE HAYWOOD/TONY GIBSON – GLOUCS. 5/8: NEIL POTTER/CHRIS EVANS – HANTS. CHRIS DAKIN/SCOTT WEBBER – WARKS/LANCS. TIM WILLIS/DANIEL HARRIS – DEVON. PAUL CARLESS/CHRIS PATTEN – SURREY. LADIES’ DOUBLES: 1. REBECCA PANTANEY/JOANNA DIX – GLOUCS/HANTS. 2. JOANNA SULLIVAN/SARAH BURGESS – GLOUCS/HANTS. 5/5: MIXED DOUBLES: 1. MIKE HAYWOOD/REBECCA PANTANEY – GLOUCS. 2. TREVOR DARLINGTON/BETTY BLAIR – HANTS/DEVON. 3/8: KELVIN EDWARDS/CAROLINE SIMPSON – DEVON/GLOUCS. MARTIN VENTHAM/JOANNA DIX – HANTS. PAUL LE TOCQ/KERRY ANN SHEPPARD – SOUTH GLAM. CHRIS EVANS/KATHRYN GITTENS – HANTS. SCOTT WEBBER/SARAH BURGESS – LANCS/HANTS. MATTHEW SPRAKE/JOANNE SULLIVAN – GLOUCS. John Tresidder, Cornwall County & Duchy