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DUCHY OF CORNWALL “OPEN” BADMINTON
CHAMPIONSHIPS COMMITTEE: CHAIRMAN/SECRETARY: MRS. L.S. COLLINS, “CHYROSE”, 31 TRECARRACK ROAD, PENGEGON, CAMBORNE, TR14 7UQ, TEL: 01209 713794, MOBILE: 07768 168448, EMAIL: lindahelston56@aol.com. HON. TREASURER: MR P. MARTIN, 24 PENTALEK ROAD, CAMBORNE, TR14 7RQ, TEL: 01209 715819 HON. PUBLICITY OFFICER: MR. W.J. TRESIDDER, 4 ROCK CLOSE, CHY-KENSA, PENGEGON, CAMBORNE, TR14 7TT, TEL: 01209 711325, EMAIL: john@jtbuildingdesign.wanadoo.co.uk. 24th September, 2005 DUCHY 24TH “OPEN” BADMINTON - REVIEW BADMINTON: AVON COUNTY’S HEATHER AND MATT RECORD A SUPERB BRACE OF TITLES, APIECE Avon County’s Heather Olver and Matt Hanson both secured a superb brace of trophies - inaugural wins - at the Duchy of Cornwall 24th “Open” Badminton Championships, which were staged at Carn Brea Leisure Centre, Pool, Near Redruth – over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, September 16th / 17th. There was an excellent entry of 132 overall, including a remarkable sixty contesting the Men’s Singles, in the Tournament, which is known universally, as one of the most popular on the English Badminton Circuit and which proved very successful, once more, writes John Tresidder. The prestigious Event, in its 7th year as a BADMINTON England “Satellite” Ranking Tournament, with a prize-fund of £1,185, saw competitors drawn from a magnificent spread of twenty-six English and Welsh Counties, with Hampshire and Devon sending down their usual enthusiastic squads and Cornwall, the Host, replying with nineteen players – a record. Indeed, the International Badminton Federation’s (IBF’s) new “Rally Points” Scoring System – the best of three games of 21/five disciplines of play – was adopted and featured at the “Open” for the first time. 2/8: Day One saw Heather Olver, unseeded, together with Mark Burgess, the Men’s favourite, lift the blue ribband singles trophies. Heather, from Avon, defeated Betty Blair (Devon), who was striving for a grand eighth singles victory - 21/16, 21/18, in a competitive final, whilst Mark Burgess, Hampshire’s former England International, accounted for Mark Ashton, his county compatriot, the 3/4 seed, 21/16, 21/11. Defending champions and seeds toppled: Miss Olver, aged 20, from the University of Bath’s High Performance Badminton Centre - on the way to her victory - recorded a win over Jo Dix, the defending champion in the third round, whilst Ashton achieved likewise, when he beat Paul Le-Tocq, the second seed, 21/16, 21/19, in the Men’s semi-finals. Miss Olver, in tandem with Avon’s Matt Hanson, as the favourites, then proceeded to lift the Mixed Doubles, in the final, held on the Sunday Morning. The outfit accounted for the experienced Hampshire duo of Chris Shepperd and Sarah Burgess, in what proved to be a tight encounter, finishing, 21/17, 21/19 in favour of the Avon partnership. Hanson, aged twenty one, in turn teamed up with George Bevan, his county colleague, to register the Men’s Doubles, which concluded the weekend. Hanson and Bevan went one game down, 21/19, to Mark Burgess and Chris Evans, seeded one, before rallying, to win the next game, 21/15 and the deciding game, 23/21, in a battle-royale final, which thrilled the supporters and spectators, alike, in the hall. The Ladies’ Doubles, the penultimate event, produced an All-Hampshire final, which proved to be a close-encounter, indeed, with the popular Kelly Holdway and Sarah Burgess getting home, narrowly, 22/20, 21/19, over Kathryn Gittens and Jo Dix. * Adam Smith, from Avon, was the popular recipient of the Sporting Spirit Trophy. 3/8: CYB youngsters in action: The organisers were delighted to welcome a number of the Cornwall Youth Badminton (CYB) Under-17 youngsters to the Carn Brea courts. And those seen to be gaining invaluable experience included: Chris Glasson, Tom Lyle and Will Pepworth, who hail from Camborne, Launceston and Holsworthy respectively. Guy thrilled with Award No. 2: The St. Austell Bay Club’s Guy Michell, aged 17, competing in only his second Duchy “Open”, was voted The Best Cornish Player, for a second year in succession. This was in respect of his reaching the Men’s Singles “Plate” semis, on Day One, principally. Main Sponsors: Hampshire Computer Company, Graphic Solutions – www.graphicsols.com - and Badders.com - www.badders.com - the independent voice of Badminton, from Hampshire, together with TAG SPORTS - www.tagsports.co.uk - from Newton Abbot, South Devon and Portsmouth, Hants, in conjunction with YONEX UK LTD., were the joint main sponsors, with Mr. Andy Hartley, Yonex’s UK Promotions Executive, assisting Tag Sports, over the weekend. The Countryman Free 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, were all amongst the other generous sponsors, as indeed were: Brides And Flowers, the Florist and Bridalware Company, from Camborne, who provided the pedestal of flowers which adorned the hall over the weekend. Wine and cheese appreciated: The Saturday evening saw Colin and Ann Ransley, the Duchy’s assistants, from Newquay, arranging a successful cheese and wine hospitality function, for players and officials, in the hall. 4/8: Amongst the visitors and presenters, over the weekend, were: Mr. Mike Avery, the Cornwall Badminton President, who was accompanied by his wife, Pauline, herself a past County Secretary, together with Mrs. Jenny Marchant (County Chairman) & husband, Robbie. Mrs. Kath Wotton, the Badminton Development Officer for Cornwall was also in attendance. And Mrs. Marchant, who is a Cornish water-colour artist in her own right, presented one of her originals – “St. Germans Viaduct” to Guy Michell. * Mrs. Collins, on behalf of her Committee, wishes to express her grateful thanks to the following: Graphic Solutions and Badders.com, together with TAG SPORTS/YONEX UK LTD - including for its supply of the Event’s “AEROSENSA 40” feather shuttlecocks – and, indeed, all the Advertisers. Carn Brea’s Management, Staff & the ZESTCAFE’s Personnel: including: Mr. Alex Clifton, the Centre Manager, Mrs. Lynn Butler, the Special Events Co-ordinator, in respect of their sterling work, leading up to and over the weekend; The players, supporters, spectators and helpers, alike. Duchy Committee of Management:
Time saving apparently: Mr. Burgess, who is an International Referee, from Barnstaple, commented: “In respect of the weekend’s matches, comprising the best three games of 21, compared to three games of 15, in the old scoring, the new Rally Points Scoring system appeared to reduce the duration of the matches by around 5 minutes, on average.” 5/8: * DIARY: The 25th Duchy “Open” – the silver anniversary tournament – is scheduled for September 15th / 16th, 2007. The full results are shown on pages 6/8, 7/8 & 8/8. Yours sincerely, John Tresidder, Duchy “Open” Press /PR Officer 6/8: THE DUCHY OF CORNWALL 24TH “OPEN” BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS: FULL RESULTS: 1.00 LADIES’ SINGLES: Semi-finals:
Semi-finals:
Semi-finals:
Semi-finals:
Semi-finals:
1.00 Ladies Singles:
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