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SCOTTISH OPEN |
Loretto School, Musselburgh, 5/6th May 2007 |
[posted 08 May 2007] |
The 2007 Scottish Open was a story of opportunities not taken; several of the finals, and one semi-final, contained a long moment where the losing
player was in a dominant, winning position. And for Roger Butterworth, it
represented the third time he has been the doubles runner-up!
A bright sunny day dawned on Saturday in Edinburgh. Young Connor Minta
reported for duty to egg on his Dad, to help organiser Neil
Roberts and to sell oranges to players and crowd for 25p.
The gathered players included, as well as the players from London, Yorkshire
and Manchester, three Scottish representatives in the form of Fraser and Kemp,
together with honorary Scot Johnny Major, doing a 6-year degree at Edinburgh
University.
The highlight of the singles was the semi-final between Fraser and Minta.
An enthralling contest between Minta's aggressive and powerful hitting
combined with clever angles, and Fraser's exquisite artistry and knowledge
of the courts. Fraser had several match points at 14-12 in the second game,
but could not maintain the pressure, and went on to lose that game narrowly
16-14. After that, Minta smelt victory; he held on through the third game, eventually wearing his opponent down to take
the semi in three games.
After that epic semi-final, Minta went through to face Buchanan who had had
a difficult but shorter passage past Neil Roberts. Once Hamish got used to
the pace of John's hitting, he cunningly moved John all around the court,
employing every drop-shot and angle in his repertoire, and won the
championship in perfect style with an unplayable reverse-angle drop-shot.
The plate also featured a reversal of fortunes; Smith went 10-1 up, but
after Major dug in with some admirable hitting to bring the scores level,
there followed an exhausting tussle at 11-11 which eventually left Smith
thoroughly exhausted, and Major clinched the last few points.
In the doubles, a round-robin saw the favoured seedings of
Buchanan & Butterworth go through to face Minta & I Roberts. Several three-game
rounds had been predicted, but in fact it was only the final that produced. Having won the first game, Hamish & Roger found the second game harder
going. Despite a collision with his partner, Ian Roberts hit a purple patch
of superb touch shots, and Minta & Roberts went 6-0 up. Buchanan &
Butterworth clawed back to 8-8, and eventually reached Championship point -
they had three rallies on game ball, but lost. Again, after such a struggle
the tide had changed, and Minta & Roberts went on to take the third game.
At times it seemed as if the singles final was being played again, as Minta
attempted to end the rallies; John's determination to come away with a
winners' trophy was clear, and he and Ian finished deserved winners.
Things were less tight in the doubles plate; Major and Smith had exhausted
each other the day before, and Hebden's brilliant reverse angles combined
with Kemp's steady hitting had no answer. Once again, the legendary Smith
plate was in Scottish hands.
Post Script
The players were pleased to discover a new pub in Musselburgh, the Levenhall
Arms, which serves real ale. Over a pint after the games on Sunday, the
organiser carefully explained to the young Scottish Plate winner Kemp the
legends surrounding the Smith Plate, in particular how the Scotch Elm had
once sat on top of the brandy barrel that housed Nelson's body.
This great tournament was also noteable for the display of rear-ends; Smith's
shorts ripped half-way through a singles game to display more than he may
have wished to the embarrassed crowd. Butterworth was rather less shy at
revealing to players and crowd the bruise caused to his posterior after
being hit by one of Minta's shots!
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Scottish Open results
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NATIONAL VINTAGE AND MASTERS' CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Derby Moor, 21st/22nd April 2007 |
[posted 28 April 2007] |
In a repeat of the 1979 National Singles Final, newcomer Wayne Enstone took on defending champion David Hebden in the Final of the Vintage Singles at Derby Moor. No previous final can have been of such quality, with David manoeuvring Wayne around the court in rallies of a length and intensity that defied their ages. At 9-9 in the first game Wayne stepped up a gear, attacking David with relentless two-handed power to edge out as the winner. In the second game, Wayne’s legendary consistency and fitness came into play, forcing uncharacteristic errors from David who, eventually, simply ran out of ideas. Wayne thus won the Mackenzie Trophy for the first time.
In their semi-finals, Wayne and David had beaten Robert Grey and John Hawke respectively, who then played for the magnificent Plate presented by John as a way of "getting himself on the list of winners with all the good players”. Having won it last year, John this time had to cede victory to Robert, last year’s losing Finalist in the main competition. These four should look out, though: rumour has it that Bob Sandie and Jeremy Schroeter are eligible next year!
In the Vintage Doubles, Graham Hobbs & Roger Butterworth and Grem McIntyre & John Hawke went out in the quarter-finals, thereby qualifying themselves to fight it out for the Plate, which took the form of deux boules newly presented by organizer Bob Dolby. Graham and Roger duly returned up the M6 to Manchester laden with the spoils. The semi-finals went according to expectations, with David and Keith defeating the pair from Kent, Martin Wilkinson & Neil Arnott, while new pairing of Bernard Atkinson & Wayne Enstone had too much firepower for Douglas Rice & Tony Wolstenholme, who had come to make a serious challenge for the Masters Doubles.
In the eagerly awaited Final, David and Keith took the first game with some ease, but in the second gamefound themselves facing resurgent opponents, especially Wayne, who can still get from the back wall to the opposite front corner at lightning pace. After a distinct wobble at 10-10, David got back into his destructive rhythm of fierce hitting down the left, though the match ended with an exchange of delicate drop shots in the front corner from which Keith emerged with the biggest smile of the day.
After an invigorating cuppa, Bernard returned to the fray with David Bawtree to repel the invaders, Douglas and Tony, in probably the most demanding (and legitimate) challenge to their Masters' Doubles title. After their successful defence, 5-times winner David floated the idea of a Grand Masters (70 and over). Who would begrudge him the title? Perhaps Jerry Cooper!
The day ended with Martin Wilkinson and Neil Arnott winning the jelly babies in the 3rd Place play-off.
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National Vintage and Masters' Championships results
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SCOTTISH OPEN/MIXED WINCHESTER FIVES CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Loretto School, 5/6th May 2007/Bradfield College, 13th May 2007 |
[posted 18 April 2007] |
Entry forms for the upcoming Scottish Open Championships and the Winchester Fives Mixed Doubles Tournament are now available online.
The Scottish Open Championships, organised by Neil Roberts, will take place at Loretto School, Musselburgh, over the weekend of May 5/6th. The singles championship will be played on the first day, followed by the unique seeded-draw doubles championship on the Sunday, with plate competitions for early-round losers in both. Entry fees are £8 per person for the singles and £7 per person for the doubles, and entries must be received by April 29th.
The Winchester Fives National Mixed Doubles Tournament is being organised by Emma Seton and will take place on Sunday May 13th at Bradfield College. Novices are especially welcome, and entry costs £10 per pair, with all entries to arrive no later than Friday May 3rd.
To download the entry forms for these two tournaments, simply click on the appropriate link below.
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Scottish Open entry form [PDF, 16KB]
Winchester Fives Mixed Doubles entry form [Word file, 32KB]
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NATIONAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP (THE WOOD CUP) |
St Paul's School, Barnes, 14/15th April 2007 |
[posted 15 April 2007] |
STOP PRESS: In a repeat of the 2006 final, the Manchester Y Club have retained the Wood Cup. Although the eventual outome was very close, the team of Phil Bishop, John Minta, Kevin Henry and Ben Taberner always had the upper hand against the Alleyn Old Boys team, which was made up of Hamish Buchanan, Dave Hebden, Bruce Hanton and Ollie Stone-Lee.
(A full report will follow)
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National Club Championship results
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NATIONAL SCHOOLS' CHAMPIONSHIPS |
St Paul's School, Barnes, 2nd/5th April 2007 |
[posted 06 April 2007] |
Although eight schools had representatives in the last 16 of the Open Singles, St Paul's had things very much their own way in both senior events in the end, with seven of the last eight singles players and a 'full house' of four pairs in the semi-finals of the doubles.
Faber, who had been at his best in defeating Leakey (Sherborne) in the previous round, pushed Griffiths hard in the quarters but lost in two good games. The surviving non-Pauline, Simpson (Christ's Hospital) was well beaten by Corbin, while in the top half Ladak and Tristao met younger oppposition in the form of Hoolahan and Rowland and were too experienced for them.
In the semi-finals, Ladak lost the first game to Tristao, last year's champion, but had game ball in the second before going down by the odd point. Corbin lost the first to his lively left-handed opponent Griffiths but increasingly established his authority to win the next two. The final was a fine match between two old rivals. Corbin deservedly won the first game but was then pinned back and eventually forced into errors in games 2 and 3 by Tristao's ability to place the ball and find a perfect length. The champion was unable to play his adventurous game full of boasts and cross-court shots, but in the end his sheer accuracy, allied to great retrieving, was enough to wear Corbin down.
13 schools entered the Open Doubles, but only Alleyn's first pair looked capable of arresting the inexorable progress of the four St Paul's pairs into the semi-finals. The semis were duly won by the two older pairs, but their youthful opponents already play doubles with a maturity beyond their years, and the matches were well contested. The final was a cracker, with the left and right partnership of Griffiths and Ladak losing the first but playing high-class fives to take the next two, each by a narrow margin. The fact that Corbin and Tristao had played a hard match that morning may have made the difference in some of the later rallies, but the second pair played extremely well throughout and deserved their win.
The Under 16 event saw a strong challenge by Alleyn's to St Paul's, with Winchester and Derby Moor playing supportive roles. In the singles, Hanton (Alleyn's) and Harris (St Paul's) came through their quarter-finals easily and then had a great battle in the semi-final, won by Hanton after a desperately close first game. In the bottom half, Hine (St Paul's) defeated the promising Hill (Derby Moor) and then in the semis met George (Alleyn's), who had won a titanic struggle against Squire-Smith (Winchester). This semi-final was a classic encounter between two two opposing styles, won by a whisker on the day by the hard-hitting left-hander Hine against his never-say-die opponent. The final was more clear-cut, as Hine continued to play at the top of his game against a slightly uneasy-looking Hanton, taking the first game narrowly and the second with something to spare.
The Under 16 Doubles, competed for by 10 schools, featured only a couple of three-game matches, one of them the final. Derby Moor had a roller-coaster victory over St Dunstan's II and then lost to St Paul's II in the quarters. Winchester had difficulty in beating St Dunstan's I but then upped their game to beat Christ's Hospital, qualifying to play St Paul's I in the semis. Alleyn's I made steady progress through the top half, defeating two St Paul's pairs in the process - neither being easy matches. St Paul's I made heavy weather of the other semi-final in beating Winchester, so the final looked nicely poised. So it proved, with Alleyn's losing the first game heavily but then managing to squeeze home in the second, and taking the third well to win the match.
The Under 14 event provided a much greater variety of schools in the later stages of each competition. Playuers from St Dunstan's, Alleyn's, Winchester, Christ's Hospital, St Paul's, Bedford Modern, Oundle, Malvern and welcome newcomers Rossall all reached a final of some sort, including plate competitions, and there is no shortage of talent and enthusiasm at this level.
The singles was son in a fine three-game final by Connolly (St Dunstan's) who was simply too strong in the end for Stephens-Hemingway (Alleyn's). The doubles final was between Winchester and Christ's Hospital, who had beaten Alleyn's and St Paul's respectively in their semi-finals. The Wykehamist pair, playing with increasing confidence, ran out the winners in two games.
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National Schools' Championships results
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CFA BRITISH OPEN DOUBLES TOURNAMENT |
St Paul's School, Barnes, 7th July 2007 |
[posted 04 April 2007] |
The City Fives Association is to stage a 1-wall fives doubles tournament at St Paul's School on July 7th, and entries are now being accepted from both Rugby and Eton Fives players.
The day will start with an explanation of the rules and a demonstration game, followed by a straight knockout tournament, with plate competitions for losing pairs. The organisers are limiting the entrants to 64 pairs, and hope to see an even split between Eton & Rugby fives players, as this is a great opportunity for each to pit their wits against “the other code” on a completely level playing field.
To allow as many players as possible, the tournament will be doubles only, but players may enter on their own, and the organisers will find a partner. Entry fees are £20 per player, including a British Open T-shirt, match balls, lunch, trophies and venue hire (£15 without T-shirt). To enter, please use the links below to email Helen Toop or James Toop as soon as possible to guarantee a place, with the following details: your name; partner’s name (if applicable);
Eton/Rugby Fives; phone number; email address; T-shirt Size (S, M, L, XL).
The City Fives Association (CFA) is a charitable body that is successfully introducing 1-Wall Fives, or International Handball, to schools throughout London, copying the New York City model. 1-Wall Fives is fast and furious, can be played instantly to a high level by Eton & Rugby Fives players, and is exciting to watch. What’s more, it is an international game played professionally in the USA, Canada, Ireland and Spain, and by amateurs in Mexico, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Australia and Japan. The CFA will be organising a team from existing Eton & Rugby players for a triangular tournament against Ireland and Spain later in the year, based on British Open performances, so watch this space…
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Click here to email James Toop
or here to email Helen Toop
Click here to visit the CFA website
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NATIONAL VETERANS' (OVER 45) CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Christ's Hospital, 31st March/1st April 2007 |
[posted 03 April 2007] |
This year’s Veterans' Championships was one of the strongest on record, with Neil Roberts and Ian Fuller, both recent Open National Champions, appearing head to head in the draw for the first time. In total, ten participants gathered in glorious sunshine on the Saturday to do battle for the Singles.
It was good to see Richard Sutcliffe back after an absence of 3 years, and he showed himself to be in very good form, despatching Jeremy Schroeter on his way to the semi-finals. Neil Roberts, Ian Fuller, and Dave Hebden had comfortable early wins to occupy the other 3 places. In the semis Neil and Ian proved too strong for their opponents to set up a mouth-watering final. This was a high quality match with some exciting rallies, but Neil showed great skill, consistency, and relentless power to win 11-1, 11-1, a score which did not do justice to Ian’s effort, but underlined the superb form of the defending champion.
Jeremy Schroeter duly won the Plate, but only after some spirited resistance in the final from Brian Nithsdale who took the first game before Jeremy took command to win in three.
A good entry of 12 pairs contested the Doubles and again the quality was high. Two of the quarter-finals were epic struggles, with Bob Sandie and Richard Sutcliffe narrowly overcoming Phil Atkinson and Brian Nithsdale, and Dave Hebden and Keith Puckle needing three games to defeat Stuart Kirby and Brian Kirk. But the two outstanding pairs were defending champions Wayne Enstone and Neil Roberts, along with six-times past winners Ian Fuller and Jeremy Schroeter, and these pairs both achieved comfortable semi-final wins to set up a repeat of last year’s final. This was a treat for the 20 spectators who witnessed a match worthy of an Open National final. Fuller & Schroeter retrieved an early deficit to snatch the first game, but Enstone and Roberts turned up the pressure to win in three pulsating games full of power, guile and skill. Wayne showed that he had lost none of his old touch and speed of reaction, while on the left of court Neil is a doubles master second to none.
Some very good games in the Plate led to a final between Kirby and Kirk and Atkinson and Nithsdale, with the Atkinson/Nithsdale combination winning a close first game 11-8, before getting the better of tiring opponents more comfortably in the second. It was remarkable for Phil Atkinson to play in a tournament without grinding out at least one three-gamer!
All the competitors enjoyed the excellent facilities at Christ’s Hospital and made a valiant attempt to consume the plentiful provisions, a task made a little easier by the welcome return of Bob Sandie!
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National Veterans' Championships results
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NATIONAL MASTERS AND VINTAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Derby Moor, 22nd April 2007 |
[posted 28 March 2007] |
The National Vintage (55+) and Masters (65+) Championships will take place on Sunday April 22, 2007 at Derby Moor Community Sports College. Vintage Singles will begin at 11 am, Vintage Doubles from 1.00 pm and Masters Doubles from 3.00 pm. The G6 ball will be used. Entry fee will be £7.50 per player per event. Buffet lunch and on-going refreshments will be provided.
Competitors should contact Bob Dolby by email using the link below, by telephone on 0115 925 2845 or by post to 26 Waverley Avenue, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 IHZ. Details of Derby Moor and its location can be found at www.derbymoorfives.org, via the link below.
Defending champions are David Hebden (Vintage Singles), David Hebden and Keith Puckle (Vintage Doubles), David Bawtree and Bernard Atkinson (Masters Doubles).
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Click here to email Bob Dolby
Derby Moor Fives website
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NATIONAL OPEN DOUBLES (THE CYRIAX CUP) |
Alleyn's School, London, 24/5th March 2007 |
[posted 25 March 2007] |
Defending champions Hamish Buchanan and Robin Perry won the National Doubles title for the fourth successive year, with victory – for the second year running – over Manchester's Phil Bishop and John Minta.
However, although the 2007 final featured the same four players as last year, this year's match was a much closer one, and a fine end to a keenly contested tournament. Hamish and Robin took an early lead in the first game and held on to it in a long finish to the game, eventually taking it 15-7. The second game was much closer as far as 9-8, with John Minta finding plenty of winners. However, at that point, Robin Perry hit the gas and reeled of five or six clean winners, taking the Londoners to a 15-9 win in the second game – and the title.
Throughout the two games, Hamish was the outstanding player on court, playing almost faultless fives. His speed around the court, retrieving, and ability to maintain pressure at all times was the key to setting up opportunities for Robin to unleash those trademark Perry thunderbolts. It was this form that had made the defending champions the class of the field through the competition, and the only pair not drop a game, dispatching first the Hatton/Clydesdale-Cotter pairing and then Will Ellison and Marcus Bate, who had earned a semi-final place after a tough three-game win over Jim Hughes and Alex Rew.
Minta and Bishop, meanwhile, had been pushed hard all the way to the Final. Andy Pringle and Chris Hughes were within a point of taking them to three games in the quarter-final, while Ben Taberner and Paddy d'Ancona took the first game against the Manchester pair before losing the second and third.
The battle for the Plate was every bit as tough as the main competition, with both semi-finals going to three games. However, the eventual – and deserved – winners were Jim Hughes and Alex Rew, who beat Ed Hatton and Dan Clydesdale-Cotter before securing a comfortable win in the Final against Chris Jones and Andy Pringle, who by that stage were feeling the effects of their mammoth victory over Dan Grant and Freddy Sjostrom in the Plate semi-final.
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National Open Doubles results
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OUNDLE SCHOOL'S NEW COURTS |
Oundle School, 24th March 2007 |
[posted 25 March 2007] |
The first match has been played on the new courts at Oundle School. An RFA team. including board member and Old Oundelian Alex Smith as well as Bob Dolby, Robert Grey, Brian Kirk and Kevin Cobb, christened the courts with a game against a team of current schooolboys. A full report will appear here in due course, but a couple of pictures are already in the Gallery. Click on the link below to see them.
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RFA Gallery
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NATIONAL UNDER 13 CHAMPIONSHIPS |
St Paul's School, Barnes, 11th March 2007 |
[posted 17 March 2007] |
There was an impressive entry from 7 schools, who brought a total of 51 players and 22 pairs, which boded well for a busy and eventful day. It was particularly good to welcome entries from Rossall (6 players), Dulwich College (8) and Derby Moor (2) to widen the number of schools taking part.
We started early on the Pool section of the singles competition and realised this would show the cross section of the boys’ ability. Pilgrims and Alleyns boys soon showed their prowess, with many of them recording maximum points in the singles and going on to be pre-eminent in the knockout section, where they filled seven of the last eight positions. The lone St Dunstan’s player showed strength, but not enough staying power to get to the final, which was won by Leuchars of Pilgrims, 11-4.
In the plate, Wheatley of Derby Moor did his best to spoil the South London party of Alleyns, St Dunstan’s and Christ’s Hospital boys, but Brenman of Alleyns proved too steady, taking an 11-5 win.
The Singles had taken till 2.30 pm, so this left less time than planned for the Pool section of the doubles competition, where the games were cut to 7 points. Nevertheless, this still provided some exciting clashes, and it was pleasing to see Rossall get a pair into ‘last four’ groupings of both the Main and Plate competitions to challenge the Alleyns/
Pilgrims domination. However, Alleyns and Pilgrims went on to hold sway in both, running out winners by 11-8 and 11-5 in the Main and Plate competitions respectively.
It was a big programme overall for the boys, many of whom were under 12 on 1 September 2006, but it is a tribute to their enthusiasm and staying power that they played flat out all day with little rest time. It promises well for the 2008 event if they return. But, if such a big entry is repeated, the structure of the day may need rethinking to ensure that there is a balanced focus on both Singles and Doubles. The organisers have taken soundings from those in charge of the teams and will consider their thoughts for the 2008 Championships.
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Under 13 Championships results
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WINCHESTER FIVES DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP |
Winchester, 11th March 2007 |
[posted 13 March 2007] |
A glorious spring day welcomed 50 fives players to the Winchester courts to compete for the Barnes Bridge trophy, writes David Barnes. Local participation was strong, with the Wessex Club and Winchester College providing no fewer than 12 pf the pairs.
Round 1, so often a formality, saw extremely close three-game victories for two of the College pairs (Hale/Somiji and Kelly/Squire-Smith) against adult opposition. The entry of the major seeds in the second round brought order to the competition, although Hodgins & McManus had to fight hard to win
a tight three-gamer against Lord & Smith, and most of the other encounters were no walkover for the seeded players.
From the quarter-finals onwards, all but one of the matches went to three games. Strangely, each one followed the same pattern, with the more fancied pair winning the first game, losing the second and then reasserting its dominance in the third. The holders, Akerman and Mohammed, were given stern challenges by Marshall & Ronan in the quarter-finals and by Hughes & Kiggell in the semis, but in each case they weathered the storm and came through comfortably in the third game. In the botom half, Fox & Hebden were similarly tested by Maconie & Pringle and then by Buchanan & Roberts, but in each match they too found that extra gear in game three.
After all these close encounters, it was nearly six o'clock by the time the final started. Play was a bit scrappy to start with, but the top-seeded local pair won the first game reasonably comfortably. The second was of much higher quality and could have gone either way, but Fox & Hebden took it by a couple of points, setting up a superb decider in which all four players showed their quality. Mohammed hit a rich vein of form, and he and Akerman, who played magnificently throughout, came home to retain the trophy.
The plate was won by Maskell & Werkshagen from the West of England Club, who squeezed past Wessex's Hawke & Passey to win the final after the local men had been 14-12 up.
Many thanks to Winchester College for the use of its excellent courts, and to Jamie McManus and Harry Akerman for recruiting so many local players – a crucial part of any tournament.
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Winchester Fives Doubles Championship results
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NORTH OF ENGLAND OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Durham, 24/25th February 2007 |
[posted 26 February 2007] |
John Minta won the North of England Championship to take his second ever regional open singles title. In the final, he was victorious in a three-game battle against six-times winner and defending champion Hamish Buchanan. Hamish looked comfortable in winning the first game, but John stuck to his game plan and with some powerful hitting gradually gained the upper hand. Hamish was unable to find his length under the pressure of John’s attacking game, and John completed a very well deserved 3-11, 11-3, 11-3 victory.
A remarkable Plate final saw Adrian Love get to 14-10 up against Hal Mohammed before Hal tenaciously fought back to 15-all. Adrian eventually won the match 16-15 – on his 10th match point!
In the following day's doubles semi-finals, Adrian Lee and Hal Mohammed played superbly to take the 2nd game from John Minta and Neil Roberts, but John and Neil proved too experienced in the decider.
In the final, Hamish Buchanan and Dave Hebden took healthy leads in each game before successfully fighting off resilient comebacks to win 15-8, 15-10 in a tense affair. Dave Newsome and Hugo Armistead were victorious in the Plate.
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North of England Open Championships results
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VARSITY MATCH |
St Paul's School, London, 24th February 2007 |
[posted 26 February 2007] |
Despite a sizeable singles deficit, Oxford produced an excellent team performance in the doubles to defeat Cambridge by 54 points in this season's Varsity Match.
Beverly, the BUSA and Under 25 singles champion, spearheaded the Cambridge singles effort with a fine win against Pendergrass, while his number two, Brooks, defeated Oxford's Ronan by a similarly wide margin. At three, Furniss fought tigerishly to claim back a few valuable points for Oxford from Lebon, but Jones played well in his first singles appearance for Cambridge to come out a narrow winner against Warrilow, giving Cambridge a healthy lead of 25 points at lunch.
In the doubles, Oxford set about their task of recovering this deficit with a will, and all their pairs looked purposeful and well practised. Even Cambridge's flagship pair, Beverly and Brooks, who duly won all four of their games, found solid resistance from their opponents and were not able to destroy Oxford's morale. Oxford 1 (Pendergrass and Heath) managed 15 points against them and then proceeded to defeat Cambridge 2 (Lebon and Dickens) comprehensively. Oxford 2 (Ronan and Furniss), having won useful points gainst their opposite numbers, also played well to limit the damage against the Cambridge champions.
But it was in the bottom four that the match was won and lost. Oxford 3 (Warrilow and Holl) and 4 (Jennings and Windham) achieved a clean sweep by winning all their games and scoring 120 points – almost half the Oxford total – in the process. Both Cambridge 3 (Beal and Belassie) and 4 (Jones and Simister) looked rusty and unprepared for the battle – no doubt partly a result of lack of practice – while Oxford, by contrast, showed a tremendous will to win and played aggressive and effective doubles.
To confirm the depth of talent at Oxford, the Beavers side was exceptionally strong this year and would have made a very competent bottom four in the top match, so it was not surprising that they defeated Cambridge Sparrows heavily in the reserves contest.
Although some of the tension of last year's encounter was lacking, a goood crowd of supporters came to watch again this year, and on a showery winter's day all were grateful for St Paul's School's superb indoor facilities. Sadly, there has been no apprent progress towards the provision of any such facilities for Rugby Fives at Cambridge.
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2007 Varsity Match results
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VARSITY MATCH |
St Paul's School, London, 24th February 2007 |
[posted 19 February 2007] |
The captains of Oxford and Cambridge have announced their teams for the annual Varsity Match, which takes place at St Paul's School, London, on February 24th.
Alan Beverly (St Paul's & Girton), captain of last year's winners Cambridge, has invited the following to represent the university: Charlie Brooks (St Paul's & Gonville & Caius), Jeremy Dickens (Bedford & Emmanuel), Simon Beal (Eastbourne, Durham & Homerton), Richard Lebon (Christ's Hospital & Trinity, Hon. Sec.), Mark Belassie (Christ's Hospital & Gonville & Caius), Chris Jones (Tonbridge & Emmanuel) and Paul Simister (St Paul's & Trinity).
Meanwhile, Alan's opposite number, Jonathan Heath (Radley & Exeter), has invited the following to represent Oxford: Ali Jennings (St Paul's & Corpus Christi), Jack Furniss (St Paul's & St Edmund Hall), Jamie Pendergrass (Loretto & Balliol), Nick Warrillow (St Paul's and Pembroke), Rob Holl (Winchester & Worcester), Ralph Windham (Radley and Brasenose), Ed Ronan (Bradfield and St Hughs).
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NATIONAL UNDER 25 CHAMPIONSHIPS |
London, 10/11th February 2007 |
[posted 15 February 2007] |
It was a case of déjà vu at the Under 25 Championships, as Cambridge's Alan Beverly and Charlie Brooks won both the singles and doubles titles, just as they had done at the BUSA Championships at Oundle last November. What's more, they even faced the same opposition in the finals: Alan beat UCL's Dan Grant in the singles, while Durham's Hal Mohammed and Adrian Lee finished as runners-up in the doubles.
For Alan, not only was this a repeat of his BUSA singles win, this was his second Under 25 singles title in a row. However, he didn't have things all his own way on his run to the final, with Will Ellison pushing him close in the quarter-finals. As at BUSA, though, it was Dan Grant who had the tougher run to the final, needing three games to beat both Jamie Pendergrass and Charlie Brooks.
Come the final, though, and Dan put up more of a fight than he had done at BUSA. Although Alan won the first game comfortably, Dan came back to pinch the second 15-12. However, Alan wasn't to be denied, and he rediscovered his touch to take the third game, and with it the title, convincingly.
In the doubles, it was a Cambridge win again. However, but for some unfortunate injuries, the result could have been very different. Alan and Charlie had had to fight back from a game down in their quarter-final and were all-but level in the third, for instance, before their opponents were forced to retire. However, they showed their class to beat the scratch pairing of Will Ellison and Tom Dean in the semi-final, and then duly despatched Hal and Adrian for the second time this season with a convincing win in two games.
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Under 25 Championships results
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NORTH OF ENGLAND/WINCHESTER FIVES CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Durham, 24/25th February 2007/Winchester, 11th March 2007 |
[posted 07 February 2007] |
Entry forms for the next two open championships – the North of England Open and the National Winchester Fives Doubles – are now available to download.
The North of England Open is organised by Alex Wilson, and takes place in Durham on the 24th and 25th February. Both singles and doubles tournaments will be played, and entries must be received by Alex before Monday February 19th. Two weeks later, the National Winchester Fives Doubles Championship will take place at Winchester College. As ever, the tournament is organised by David Barnes, with players competing for the Barnes Bridge trophy. Entries – by Royal Mail only – must be received by Friday February 23rd.
For full details of both tournaments, simply download the entry forms through the links below.
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North of England Open entry form [Word document, 28KB]
Winchester Fives National Doubles entry form [Word document, 64KB]
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FIVES FEDERATION NEWSLETTER |
London, 7th February 2007 |
[posted 07 February 2007] |
RFA members should soon be receiving a copy of the latest Fives Federation Newsletter in the post, but a PDF of it is now available to download here on the RFA website. Included in this issue is news from the RFA and EFA on courts and tournaments around the country, as well as a report on exciting developments with the City Fives Association. To download your copy, simply click on the link below.
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Fives Federation Newsletter [PDF, 428KB]
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RFA v BUSA REPRESENTATIVE MATCH |
Christ's Hospital, Horsham, 4th February 2007 |
[posted 06 February 2007] |
The RFA emerged victorious from its annual clash with the best students in the country, who were representing BUSA, the British Univeristies Sports Association. The teams of six took the courts of Christ's Hospital and the RFA immediately seized the advantage, winning all six singles matches to take a 53-point advantage into the doubles.
Here, however, the games were much closer, and eventually shared equally between the two teams. Indeed, so close was the competition that no one pair from either side won all its four games. For BUSA, the London pairing of Dan Grant and Will Ellison was the most succesful, winning three of their games, while the RFA's Dave Hebden again teamed up with a Fuller – Ed, on this occasion – to great effect, also winning three of their four games.
Although the students secured a ten-point advantage over the 12 games of doubles, the damage had been done in the singles, and the RFA team's experience ensured they held on for a deserved overall victory.
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RFA v BUSA results
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LADIES WINCHESTER FIVES CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Winchester, 4th March 2007 |
[posted 02 February 2007] |
Entries are now being accepted for the Ladies Winchester Fives Championships. To be held at Winchester College on March 4th, and organised by Denise Hall-Wilton, the championships will include both singles and doubles tournaments, and all standards of player are welcome. Play will start at mid-day, and entry costs £10 per person, but there are reductions for RFA members and schoolgirls. For full details, and to enter, simply click on the link below to download the official entry form.
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Ladies Winchester Fives Championships entry form [Word document, 84KB]
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NORTH WEST OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Y Club, Manchester, 27/28th January 2007 |
[posted 28 January 2007] |
Honours were even between Manchester and London at the end of the North West Open Championships. Ed Fuller beat John Minta to take the singles title, but John wasn't to make the short journey home empty-handed, teaming up with Phil Bishop to take the doubles title.
For Ed, it was his second title of the season, after his success at the London Open in September, and it was thoroughly deserved. His draw meant he had to face Manchester players in every round, so beating Ben Taberner, Dave Fox, Phil Bishop and then John Minta on their home courts made winning this title all the more remarkable an achievement.
Come the doubles, though, and John got his revenge. With partner Phil Bishop, they were the class of field throughout the tournament, never conceding more than three points in any one game. Their closest challenge came in the final against the scratch pairing of Hamish Buchanan and Ben Taberner, but they lost just five points over the two games to take the doubles title comfortably, and for the second year running.
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NW Open Championships results
John Beswick's NW Open Championships photos
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NATIONAL UNDER 25s CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Alleyns School, Dulwich, 10/11th February 2007 |
[posted 23 January 2007] |
Players who want to enter the National Under 25s Championships have until February 3rd to send their entry to organiser Ed Hatton. Both singles and doubles tournaments will be played, with entry costing £7.50 per person for each.
The action takes place over the weekend of February 10/11th, but players should note that, as already announced, the championships are being played at Alleyns School in London, rather than at Clifton, as stated in the RFA Pocket Book. For further information, and to enter, just click on the link below to download the official entry form.
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Under 25s Championships entry form [Word document, 32KB]
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NATIONAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP |
Finals - London, 14/15th April 2007 |
[posted 21 January 2007] |
Organiser Bruce Hanton has published the draw for the 2007 National Club Championship, with no less than 16 clubs from all over the country competing for the Wood Cup.
The Manchester YMCA has entered two teams, and its first team – the defending champions – open their 2007 campaign with a tough trip down to London to play Old Merchant Taylors. At the other end of the draw, last year's runners-up, the Alleyn Old Boys, face a shorter journey to tackle the Old Tonbrigians. However, the pick of the first-round matches looks like being the game between Old Oxford and the Old Paulines.
All the clubs now have just under three months to play their first-round games ahead of the final rounds, which will take place in London over the weekend of April 14/15th. To see the full draw, simply click on the link below to dowload a copy.
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2007 National Club Championship draw [Word document, 136KB]
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WEST OF ENGLAND SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Sherborne School, 6/7th January 2007 |
[posted 11 January 2007] |
The Championships attracted an entry of more than 80 boys, and were again again dominated by a very strong squad from St Paul's School. However, in the Colts Singles, Peter Hanton of Alleyn's ran out the winner to prevent a St Paul's cleansweep in the main competitions.
In both the seniors' championships, St Paul's supplied three of the four semi-finalists; Simpson of Christs Hospital and Eastbourne completed the line-ups in the Singles and Doubles respectively, but only after tough three-game wins over players from St Paul's. In both cases, the resulting finals were all-St Paul's affairs: James Corbin was an assured winner of the Singles, but there was an upset in the Doubles, where the St Paul's second pair of Alex Griffiths and Anand Ashok came back to outgun the first pair (James Corbin and Alqahir Ladak) in the third game of a pulsating match.
In the Colts competitions, St Paul's again put in a good performance, but boys from plenty of other schools also played extremely well: Derby Moor reached the semi-finals of the Doubles, and no less than five schools – Alleyn's, Winchester, Derby Moor, St Paul's and Alleyn's – were represented in the quarter-finals of the singles.
In the end, though, both finals were played out between boys from Alleyn's and St Paul's. Dara Ahrabian and Joe Harris took the Doubles title for St Paul's after a win over Peter Hanton and Adam George, but Peter didn't leave Sherborne empty-handed, beating Mark Hine to take the Singles title back to Alleyn's.
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West of England Schools' Championships results
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OFFICIAL RFA RANKINGS |
London, 30th December 2006 |
[posted 03 January 2007] |
The latest official rankings from the RFA confirm that Matt Cavanagh has cemented his position as the country's top singles player after winning the Jesters Cup in December. However, the top five players – also including Hamish Buchanan, Phil Bishop, Ed Fuller and James Toop – remain well clear of the chasing pack.
That's not to say there isn't some notable movement lower down the order, though. After his win at the BUSA Championships, Alan Beverly moves into the top 20, while Sam Roberts is just one place behind after beating higher ranked players on his way to the last 16 of the National Singles Championship. However, the biggest rise comes from Marco Skogh, who jumped more than 30 places, also after an excellent performance in the National Singles Championship.
In the Doubles rankings, the biggest changes come from the successful players in November's BUSA Championships. The winners, Cambridge's Alan Beverly and Charlie Brooks move into the Top 20, while the runners-up – Adrian Lee and Hal Mohammed from Durham – climb to just outside the Top 30.
To see the full rankings, compiled for the RFA by Dave Hebden, simply click on the link below.
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Latest official RFA rankings
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NATIONAL OPEN DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP |
Nationally, 13/14th January 2007 |
[posted 12 December 2006] |
Organiser Hamish Buchanan is now accepting entries for the 2007 National Open Doubles Championship. For the first time, the competition will include a preliminary stage, with qualifying rounds in London, Manchester and Bristol over the weekend of January 13/14th for all but the top four ranked pairs entering. Depending on the number of entrants, either four or twelve qualifying pairs will then join the top four pairs at the finals in London on March 24/25th.
The closing date for entries is January 9th, but you are asked to enter as soon as possible so that the preliminary venues can be confirmed. Entry costs £20 per pair, but for more details, click on the link below to download the official entry form.
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National Open Doubles entry form [Word document, 28KB]
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PRESIDENT'S CUP |
Merchant Taylors School, Northwood, 10th December 2006 |
[posted 10 December 2006] |
"One of the best," was the verdict of no less an authority than David Barnes on the final of the 2006 President's Cup. And, after three enthralling games, it was Hamish Buchanan and Matt Hanney who claimed the day's big prize with a fine win over Ed Hawke and Clive Butler.
For a delighted Hamish, it was his fourth win in the tournament; but for Matt, it was a landmark occasion, not just his first President's Cup, but his first ever win in a fives tournament.
It was a match that engrossed the capacity crowd, with Clive and Ed trying to pressure Matt into submission, only for him to answer with booming right-hand drives, as Hamish desperately searched for winners against resolute opponents. Ed literally threw himself around the court and Clive played improbable vollies from around his ankles, all in the name of defence.
The key to the match, however, was the second game. Ed and Clive had won the first and, with 13 points on the board and a healthy lead in the second, they looked to be on course for victory. But, then, Matt and Hamish hit back, clawing their way back into the game with a good run that took them to 14-13 up before holding their nerve and taking the game. With that, the momentum swung their way, and they always had the upper hand in the third and deciding game.
Such a final perfectly encapsulated a tournament where close games were very much the order of the day. Half of the first-round matches, and three of the quarter-finals all went to three games, as did two of the three plate finals. In the Love Mug final, the wily skills of Dave Hebden and the determination of Ian Roberts took them to a win over Chris Thomas and Phil Reynolds, while Brian Nithsdale made sure his journey from Manchester was worthwhile, teaming up with Ian Mogford to win the T-pot against last year's overall winner Gareth Price and Brian Kirk.
Thanks to superb organisation from Richard Price, the day ran extremely smoothly, and the last match on court was a fitting end to a great day's competition. Jeremy Schroeter and Mark Kiteley took the first game by the narrowest of margins, before the left/right combination of Alex Smith and Justin Cawthorne got into its stride, taking the next two games and, with them, the Mate's Plate, the last piece of fives silverware for 2006.
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President's Cup results
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NATIONAL OPEN SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP |
St Paul's School, Barnes, 2nd/3rd December 2006 |
[posted 03 December 2006] |
As if to celebrate his recent rise to the top of the singles rankings for the first time, Matt Cavanagh today secured his second National Open Singles title with a win over Hamish Buchanan. In doing so, he became the first top seed to win the title for many years.
In fact, a Cavanagh win was only what he deserved, as he had been the class of the field all weekend, never conceding more than five points in any one game on his way to the final. His speed around the court meant that not only could he retrieve shots which would have been winners against amost any other player, he also had more time to pick his shot when he reached the ball. Hamish played superbly, hitting the ball powerfully and retrieving manfully himself, but, faced with such athleticism and the relentless pressure from Matt's well placed shots, he simply had to admit defeat.
Mind you, a win for the top seed was perhaps quite easy to predict, given that almost the entire tournament went according to the seedings. The final was between the top two seeds, the third seed (and defending champion), Phil Bishop, went out in the semi-finals, and in every first-round match, the higher-seeded player won through.
There was one exception, though - and what an exception it was, as fifth seed James Toop overcame fourth seed Ed Fuller in a titanic three-game quarter-final that showed off fives of the very highest quality. With tremendous athleticism, amazing shot-making and total sportsmanship from both players, it was worthy of a final, and surely the match all the spectators will remember from what was a superb tournament.
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National Singles Championship results
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NORTH WEST OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Y Club, Manchester, 28/29th January 2007 |
[posted 03 December 2006] |
Organiser John Beswick is now accepting entries for the 2007 North West Open Championships. To be held at the YMCA in Manchester on January 28th and 29th, the championships will include both singles and doubles tournaments. Entries must reach John by January 13th, and for more information, simply click on the link below to download the official entry form.
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North West Open Championships entry form [Word document, 28KB]
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NATIONAL OPEN SINGLES & LADIES CHAMPIONSHIPS |
St Paul's School, Barnes, 2nd/3rd December 2006 |
[posted 28 November 2006] |
Today saw the publication of the draw for the last 16 of the National Open Singles Championship. The games will be played over the weekend of December 2nd/3rd, with the seedings predicting a final between Matt Cavanagh - already the winner of two singles titles this season - and Hamish Buchanan, twice a winner of this title. Third seed is defending champion Phil Bishop, while Ed Fuller (winner of the 2006 London Open singles title) completes the top four seeds.
The matches start at 10am on Saturday 2nd, and the pick of the first-round matches looks set to be the clash between Scottish Open champion John Minta and an in-form Sam Roberts, who beat Paddy d'Ancona on his way to the last 16 and will be playing on his home courts. For the full details of the tournament, click on the link below to download the draw.
Sadly, the Ladies Singles and Doubles Championships, which were due to be held on the same weekend, have had to be cancelled after some last-minute injuries depleted an already small field.
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National Open Singles draw [Word document, 40KB]
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NATIONAL STUDENT & BUSA CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Oundle School, 24/26th November 2006 |
[posted 27 November 2006] |
The BUSA Championships showed incredible strength in depth in university fives, but it was players from Cambridge who came away from Oundle with the major titles. Alan Beverly added the BUSA singles title to the Under 25 title he already holds, before teaming up with Charlie Brooks to regain the doubles title they won last year.
For Charlie, it was his fourth BUSA doubles title in succession, a truly impressive feat. And, true to form, he and Alan were the class of the field throughout the tournament, never conceding more than 8 points in any one game on their way to an eventual win over the Durham pair of Adrian Lee and Hal Mohammed. Hal's former schoolboy partner, Will Ellison, also did well, reaching the semi-final with Will Hardyment, while the Leeds pair of Korris and Marshall survived some tough games to also make the last four.
Charlie and Alan had already shown their form in the singles tournament, both winning tough quarter-finals before facing each other in one semi-final, where Alan always had the edge. The other semi, however, was arguably the match of the tournament: a two-hour, three-game epic in which UCL's Dan Grant eventually overcame Adrian Lee. It was a performance all the more remarkable given that Dan had already played one three-game marathon against Oxford's Jamie Pendergrass in the quarter-final.
Come the final, though, and Dan couldn't repeat his heroics. It was Alan who always had the upper hand, running out the winner in two games, and claiming his first BUSA singles title.
Cambridge's stranglehold on the silverware was only broken in the Plate competitions, where Southampton's Ed Hawke retained the singles plate he won last year, and the hard-hitting UCL pair of Will Pleming and Mark Gibbor won the doubles plate in three very tight games against the Durham pair of Hay and Midmer.
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National Student and BUSA Championships results
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LONDON OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS |
Alleyn's School, London, 16/17th September 2006 |
[posted 27 November 2006] |
A selection of photographs taken at September's London Open Champiosnhips is now available online. However, we hasten to point out that these are on an external site, and the RFA is not responsible for its content, especially not the picture of Dan Grant's towel. To see the photos, click on the link below.
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London Open photos
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BOB HOLLAND MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT |
Y Club, Manchester, 11th November 2006 |
[posted 25 November 2006] |
A really good day was had by all the players at the recent Bob Holland Memorial Tournament. Organiser Jeff Thomas would like to thank all the lads who took part: Bob would have been very proud.
After the hard fought group of initial games and tough semi finals, Phil Bishop and his very reliable partner Clive Butler won a very good final against Neil Roberts and the player of the day, young Ashley Hill from Derby, two games to one.
The plate final was won by Brian Nithsdale and Brian Kirk and, after the fives, a good few of the players and spectators went up to the bar for beers and hotpot. Bob would have approved...
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