BADMINTON

Cornwall Badminton Association Badminton Bonanza by Sue Pascoe

OVER 60 badminton players from all over Cornwall and Plymouth, gathered at Truro School’s eight-court sports centre over the first weekend in November to take part in the Cornwall Badminton Association’s popular Bonanza event.

The idea of Badminton Bonanza tournaments is to give both social players and those who play league badminton a chance to try out and develop their skills against different players.

The many regulars were joined this time by some very welcome new faces, some playing in a tournament for the first time, as the Bonanza goes from strength to strength, with any profits going towards developing badminton in Cornwall.

This year’s tournament was another great success, with some exciting battles in all the disciplines, and a happy day of great badminton.

In the social men’s doubles, the Choughs club pair of Martin Penney and Steve Knuckey narrowly beat Falmouth’s Scott McGrane and Barry Buist, winning the most number of sets and overall points.

The men’s doubles league produced some tight games leading to a final between the top two seeds, Jake Turpie and partner Will Woolard from Plymouth, against Newquay’s Jake Brazewell and Alec Hill – which the Devon pair won after an entertaining game.

The women’s doubles combined the league and social pairs, with Tecans club colleagues Paulina Elliott-Poxon and Sara Best just beating Helen Pennells and Rachel Williams by a narrow margin. The Choughs club pair of Zelda Bennett and Fran Combellack won the social women’s doubles.

Both mixed events followed, again with some narrow wins and unlucky losers. The mixed league final was between Jake Brazewell and partner Penny Foulds against Truro’s Maci Johanning and Sheila Wu, who had won their competitive group in fine style. Jake and Penny took the title in a convincing manner in two sets of attacking badminton and good defence.

Martin Penney again won another title with his partner Fran Combellack as they won the mixed social group, just outpointing club colleagues Mark Griffiths and Zelda Bennett.

ThLater in the afternoon the singles events started, eventually leading to two great finals as the tiring players somehow dredged up enough energy to play more sets.

The men’s league final was won by Jake Brazewell who just beat Mount’s Bay Lee Chapple in two close-fought ends, and it was a similar story in the social men’s final where Martin Penney completed his hat-trick of wins by only narrowly beating Falmouth’s Simon Rafferty in one of the best games of the tournament.

The day closed with the women’s singles, as Hester Luke of Mount’s Bay over-powered Falmouth’s Sheila Wu in the league, with Amelia Ooi also from Falmouth, winning the women’s social event, and complete another popular tournament for the year.

The results were as follows: League Men’s Singles: Winner – Jake Brazewell; Runner-up – Lee Chapple; Social Men’s Singles: Winner – Martin Penney; Runner-up – Simon Rafferty; League Women’s Singles: Winner – Hester Luke; Runner-up – Sheila Wu; Social Women’s Singles: Winner – Amelia Ooi; League Men’s Doubles: Winners – Jake Turpie and Will Woolard; Runners-up: Jake Brazewell and Alec Hill; League Women’s Doubles: Winners – Paulina Elliott-Poxon and Sara Best; Runners-up – Helen Pennells and Rachel Williams; Social Men’s Doubles – Winners – Martin Penney and Steve Knuckey; Runners-up – Scott McGrane and Barry Buist; Social Women’s Doubles: Winners – Zelda Bennett and Fran Combellack; Runners-up – Charlene Cheung and Thea Cann; League Mixed Doubles: Winners – Jake Brazewell and Penny Foulds; Runners-up – Maci Johanning and Sheila Wu; Social Mixed Doubles: Winners – Martin Penney and Fran Combellack; Runners-up – Mark Griffiths and Zelda Bennett.

To keep up with the latest from the big events from the sport in the Duchy and see more photos from the Bonanza, visit www.cornwallbadminton.co.uk

GOLF

Porthpean Golf Club by Martyn Wonnacott

THE Sunday Stableford on October 27 was won overall by Howard Turner with 39 points, a point clear of Division One winner Dave Parsall.

Three points back in second, Nathan Fitzpatrick was four ahead of five players on 31, with John Sweet taking third on countback over the other four.

Division Two winner Brett Wilson scored 36 points to win by five from Tony Shufflebotham and Gary Simmons in second and third on countback. Three twos were recorded.

The seniors played a Stableford on Tuesday, October 29 with a limit of four clubs in play.

Derek Williams scored 37 points to win by three from four players tied on countback with 34 points, in order, Keith Yelland, Rob Maycock, Keith Boulton and Peter Setchell in second, third, fourth and fifth.

A point back, Richard Holmes pipped Ray Nancholas for sixth on countback. Four twos were recorded.

The first round of the Winter League was the challenge for the men on the Wednesday and the opening shots were fired by Steve Bennetto with 40 points, four clear of Stuart Elliott in second place.

A point behind in third, Michael Rooney also claimed three of the four twos recorded, although, unfortunately for him, he didn't enter the twos sweep.

Four players competed for the three remaining league points places with Gary Sullivan, Karl Rance and Nick Rawlinson in fourth, fifth and sixth while Peter Fox was the one to miss out on countback.

The Monthly Medal for November was won by Peter Brown with a nett 64, three strokes ahead of Division One winner Steve Arthur who also collected the Mortgage Clinic Trophy for the lowest gross score of 76.

Gary Sullivan was a stroke back on 68 for second place, two ahead of Simon Hartley and Tony Kellow in third and fourth on countback. Division Two winner and second overall Robert Mallett carded a nett 66 to win by two strokes from Stuart Watson in second place.

Grant Rockall scored a nett 67 to win Division Three. In a 50-plus field, just two twos were recorded.

St Austell Golf Club

Ladies Vets Individual Stableford – Monday, October 28

THIS competition was abandoned after 12 holes due to the bad weather, but winner Caroline Cudmore was nine points clear of second placed Julie Green who was on 12 points.

Seniors Paris Better Ball Stableford – Tuesday, October 29

Results: 1 Paul Bowden and Martin Rolls – 43pts; 2 Derek Loader and Ray Bell – 42pts (c/b); 3 Mick Maguire and Malcolm Greenhill – 42pts (c/b).

Ladies Captain v Ladies Secretary Match (Better Ball Matchplay) – Thursday, October 31

IN VIEW of the date, the club made this a Halloween themed day and treated the Ladies to spooky cakes when they came in.

In the end it was lady secretary Sue Pascoe that was presenting the trophy to lady captain Wendy Belcher after the captain’s team won 4-2.

Men’s Lye Decanter (Team of four with two scores to count) – Saturday, November 2

Results: 1 Luke Patton, Steve Kellow, Jeffrey Dillon and Martin Honey – 92pts; 2 Ian Chambers, Andrew Thomas, Anthony Harrison and Ian Chambers-jnr – 88pts (c/b); 3 Simon Lambert, Morley Lambert and Justin Knight (team of three got extra shots) – 88pts.

Mixed John Job Salver (Foursomes Stableford) – Sunday, November 3

Results: 1 Peter Groocock and Lenise Blom – 44pts; 2 Frank Giles and Chris Byron – 41pts; 3 John and Jean-Anne Evers – 39pts.