The 2013 Veterans' Tournament moved from the now-usual venue of Christ’s Hospital to the superb courts at Marlborough College, writes organiser John Hawke. This relocation was firmly supported by the very strong Marlborough Town Fives Club, and also attracted players from the South West, who had not previously travelled the additional miles to Christ’s. These new entrants, augmented by the crop of players who first qualified as Veterans this year, allowed us to achieve a record entry, with 24 singles players and 18 doubles pairs taking part in a gruelling weekend of Fives.
Unfortunately the change of location did catch out one player, who turned up at Christs’s on Sunday morning, only to be mystified by the peace and quiet surrounding the Fives Courts. Luckily for his partner, who was waiting patiently in Wiltshire, Grem McIntyre (who had participated in the Masters event on the Saturday) stepped in as a last-minute replacement. We all look forward to seeing Angus at the correct venue next year!
The organiser works on the basis that every player, of whatever ability, should end each day regretting that they had played too much. This was accomplished by running three competitions on singles day, and four for the doubles on Sunday.
Star of the new qualifiers, if not of the whole show, was Andy Pringle. While not winning a trophy, he pushed the eventual Singles Cup winner Hamish Buchanan hard in his semi-final, squandering more than one match point in the second game, eventually to lose the closest of matches. He followed this up in the doubles, along with partner Sam Roberts, by reaching the final and eventually losing a very competitive match in two games.
As has become the norm in recent years, Hamish took home both Singles and Doubles cups, ably assisted in the doubles by the ever-young Bruce Hanton.
In addition to entering a string of players, the Marlborough club members organised a Saturday evening meal at the Wellington Arms, and even provided beds for some of the out-of-town participants. The meal, and the in-tournament catering (sourced and cooked by Stuart Kirby), aided in making it a memorable weekend. However, the size of the entry really brought the weekend alive. Every game was watched by a good number of people; the place was buzzing all weekend.
We are all very grateful to Marlborough College for the loan of their fantastic Fives centre for the weekend, to the Marlborough club, especially Tom Hillman, for organising the Saturday evening festivities, and to all the other competitors. The organiser, for one, cannot wait for next year, and an even bigger entry.
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RESULTS
Singles
1st round: J.Hawke bt P.Westwood 15-3, R.Christie bt T.Lewis15-3, B.Nithsdale bt K.Kennerley 16-14, R.Sandie bt T.Hillman 15-3, J.Stubbs bt R.Thompson 15-1, N.Geere bt R.Clark 15-4, R.Warner bt P.Grant 15-12, T.Brown bt T.Fevyer 15-8
2nd round: H.Buchanan bt Hawke 15-1, T.Hamilton bt Christie 15-8, J.Walter bt Nithsdale 15-8, A.Pringle bt Sandie 15-2, S.Roberts bt Stubbs 15-1, S.Watson bt Geere 15-10, S.Kirby bt Warner 15-4, N.Roberts bt Brown 15-3
Quarter-finals: Buchanan bt Hamilton 11-1, 11-5; Pringle bt Walter 11-3, 11-0; S.Roberts bt Watson 11-1, 11-6; N.Roberts bt Kirby 7-11, 11-4, 11-0
Semi-finals: Buchanan bt Pringle 7-11, 12-11, 11-3; Roberts S bt Roberts N 11-5, 5-11, 11-7
Final: Buchanan bt Roberts S
Plate
1st round: Kennerley bt Hillman 15-1, Grant bt Stubbs 16-14, Christie bt Westwood 15-1, Nithsdale bt Thompson 15-0, Sandie bt Clark 15-4, Warner bt Fevyer 15-3, Brown bt Hawke 15-9
Quarter-finals: Kennerley bt Grant 15-3, Nithsdale bt Christie 16-14, Warner bt Sandie 15-8, Geere bt Brown 15-7
Semi-finals: Nithsdale bt Kennerley 15-4, Warner bt Geere 15-6
Final: Warner bt Nithsdale 15-8, 2-15, 16-14
Second Plate (Bottle of Beer)
1st round: Stubbs bt Hillman 15-8, Hawke bt Thompson 15-7
Semi-finals: Stubbs bt Hawke 15-12, Clark bt Westwood 15-2
Final: Stubbs bt Clark 15-12
Doubles
Cup Competition
Preliminary Round: Kennerley & Kirk bt Grant & Kiteley 15-1, Hawke & Westwood bt McIntyre & Stubbs 16-14
1st Round: Buchanan & Hanton bt Kennerley & Kirk15-3, Lewis & Watson bt B Atkinson & Geere 15-5, Hamilton & Warner bt Brown & Clark 15-7, Sutcliffe & Walter bt P Atkinson & Ryan 15-11, Enstone & N Roberts bt Fevyer & Thompson 15-2, Christie & Kirby bt Hillman & Jenkinson 15-7, Nithsdale & Sandie bt Rayner & Sanders 15-7, Pringle & S Roberts bt Hawke & Westwood 15-1
Quarter Finals: Buchanan & Hanton bt Lewis & Watson 11-0, 11-5, Hamilton & Warner bt Sutcliffe & Walter 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, Enstone & N Roberts bt Christie & Kirby 11-9, 11-9, Pringle & S Roberts bt Nithsdale & Sandie 11-1, 11-3
Semi Finals: Buchanan & Hanton bt Hamilton & Warner 11-1, 11-0, Pringle & S Roberts bt Enstone & N Roberts 11-8, 11-5
Final: Buchanan & Hanton bt Pringle & S Roberts 16-15, 15-3
Plate
Preliminary: Grant & Kiteley bt Hillman & Jenkinson 15-2, Hawke & Westwood bt Fevyer & Thompson 15-3
Quarter Finals: P Atkinson & Ryan bt Kiteley & Grant 15-4, Brown & Clark bt McIntyre & Stubbs 15-8,
B Atkinson & Geere bt Rayner & Sanders 15-9, Kirk & Kennerley bt Hawke & Westwood 15-2
Semi Finals: P Atkinson & Ryan bt Brown & Clark 11-2, 11-4, Kirk & Kennerley bt B Atkinson & Ryan 11-9, 9-11, 11-5
Final: P Atkinson & Ryan bt Kirk & Kennerley 15-12, 5-15, 15-8
Bottle of Beer (Round Robin) - Winners: Kiteley & Grant
McIntyre & Stubbs bt Hawke & Westwood 15-13, Kiteley & Grant bt Hawke & Westwood 15-6, Hillman & Jenkinson bt Hawke & Westwood 15-11, Kiteley & Grant bt McIntyre & Stubbs 15-9, Kiteley & Grant bt Hillman & Jenkinson 15-12
Additional Competition for Quarter-Final losers (Round Robin) - Winners: Christie & Kirk
Christie & Kirby bt Nithsdale & Sandie 15-7, Christie & Kirby bt Sutcliffe & Walter 15-4,
Sutcliffe & Walter bt Nithsdale & Sandie 15-9
Geographic:
Venue bt A Hanton (CH)