N/national Vintage Championships
Cambridge, 23rd March 2014
The Vintage, over 55's Rugby Fives tournament was held on Sunday 23rd March on the courts at ‘New Portugal Place’, i.e. the Cambridge University Sports Centre. Once everyone had found their way to this new venue Singles play got underway in two pools containing nine players in all, an increase by two on last year
In Pool A there was immediately a tremendous tussle between Wayne Enstone and Stuart Kirby, from which Wayne emerged victorious by 16-15, but not before Stuart had held a game point against the defending champion. Bob Sandie and Trevor White subsequently found themselves playing for third and fourth spot in this pool.
In the second pool, containing 5 players, Ian Fuller proved dominant, though the score in his game with Tony Hamilton did not tell the full story of a lengthy match. Brian Nithsdale eventually came third to these two, thus – by a quirk of numbers – qualifying neither for the main competition nor for the Plate. There were those who envied him the rest! Dick Warner and John Hawke, to name but two.
In the semi-finals Wayne and Ian overcame Tony and Stuart respectively with relative ease and thus renewed an old rivalry in the final. Ian’s cross-court shots proved the deciding factor in carrying off his first Vintage Singles title – but no trophy, as a very apologetic Wayne had managed to leave it in Devon.
Meanwhile in a predictably noisy Plate final Bob Sandie shaded Dick Warner 15-12. It was Bob’s third time of winning the impressive silverware donated by John Hawke.
The Doubles was likewise contested in pool format, with 4 pairs in each. Enstone & Fuller emerged as top dogs from the first pool, accompanied by Hamilton & Spencer Beal (bare-handed, of course), while Kirby & Nithsdale defeated the defending champions Sandie & Richard Sutcliffe in Pool B. Bob & Richard subsequently endured the embarrassment of a bagel in the semis, while Kirby & Nithsdale by contrast had to fight out a 16-14 win over Hamilton & Beal in a match filmed by professional photographer brought along by Mark Kiteley. We look forward to seeing the edited highlights!
Kirby & Nithsdale could do little in the final to stop top seeds Enstone & Fuller winning the title – and this time there was a trophy to take away – , but next door a titanic struggle was developing between Warner & Euan Clarke and Hawke & David Hebden in the Plate final. It was David’s first tournament outing since his hip operation. The two pairs had already met in the pool, with H&H winning. In a match even more chatty than the day’s other plate final Dick & Euan reversed their earlier defeat by the narrow margin of 15-13.
Thus ended a physically exhausting day for all concerned, and as if to demonstrate how mentally exhausting it had been for those watching the President managed to award the Plate medals and boules to the wrong pair. Luckily David Hebden noticed and forestalled a diplomatic incident of warnerian proportions.
RESULTS
Singles
Pool A: W.Enstone bt R.Sandie 15-6; bt S.Kirby 16-5; bt T.White 15-7; S.Kirby bt R.Sandie 15-6; bt T.White 15-7; R.Sandie bt T.White 15-5
Pool B: I.Fuller bt R.Warner 15-2; bt J.Hawke 15-5; bt A.Hamilton 15-1; bt B.Nithsdale 15-1; A.Hamilton bt R.Warner15-3; bt J.Hawke15-2; bt B.Nithsdale 15-2; B.Nithsdale bt R.Warner 15-4; bt J.Hawke 15-0; R.Warner bt J.Hawke 15-1
Semi-finals: Enstone bt Hamilton 15-2; Fuller bt Kirby 15-7
Final: Fuller bt Enstone 15-6
Plate: Sandie
Doubles
Pool A: W.Enstone & I.Fuller bt A.Hamilton & S.Beal 15-9; bt M.Kiteley & P.Atkinson 15-9; bt T.White & N.Jarvis 15-3; A.Hamilton & S.Beal bt M.Kiteley & P.Atkinson 15-6; bt T.White & N.Jarvis 15-2; M.Kiteley & P.Atkinson bt T.White & N.Jarvis 15-2
Pool B: S.Kirby & B.Nithsdale bt R.Sandie & R.Sutcliffe 15-9; bt R.Warner & E.Clarke 15-7; bt J.Hawke & D.Hebden 15-8; R.Sandie & R.Sutcliffe bt R.Warner & E.Clarke 15-5; bt J.Hawke & D.Hebden 15-8; J.Hawke & D.Hebden bt R.Warner & E.Clarke 15-9
Semi-finals: Enstone & Fuller bt Sandie & Sutcliffe 15-0; Kirby & Nithsdale bt Hamilton & Beal 16-14
Final: Enstone & Fuller bt Kirby & Nithsdale 15-4
Plate: Warner & Clarke