The only bugbear suffered here is the traffic jams around the M25. Six hours to get to a squash match. Otherwise Colets is everyone’s perfect squash club.

154 entrants, a record. Logistically very difficult and here I write in capitals – FROM THE WEST ONWARDS ALL COMPETITORS WILL BE EXPECTED TO PLAY FROM 4.O’CLOCK IF IT IS A 32 DRAW.  Why? Because crafty entrants were/are entering 8pm as their start time, beautifully negating their chances, if they are not a top player, of having to play twice.  So take the afternoon off, whatever!!

WO55 -  A turnaround here as Jill Campion overcame Lynn Davies, Jan Ellis and then the (previously) formidable Helen Gould, 3/9, 9/5, 9/0, 9/3. Helen has recently retired from work and her Squash Club, the previously famous Redwood  Lodge, has closed down!

WO50 – An even draw here, with Pippa Green although seeded two, chasing her first Regional. She duly delivered beating Tammy Bennett, 4/9, 9/1, 9/1, 5/9, 9/3.

WO40/45 – Sole entrant Rose Bamber narrowly lost to Sarah Parr, 11/9 in the fifth and the latter pushed Shayne Baillie  hard in the Final until the latter’s strength told, 5/11, 11/7, 11/9, 11/4.

 

WO35 –Joannie Smalley was as chuffed as punch to enter her first Final, beating Katie Lawrence, but came up against the redoubtable Mandy Akin, playing down a few age groups with the latter recording an 11/2, 11/3, 9/11, 11/1 victory.

MO70/75 – First of all the MO75 settled on the Friday evening.  80 years v 77 years.  Malcolm Gilham and Brian Phillips. 73 minutes, 8/10, 9/6, 9/7, 1/9, 9/3.  Next he played Brian Hardcastle where the match lasted another 50 minutes.  I presume Malcolm slept soundly on Sunday!  As it was  M.Hardcastle entered his first Final, having beaten Bill Wilson, seeded 2. The Final saw Graham Fisher win 10/8, 5/9, 9/7, 9/4.

MO65 –The strongest age group by a street mile, 4 British Champions, 3 European, 2 World and 7 National Title winners. In the end, the veritable strength of Barry Featherstone prevailed, but newcomer Phil Godfrey certainly pushed him big time, mentally and physically. Another months fitness and it could be very interesting. Larry Grover could have had the first and third in a very tight Final 10/9, 9/2, 10/8.

MO60 – Mark Cowley was in a blitzing mood and apart from one game taken off him by Steve Jackson, his power and athleticism was too much for everybody. His opponent in the Final, the new German O60 Champion, one Stuart Hardy (who had the indignity of not being seeded for this despite getting a Bronze in the World!) found the Bailiff too hot to handle, 9/0, 9/3, 9/2.

MO55 – A sad end as Jeremy Goulding had to forfeit the Final to local Dermot Hurford after injuring his hamstring. Hurford had beaten the Flying doctor, Chris Harland  in the Semi, whilst Goulding had removed Duleep Adihetty, 3-0.

MO50 – A re-run of Bury, except this time Darren Withey overcame the mobile John Parkes, 9/7, 5/9, 6/9, 4/9. Earlier on, Parkes had been staring down a barrel, 6/9, 1/9 down to Cumbrian David Gray, but he recovered well 9/0, 9/6, 9/2.

MO45 – The run machine Steve McLoughlin, probably covered about 50 miles on court (am I exaggerating?) in his three matches.  He outlasted the two talented northerners, Riz Sheikh and Jon Lilley before doing the same to no 1 seed Rick Weatherall. 7/11, 9/11, 10/12. Bet he didn’t think he would do that. A very good victory!

MO40 – Paul Boyle overcame no 2 John Gliddon, 6/11, 11/1, 11/8, 10/12, 11/3 before edging the Final against East winner Mike McLaughlin, 5/11, 11/4, 8/11, 7/11.

MO35 – A lot of new names in this group this season, but still the 43 year old fitness fanatic, Jamie Goodrich, prevails! He has seen off a host of his fellow competitors – where is Barny Elworthy? Mike Biggs at 2 went down to newcomer Matt Marshall, 11/8, 4/11, 9/11, 11/6, 11/6. But Goodrich was too strong in the Final, 11/7, 11/6, 11/9.

Many thanks to Dave Peck, Steve the Bar Manager and his staff, Nicky and the catering staff and Jordon Orsini at Colets. Plus, of course, Brian and Roz for all their hard work.