SVTTA Championships
The SVTTA 2008 championships held last week may have been an end of season event but they certainly weren't an end of pier event. Such was the quality of play from all age groups that a non-combatant spectator was heard to say that the standard of play was so good it was almost like a proper tournament. How's that again? But we think we know what he meant.
In the 40s group the semi finalists were predictable, James Russell, Gerry Campbell, Willie Mabon and Callum Gerrard emerging from the qualifying groups. Gerry and Callum beat James and Willie respectively to set up a thrilling final with Gerry dispatching Callum and thereby making amends for a lack lustre showing in the previous assessment tourney.
The 50s semi finalists were less predictable. Peter Shaw, Derek Lundie and Geoff Salter were virtual shoo-ins but few would have bet on Michael Schoenhofen beating last month's runaway winner, Malcolm Hutton. Geoff and Derek beat Peter and Michael and in another first class final Geoff bested Derek.
In the over 60s division Brian Keen made one of his all too infrequent forays over the border and won his second event of the season beating George Johnston in the process.
The over 70s group, or as one unkind observer called it, the grumpy old mens event, saw one of the best finals in this age group ever. Johnny Campbell and Ray Murray slugged it out toe to toe for five memorable ends with Johnny winning 19-21 12-10 8-11 12-10 11-6.
The Ladies singles title went to Senga Thomson with Carol McLean second and Shona Morton third.
The final singles event of the day was the Open singles where almost all matches in the early rounds went according to expectations with the exception of Dave Thomas's brilliant win over James Russell.
And so to the semi finals where Geoff Salter, making a mockery of his sixty years, overcame Willie Mabon and Gerry Campbell dispatched Dave Thomas to set up yet another mouth watering final. Gerry, determined to keep his unbeaten record of the day, emerged the winner of yet another dazzling final.
The Ladies Doubles winners were the well known Sisters Act Carol Mclean and Elaine Forbes while the runners up were Senga Thomson and Winnie Stein. Carol featured again in the Mixed Doubles, partnering Malcolm Hutton to beat Senga Thomson and Dave Thomas in four sets. Silver for Dave in the mixed but a surprise but well earned gold in the Mens Doubles. The ad hoc partnership of Dave and newcomer Geo Shaw beat Gerry Campbell and Stuart Fowler 13-11 10-12 5-11 11-4 11-9.
ASSESSEMENT 4 FEBRUARY 24 2008
An Under New Management sign hung on the organiser's table as Johnny Campbell assumed the role of tournament director for this assessment. As it has been said that he can't walk and chew gum at the same time, by the same token he can't run a tournament and play as well. So he missed out playing in the age group and also had to forego his usual cameo role in the open singles.
In the over 40s event, the vagaries of the draw and the number of entries had Willie Mabon and Callum Gerrard going mano a mano in the third group, Callum emerging the winner on this occasion. This put him in the final group of three with James Russell and Gerry Campbell, James emerging a worthy winner from Callum with a strangely out-of-sorts Gerry occupying an unaccustomed third place.
The Fifties age group had the by now usual knock down-drag out fight to the finish element about it with all four participants in the final group being capable of winning. When Peter Shaw, Derek Lundie, Steven Crook and Malcolm Hutton are in a dog fight the only sure thing is intense competition. In the event, Malcolm Hutton, buzzing like a mosquito on speed, having beaten the other three in convincing fashion was deemed last man standing.
Both the Sixties and Seventies age groups were low key affairs, Andrew Fullen finding an answer to George Johnston's wiles in the Sixties and Doug Sinclair winning the Seventies rather easily with newcomer Bill Davidson gaining a well deserved second place.
This assessment was also the test bed for a new format for the Open singles, the initial groups being followed by seperate knock out stages for group winners, then group seconds and finally those placed third and fourth. The overall winner was Willie Mabon, who played brilliantly to subdue Malcolm Hutton in the quarters. Malcolm, still in his substance abusing insect mode, pushed Willie right to the wire in a terrific five ender. Another sizzling match in the quarters was between James Russell and Derek Lundie, James just edging it in the fifth end. Willie then went on to reverse his defeat by Callum Gerrard while James again beat Gerry Campbell. In a hard fought final, marred only by some sloppy serving by both players, Willie bested James to claim his maiden victory in an Open event.
Well done, Willie Mabon.
Finally, in the minor categories, Roy Claxton overcame Alec Struthers in the runners up final and Charlie Brown beat Rob (Roscoe ) Tanner in the remainder section.
Results and report from Assessment 3 , 13/01/08
By Ian Mclagan There was an entry of 50 for this event , a new record . Great to see Brian Kean back and welcome to Bill Davidson . There were 7 competing in the over 70's .
1 Age Groups
70+ Placings
Group 1, R. Murray, P. Morris, T. McGrath.
Group 2, D. Sinclair, B. Davidson, A. Endredy, B. Davidson.
Final placings after last round ties.
1. Ray Murray, 2. Doug Sinclair, 3. B. Davidson, 4. P. Morris, 5. A. Endredy, 6. D. Dall,
7.T . McGrath.
Doug dropped only one set in his debut in the over 70’s and lost to Ray on four sets in the first/second play-off.
60+ Placings.
Group 1.
G, Johnston, P. Howarth, W. Stein
Group 2. B. Hills,
Group 3. B. Kean, A. Fullen, J. Melone, B. Davidson.
Final placings after last round ties.
- B. Kean, 2. G. Johnston, 3. B. Hills, 4. A. Fullen, 5. I. McLagan, 6. P. Howarth, 7. J. Melone, 8. D. McLaren, 9. M. Davidson, 10 W, Stein.
A great performance by Brian Kean in winning this event. Barrie Hills took third place after winning his group.
50+ Placings.
Final placings after last round ties.
Group 1 G. Salter,
Group 2, P. Duffy, L. Powell, M. Schoenhofen
Group 3. M. Hutton, C. Brown, C. McLean
Group 4, R. Claxtonb, T. Haldane, D/ Gallacher.
Group 5. D. Lundie,
Group 6. R. Laahs, P. Shaw, A. Struthers.
At this stage, only Peter Shaw of the top seeds failed to win his group. Well done to Linda Powell for taking second spot in her group.
Next Stages resulted in the following final places after the next groups.
1st, G. Salter, 2nd, R. Claxton, 3. M. Hutton, 4 P. Duffy, 5, D. Lundie, 6. R. Laahs, 7. P. Shaw, 8.
Good effort by Roy Claxton to get to the final.
40+ category
Final placings after last round ties.
1st, G. Campbell, 2nd J Russell, 3. W. Mabon, 4. D. Thomas, 5th C. Gerrard, 6th S. Fowler, 7th D. Bissett, 8th B Hunter, 9th H. Beck, 10th E. Scott, 11th I. Wright, 12th R. McIntosh, 13th S. Thomson
Great result for Gerry. It puts him back up the points list.
