Six Nations Llandudno
Six Nations Llandudno 2007
Wales was the host for this year's Veterans Six Nation Championships and with the Welsh being renowned for their singing, it was appropriate that the Scotland squad was on song for this tournament, picking up no fewer than five silver medals in the major events and a handful of medals in the consolation events.
In the team events both the over 50s and over 70s mens teams came within a whisker of winning gold. The over 50s team of Derek Lundie and Geoff Salter performed minor miracles in pushing a strong England team right to the wire. Geoff beating Brian Johns for the first time ever, then partnering Derek to a terrific five set win in the doubles and finally just failing to win the deciding singles, losing 9-11 in the fifth set.
Our over 70s team of Ray Murray and Johnny Campbell also performed strongly, winning all their matches without dropping a game until the final match against an England squad which contained two European champions. Ray got Scotland off to a perfect start with an emphatic straight sets win over Geoff Brooks. Johnny then lost to Fred Lockwood but then they won a thrilling doubles to set up a decider between Ray and Fred Lockwood. This match also went to five ends before ending with a controversial and hotly disputed decision by the English umpire to deny a net cord point to Ray. So, was this a plucky last gasp win for England or was it Grand Larceny?
Whichever it was it cost Scotland the gold medal.
In the ladies sections our over 40s team of Senga Thomson and Maureen Moran finshed just out of the medals in third place but more and better was to become of them in the individual events.
Probably the player to be most pleased with her performance was debutante Maureen Moran who reached the final of both singles and doubles in her age group. Partnered by teammate Senga Thomson she reached the final of the ladies doubles only to lose to Sandra Rider and Kim Mudge of England. In the singles event she had a tremendous semi final battle with Senga, winning in five sets before losing in the final to England's Shirley Gelder.
The final silver medal winners were the over 70s duo, Ray Murray and Johnny Campbell who lost an epic final to Fred Lockwood and Mervyn Wood in the mens over 70s doubles.
Outwith the medal winners there were good performances from our other ladies, Carol McLean and Marion Davidson who got through their qualifying groups in the singles and also reached the semi final of their age group doubles.
Although it ill behoves the SVTTA website to give the oxygen of publicity once more to Derek Lundie we simply must mention his stunning display in the over 50s singles against the eventual winner and highly ranked English player Dave Harvey. To take a player of this class to 9 in the fifth leaves two questions to be answered. What is he on and where can I get some?
And so, with several of our squad picking up an assortment of minor medals in the consolation events, we bade a fond farewell to Llandudno.
Maureen Moran with the Mayor
Maureen and Senga with the Mayor and Mayoress of Llandundo
Derek Lundie, Geoff Salter receive their silver medals
Ray Murray and Johnny Campbell with the silver medals
Ray and Johnny with the runners up trophies
The Consolation Medalists
Callum
Andrew
Tony, Winnie, Ian