Staffordshire Sprint and County Championships 2024 – Preview

Staffordshire Sprint and County Championships 2024 – Preview

by | Jun 14, 2024 | News

 

This weekend brings an extravaganza of racketlon to the beautiful county of Staffordshire as Keele University plays host to both the Staffordshire Open Sprint and 2024 County Championships. 

 

Staffordshire Open Sprint 2024

 

Starting with Saturday, the UK Racketlon tour is breaking new ground with a new and exciting short format (sprint) tournament, with the Staffordshire Open Sprint 2024.

Following the lead of cricket with their T20 format, racketlon sprint has been designed to bring a different level of fun, excitement and drama to our incredible sport, and the Staffordshire Open will be making history as the world’s first ever short-format racketlon tournament! Players will battle it out to 11 points in each sport, with 1-minute knock ups (unless the squash ball is cold), and a guaranteed 5 matches rather than the usual 3.

Lets take a brief look at the draws and see who are the favourites to come out on top in this weekend’s speedy series. 

 

Mens A

World Champion and number #1 seed Luke Griffiths is the unsurprising favourite this weekend and will be expecting to meet former British Champion Dan Busby in the final.

Luke starts in Group A against a trio of Jons in the form of Johnny Bispham, Jonathan Ritter and Jon Spinks. With similar profiles, Bispham v Spinks looks set to be the match of the group. 

In group B, Dan Busby will start against James Langworthy, whilst TT specialists Tom Watson and Jamie Watkin-Rees will face-off for the first time ever, in an intriguing match up. 

 

Women’s A/B

Although not seeded due to a 6 player round robin format, Matilda Parslow will be favourite to take home the title and begins against fellow squash specialist Kate Russell.

England table tennis star Mollie Patterson may be Matilda’s biggest threat, having shown plenty of promise since her debut at the British Championships in April. Mollie starts against Hannah Taylor whilst Dianne Baker will be hoping to use both her badminton skills to full effect against Kayleigh Chapman. 

 

Men’s B

The men’s B draw looks to be the hardest to call, with an interesting blend of profiles and experience. James Pope is top seed but will face an extremely tough start to life in group A against rising junior star Chase Burgess. Ryan Bezer and James Trueman are the final two players in the group and their opening fixture could feature some real twist and turns. 

 Group B includes 2nd seed Kieran Shelley who starts against the dangerous youngster Thomas Agombar. Andrew Heath faces Jordan Marcus  in the other opening game of the group.

 

Men’s C

Local legend George Roberts is the top seed in Men’s C but will face tough opposition against Bora Molla, Callum Mitchell and William Steel. Bora often relies on his skilled TT and tennis, whilst Will will pick up most of his points in squash and tennis. Callum Mitchell will also offer a big threat with his county badminton skills, but can George use his experience and home advantage to take the title?

 

Best of luck to all players and we really hope you enjoy this fresh new format. Results will be posted on tournament software and look out for the tournament review in the coming weeks.   

 

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Next up, lets take a quick dive into the 2024 County Championships, taking place on Sunday 

 

UK Racketlon County Championships 2024

In this team event, each match will consist of 3x men’s singles, 1x women’s singles, 1x men’s doubles, and 1x mixed doubles, providing a variety of playing opportunities. Similar to the sprint tournament being played on the Saturday, matches will be shortened to 11 points, and no knock ups will be allowed.    

 

Defending County Div 1 Champions – Surrey

Division 1

Top seeds Nottinghamshire 1 will begin their bid for the title against Yorkshire 1. Powered by team captain Luke Griffiths, who won the title last year for his home county of Surrey, Notts will be tough to beat, especially in the badminton. Luke’s teammates are Jonny Ritter, Joseph Scott, Mollie Patterson, and unranked Finlay Nelson. Yorkshire’s team features plenty of experience and depth in the form of Tom Atherton, Ryan Bezer, Kieran Shelley and Jo Shelley. 

On the other side of the draw are 2nd seeds Oxfordshire, who open up against defending champions Surrey. Oxfordshire feature a strong  lineup with Ed Westamacott, James Hempstead, Peter Browning, James Trueman and Jane Galsworthy. Surrey will be rocked by the loss of Luke Griffiths, but still feature two reigning British champions in Leon Griffiths and Holly Ranson. Leon has also recruited the unranked pair of Callum Mitchell and Dan McMilan. 

Last year’s division 2 winners Lincolnshire have made the step up, managing to pull together the same squad, featuring Chase Burgess, Matilda Parslow, Leigh Ware, Susie Dilloway and Ivan Parslow. Their 1st round opponents are newly formed Worcestershire, led by captain Jon Spinks, and ably assisted by Martyn Langston, Henry Jones, Julian Clapp and Beth Pye. 

Finally in we have Kent v Stafforshire 1. Despite missing two racketlon stalwarts in Keith Lesser and Ray Jordan, Kent still possess plenty of racketlon experience in their team of James Langworthy, Johnny Bispham, Luke Penna, Andy Heath and Kayleigh Chapman. Staffordshire on the other hand, feature a much less experienced team. Led by team captain Stuart Preston, he is supported by Tom Watson and the unranked trio of Ryan Quek, Tom Chambaud and Sophie Brealey. 

 

 

 

2023 County Div 2 Champions –  Lincolnshire

Division 2

Hertfordshire are number one seeds and have been currently given a bye in the 1st round. They are led by Jamie Watkin-Rees and his team mates include Ishan Bairoliya, Daniel Austin, Bora Molla, Will Steele, Hannah Taylor and Sarah Austin. 

Hertforshire will then face the winner of Warwickshire v Yorkshire 2. Warwickshire will be the less experienced of the two sides, featuring Johnny and Jac Goodall and then the unranked Paul Ahearne, William Ellis and Isla Ellis. Yorkshire 2 features Jordan Marcus, Jon Schofield, Fiona James and Henry Vernon. 

In the other half of the draw, 2nd seeds Hampshire will start against a Nottinghamshire 2 side with no previous racketlon experience (and no declared players at the time of writing – intriguing!). Hampshire, however, will be led by GB player Matt Haynes, and supported by Thomas Agombar, Kate Russell, Phil Pinto and Adam Turner.

The final opening game is between Oxfordshire 2 and Staffordshire 2. Oxfordshire 2 feature Rohan Shergill, Sarah Ball, Jason Oliver and Dhairua Patil, while Staffordshire will field George Roberts, Steve Halliday, Jon Healey, Ray Ryan and Lucy Wan. 

 

Best of luck to all teams and a big thank you in advance to James Pope for organising both events over the weekend. As always, keep your eyes peeled on the UK Racketlon social media channels and you can follow score updates on tournament software. 

The next tournament, and the last before the World Championships, is the Yorkshire Open on July 14th, which you can enter here: https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/events.aspx?id=69d4ffa2-74de-4359-943f-f80ee4e51599

We hope to see you there!

Happy racketlon-ing to you all! 

 

 

 

 

 

Staffordshire Sprint and County Championships

Staffordshire Sprint and County Championships

by | May 17, 2024 | News

Block out your diaries for the weekend of June 15th and 16th, because UK Racketlon brings you two extremely exciting events that both offer something a little different from the standard UK Tour tournaments!!

 

Staffordshire Open Racketlon Sprint Tournament – Saturday 15th June, Keele University

 

Firstly, on Saturday 15th June we are delighted to bring to you the Staffordshire Open Racketlon Sprint Tournament, scheduled to take place at Keele University Sports Centre in Keele, Staffordshire. 

 This Sprint Tournament is the FIRST in the world in the history of Racketlon!!!

So, what is a sprint tournament, and why should you enter?

Innovative Format:
This tournament introduces the concept of Racketlon Sprint, the first tournament of its kind in the world – featuring sets that are played to 11 points instead of the conventional 21. At 10-10, the next point determines the winner, eliminating the need for a two-point lead.

Streamlined Experience:
In an effort to speed-up proceedings, there will be no switching ends or extended warm-up sessions, with the exception of the necessary squash ball warm-up.

More Matches:
Participants are guaranteed five matches, as opposed to the usual three, ensuring ample playing time and the opportunity to compete against a diverse range of opponents in groups of six. We are definitely expecting some more upsets in the seedings and matches with this!

Accessible Entry:
Entry into the tournament is open to players of all ages and skill levels, with an entry fee of £35 (£20 for juniors), making it an inclusive and welcoming event for all.

 

Whether you’re a seasoned racketlon player or new to the sport, the Staffordshire Open Racketlon Sprint Tournament offers a unique opportunity to experience racketlon in a new and exciting format. In addition, it is a perfect opportunity to practice for both the county champs (see below!) and also the World Team Championships, as these are both played to 11 as well! 

To secure your place in the inaugural Staffordshire Open Racketlon Sprint Tournament, enter via Tournament Software as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. 

 

Defending County Div 1 Champions – Surrey

UK Racketlon County Championships – Sunday 16th June, Keele University

The 2nd event of the weekend, also being held at Keele University, is the UK Racketlon County Championships, taking place on Sunday 16th June. The 2024 Racketlon County Championships offers players a unique opportunity to play in a team event within the UK Tournament schedule, with a mix of singles, mixed and doubles.

Defending Champions Surrey will be looking to retain their title. Will they continue their winning streak, or will a new contender emerge? Lincolnshire were last year’s winners of Division 2, but can they triumph again? Show your colours and lead your county to glory!

 

Defending County Div 2 Champions –  Lincolnshire

Here’s what you need to know:

Match Structure:
Each match will consist of 3x men’s singles, 1x women’s singles, 1x men’s doubles, and 1x mixed doubles, providing a variety of playing opportunities.

11-Point Sets:
Sets will follow the Racketlon Sprint format, with each set played to 11 points for added speed and intensity.

Streamlined Experience:
There will be no warm-up sessions, allowing for a more efficient tournament schedule.

Team Composition:
Counties must field a team of at least 3x men and 1x woman, with no maximum limit on players. Each team must contain a minimum of four players, of which one must be a woman. It’s worth noting that if a side contained two women, one could be nominated to play as a man throughout the match. There is no limit on squad sizes and no requirement for the four singles players to also play doubles. Team make up is at the discretion of the captain. Multiple teams per county are allowed. Any queries about this – ask James Pope at new2racketlon@gmail.com or join the County Champs WhatsApp group and ask in there!

Qualification Criteria:
Players must meet one of the following criteria to qualify for their county team:

– county you were born in

– county you live in

– membership in a relevant racket sports club within the county

– previous representation in the County Championships for that county (as long as you haven’t represented a different county since)

Registration:
Interested teams can register online through the Tournament Software website before the deadline. The team captain is responsible for entering the whole team online and will split the cost between their team. Total cost per team is £125, irrespective of how many players are on the team. 

Please be aware the usual rules regarding refunding entries due to withdrawal will apply. If you are intending to enter a team, please contact Tournament Director James Pope (new2racketlon@gmail.com)to let him know which county you will be captaining (you can do this in advance of entering). We will likely have capacity for 16 teams, playing in two divisions of 8.

Not sure of who your county captain is? Again, please get in touch with James Pope (new2racketlon@gmail.com) who will be able to assist you in finding a county, or message on the County Champs WhatsApp group! 

 

We can’t wait to see you all in what is going to be a fantastic weekend of racketlon, including the world’s first Racketlon Sprint Event! 

 

Happy racketlon-ing to you all!

 

 

SAT Redbridge Open 2024 – Review

SAT Redbridge Open 2024 – Review

by | May 15, 2024 | News

Redbridge Sports and Leisure Centre in East London hosted the SAT Redbridge Open on bank holiday Monday (6th May), a world tour event with world ranking points up for grabs. 

Men’s A Singles

Starting with the Men’s A, number #1 seed and 5 x national champion Leon Griffiths showed his class to dispatch first Anant Gupta and then British U21 champion Jamie Brown, both before tennis to surge into the final. In the other side of the draw, 2nd seed Matthew Davidson saw off the challenge of Keith Lesser before an impressive win against former world number #3 Dan Busby to earn a place in the final facing Leon. 

In the final Leon was in top form, winning the TT 21-6, the badminton 21-8 and the squash 21-10, to seal the title – without needing to get his tennis racket out of his bag all day. 

Third place was taken by squash supremo Jamie Brown, after Dan Busby conceded the 3rd/4th playoff.

The closest match of the category was between Jamie Brown and Jamie Watkin-Rees in their first round encounter. Watkin-Rees took a hefty lead after 21-7 and 21-9 victories in TT and badminton respectively. However, Jamie Brown came back fighting, with a dominant 21-2 squash win, and with Jamie Watkin-Rees requiring 15 to win in tennis the match was too close to call. A gummi-arm was avoided by a singular point, as Jamie Brown snatched the win at 21-13 to take the match +1. Amazingly, Jamie Brown’s 2nd match against Ross Wilson had a similar story, with a 21-2 squash win followed up with a 21-15 tennis victory to win by +2. Clearly a man with ice in his veins. 

 

L-R Matthew Davidson, Leon Griffiths

 

Redbridge Racketlon Mens A Podium

Women’s Amateur Singles

The Women’s singles was a three-way round robin between Egle Adomelyte, Cheuk-Wing Chan and Holly Thompson. 

In the first match of the day Holly faced Egle, with the latter quickly showing her TT prowess with a 21-8 win. From then on Holly turned on the style with comprehensive victories in the other 3 sports to take the match. Next, Egle took on Cheuk-Wing and once more built a lead using her impressive TT skills, this time winning 21-0. Cheuk Wing had the better of the next two sports, taking them 21-4, and 21-9, respectively, to lead by +8 going into tennis. This wasn’t enough, as Egle swung the momentum back in her favour, winning 21-7 to take a +6 victory. 

The final match was between Holly and Cheuk-Wing, and Holly wasted no time in the TT, winning 21-2. In the badminton Cheuk-Wing was the victor 21-10, before Holly put the match out of sight with a 21-5 win in the squash to take home the title. 

 

 Winner – Holly Thompson

Redbridge Racketlon Womens B Podium

Men’s +40 Singles

 The +40 singles was a four man shootout between Nick Macey, James Skilleter, Darren Kerins and Simon May. 

Nick Macey started off strong with a +39 victory against James Skilleter. After a close TT, which James won 21-19, Nick moved through the gears, taking badminton, squash and tennis, conceding single figures in all three. Simon May then won the closest encounter of the category, +3 against Darren Kerins. Despite Darren taking badminton 21-3, Simon was just too strong in the other three sports. 

After Nick and Simon both won their 2nd games, against Darren and James respectively, they faced off in the match to decide the title. Nick took the TT 21-9 and then improved lead with a 21-15 win in the badminton. Simon needed a convincing win in the squash to keep any hopes of a comeback alive, but this wasn’t to be, with Nick also taking that 23-21. Requiring just 2 in the tennis and with Nick being an accomplished tennis player, Simon conceded and Nick took home his 2nd title in as many tournaments – having won the Men’s B Doubles at the British Champs with son Logan last month. 

Third place was won by Darren Kerins, who recovered from losing the TT against James Skilleter to take other sports convincingly.  

Winner – Nick Macey

 

 

 

 

Redbridge Racketlon Mens 40s Winner

Men’s +55

The Men’s+55 was split into two groups of 3, with group A looking like the group of death, featuring three players who have all previously represented GB at racketlon, in Ray Ryan, Marc Thornley and Wayne Donaldson. Marc proved too strong for winning all sports against both players to progress to the final.

In group B, Rakesh Gupta defeated both Phil Pinto and Kevin Belcher before tennis to advance into the final to face Marc. 

In the final, Rakesh started well, taking TT 21-17, and then badminton 21-7, to lead +18 going into squash. Marc then forced his way back into the tie with a 21-7 win in squash, and then quickly backed this up in the tennis, winning 21-8 to take the match by +9 and go home with the title. 

 Wayne Donaldson grabbed third place with a hard fought +3 victory over Kevin Belcher. 

Phil Pinto did extremely well, to defeat experienced racketloner Ray Ryan to finish 5th.

 

L-R – Marc Thornley, Rakesh Gupta

 

 

Redbridge Racketlon Mens +55 Podium

Men’s B Singles

In the Men’s B, number #1 seed Kieran Shelley showed good form to cruise past both Barney Medhurst and then Luke Penna to advance to the final. The other side of the draw featured an interesting twist, with two of the top GB women’s players Holly Ranson and Matilda Parslow testing themselves in the Men’s division. Matilda showed her class to defeat 2nd seed Matthew Page +10, but Holly faced a tough ask against badminton specialist Angus Pederson. Holly took the TT 21-5, but this was immediately cancelled out in the badminton. Angus then took the squash 21-9 and reached the required 10 in tennis to win +13. 

Matilda and Angus then had the closest battle of the category. Matilda took TT 21-12, before the inevitable badminton fightback, Angus winning 21-1. Squash was more familiar ground for Matilda, but Angus did well to pick up 13 points, to go into the tennis needing 18. In a tight tennis contest, Angus reached the required 18 with 3 points to spare, to set up a final against Kieran.

In the final, Kieran took the TT 24-22, before being pegged back 21-3 in the badminton. After Kieran hit back, winning squash 21-7, Angus took a +2 lead into the tennis and secured the title with a solid 21-14 victory. An excellent win for Angus on his racketlon debut and great to see Kieran back and competing well after an extended time out with injury. 

Matilda Parslow picked up third place with a +19 win against Luke Penna.  

 

 L-R – Angus Pederson, Kieran Shelley

 

Redbridge Racketlon Mens B Podium

Men’s C Singles

In men’s C, number #1 seed Leigh Ware was made to work hard to reach the final. After an opening win against Rachid Ben Cherif he faced Ishan Bairoliya, who dealt an opening blow to Leigh by taking TT 21-12. Ishan then backed up his advantage with a comprehensive 21-2 win in the badminton, to leave Leigh trailing by 28 points going into the squash. Not to be deterred, Leigh powered to a 21-3 squash win to leave Ishan a target of 12 in the tennis. Unfortunately this was 2 points too many as Leigh took the game 21-10 to win by a single point and move into the final!

In the other half of the draw Adam Stagg came through a first round scare (winning by +1 against Chris O’Brien) to then beat Ashley Stokes +14. and then Mark Brown +16 to advance to his first racketlon final. 

In the final, Leigh got off to his more usual strong start, taking TT 21-2, however this was immediately cancelled out by Adam who took the badminton 21-2. The squash proved to be a closer affair, before Leigh took the game 21-17 to lead by +4 to require 18 in the tennis. He duly delivered with an 18-13 score-line in the tennis to take his 3rd men’s C title. 

Third place was won by Ishan Bairoliya who defeated Mark Brown by +5.

 

L-R Adam Stagg, Leigh Ware

Redbridge Racketlon Mens C Podium

Men’s D Singles

Men’s D was divided into two round robin groups, and in group A, 1st seed James Vincent came through with victories over Patil Dhairyasheel and Daniel Taylor. Daniel, a TT specialist, certainly made James sweat,  reaching 14 of his required 16 points in the tennis before James managed to seal victory. 

In group B, 2nd seed Stuart Vincent faced a tough assignment, with an extra game to play in a group of 4, but came through in victories over William Grant, Robert Hunter and Chris Bickley. 

In a father-son final it was youth that started strongest against experience, James taking the TT 23-21. Stuart fought back in the badminton, winning 21-18 to take a narrow lead into squash. It was on the squash court however that James was able to punish his father the most, winning 21-10 to lead by +10 in the tennis. This proved enough margin and James was able to secure the title along with the family bragging rights. 

Third place was wrapped up by Daniel Taylor who recorded a +11 victory over Chris Bickley.  

L-R Stuart Vincent, James Vincent 

 

Redbridge Racketlon Mens D Podium

Junior U18 Singles

The U18 singles featured a 3 player round robin between Chase Burgess, Dan Austin and Logan Macey.

World Championship silver medallist Chase Burgess opened up against Logan Macey, and despite going into tennis behind on points, powered to victory by +10. 

Logan then faced Dan Austin and started incredibly to win the three opening sports and lead +14 going into the tennis. The game was not over though, and Dan showed immense skill and nerves of steel to win 21-4 to take the game +3. 

In the deciding game between Chase and Dan, Chase was in top form, taking both the TT and badminton 21-12, before sealing the title with a 21-13 win in the squash. 

Dan Austin finished 2nd with Logan Macey in 3rd position.

 

L-R Dan Austin, Chase Burgess

 

 

Redbridge Racketlon U18s Podium

Junior U14 Singles

In the youngest junior category, it was a 3 player round robin between Sebastian Dobson, older brother Henry Dobson, and Noah Penna.

First up was Henry and Noah and it turned out to be the closest game of the category. Noah started best with a 21-17 TT win, before Henry fought back to take the badminton 21-7. In the squash the momentum changed once again as Noah won 21-11 to go into the tennis level on points.  It was Henry who wrestled back control of the game, taking tennis 21-10 to win by +11.

Henry then took on younger brother Sebastian and the match got off to an unexpected turn, as Sebastian won the table tennis in a supremely close battle. From then on though Henry powered to victories in the final 3 sports to take the title. 

In the battle for 2nd, Sebastian faced Noah and was once again victorious in the TT, winning 21-18. Sebastian then took the badminton 21-14, before Noah turned on the style with a 21-1 squash win and turn the tables in his favour. The tennis was a close game, before Noah reached the required 13 points and taking 2nd place overall.

 

L-R Noah Penna, Henry Dobson

 

Redbridge Racketlon U14 Podium

 

A massive thanks must go to racketlon legend Keith Lesser, who sponsored the tournament on behalf on his company, Lesser and Co Chartered Accountants, and also funded the squash referee. 

Huge credit must also go to Tournament Director Kieran Shelley for the smooth running of yet another successful racketlon event. Thanks also to Redbridge Sports and Leisure Centre for providing their excellent facilities.

Full results of the SAT Redbridge Open 2024 can be found on the FIR Tournament Software and remember to follow UK Racketlon Facebook and Instagram for the latest tournament news and updates.

Happy Racketloning! 

 

 

 

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SAT Redbridge Open 2024 – Review

SAT Redbridge Open 2024 – Preview

by | May 5, 2024 | News

This bank holiday Monday (6th May) sees the return of the Racketlon World Tour to English soil, as Redbridge Sports Centre in Essex hosts the SAT Redbridge Open. With world ranking points up for grabs, this tournament adds a new dimension to the blossoming UK Racketlon calendar,  just over three weeks after the fantastic British Championships were held 20 miles further south in Beckenham.

In the Men’s A Leon Griffiths will be hoping to take home the title and claw back his world number #1 spot, having dropped to #2 at the start of the month to France’s Sylvain Ternon. Second seeded Matthaw Davidson will be hoping to build on his semi-final at the French Open last weekend, a result which propelled him 14 places in the world rankings to #31. Another contender for the title could be the unseeded Dan Busby, who starts against the returning James Simpson, a highly ranked squash player who previous played for GB in the 2014 World Championships. Jamie Brown could be another to watch after he swept to victory in the U21s at the British Championships in April. 

The Women’s draw features a slightly different look than usual, with British Champion Holly Ranson and UK number #3 Matilda Parslow moving into the Men’s B draw. Entries from mostly new and emerging talents make this category hard to call, but it’s tremendous to see so many unfamiliar names giving racketlon a try.

As mentioned above, the Men’s B features an interesting twist with two of the UK’s best female players out to challenge the guys. Kieran Shelley is top seed and could meet Matthew Page in the final if everything goes to seeding. Angus Pederson could be a dangerous wildcard however, with the former GB universities badminton player unlikely to drop many points in his favoured sport. 

Men’s C features many new players, with 11 out of 12 participants not holding any previous world ranking points. Leigh Ware is seeded #1 but will be wary of dangerous new-comers. 

In the Men’s D,  there is the potential for family drama. Number #1 seed James Vincent could face dad and number #2 seed Stuart Vincent in the final. James will be looking to build on his last international tournament, picking up bronze in the D at the 2023 La Santa Open.

The Seniors +40 draw sees the return of three former elite players in Simon May, Darren Kerins and Nick Macey. Macey made his comeback last month at the British Championships – winning the Men’s B doubles with son Logan – however Simon and Darren have not competed in singles for close to fifteen years. Table tennis specialist James Skilleter completes the line-up. 

In the Seniors +55 category, there is a returning face once again. Wayne Donaldson was part of the original GB team at the World Championship in 2002. He is also joined by another former GB player in Marc Thornley, who won world +45 team gold back in 2013. Racketlon stalwart Ray Ryan is number #1 seed and number #2 seed is Rakesh Gupta. Rakesh was also a world +45s champion in 2013,  in the mixed doubles with Barbara Capper. 

The Junior U18 is packed with some of the best junior talent in the country and looks set to be one of the closest categories of them all. Chase Burgess may be the slight favourite, with eleven junior titles and a world silver medal to his name. Daniel Austin will also be staking a claim, and has shown good form already this season, taking the Men’s C title at the Garden City Open in February. Despite only picking up the sport a year ago, Thomas Agombar will be another to look out for. The rapidly improving youngster already has two titles to his name and remains undefeated in all table tennis and badminton games. Logan Macey completes the line-up, and has considerable pedigree of his own, picking up the Men’s B Doubles title with dad Nick at the British Championships last month.

Last but not least, the Junior U14’s will be a three-way fight between brothers Henry and Sebastian Dobson, and Noah Penna. Noah will be hoping to upgrade silver to gold having finished 2nd in the U14’s at the British Championships. Henry also grabbed the silver medal last month, competing in the U12’s.

 

Good luck to everybody on Monday. Results will be posted on the FIR Tournament Software and look out for the tournament review coming next week.

 

 

Happy racketlon-ing to you all!

 

 

 

 

 

Oxfordshire Open 2024 – Review

Oxfordshire Open 2024 – Review

by | May 5, 2024 | News

St Edwards School in Oxford played host to a racketlon tournament with a difference on Sunday April 28th. Whilst singles is the dominant discipline in the UK Racketlon tournament scene, doubles has been a popular category in larger events like the British and World Championships, so this was the focus for this edition of the Oxfordshire Open. Singles categories were still run for the juniors.

Men’s A Doubles

Starting with the Men’s A doubles, number #1 seeds Dan Busby and Jonny Ritter breezed into the finals with a victory before tennis against Chris Snelling and James Hempstead. In the other side of the draw, number #2 seeds Keith Lesser and Peter Browning were the victors against Stuart Preston and Tom Watson. Despite being level going into squash, Keith produced a high quality squash performance to provide a 7 point lead going into tennis, which was ultimately too much for Stuart and Tom. 

In the final, Keith and Peter got off to a flying start with a 21-6 TT victory, before Dan and Jonny showed their class on both the badminton and squash court to require only 6 in the tennis. They duly delivered to take home the title having finished runners up to the Griffiths brothers in last months British Championships.  

James Hempstead and Chris Snelling took 3rd place with a +17 win over Stuart and Tom. 

 

Women’s A Doubles

In the Women’s A doubles number #1 seeds Jane Galsworthy and Ellie Thomas were in no mood to mess around, flying into the final after defeating Isobella Khan and Emma Birch before tennis. Second seeds Beth Pye and Mollie Patterson showed equal ruthlessness with a +33 win over Felicity Barbur and Hannah Taylor. 

In the final, Beth and Mollie dominated the TT 21-5, before backing it up in the badminton with a 22-20 victory. Jane and Ellie fought their way back into the match with a 21-8 squash win, but Beth and Mollie proved too strong in the tennis, reaching the required 17 with 9 points to spare.  

Felicity Barbur and Hannah Taylor clinched 3rd with a +20 victory over Emma and Isobella. 

 L-R Mollie Patterson, Beth Pye, Ellie Thomas, Jane Galsworthy

Oxfordshire Racketlon Open Womens Doubles Winners

Mixed A Doubles

There was an early upset in the mixed A, as number #1 seeds Dan Busby and Izzy Bramhall were defeated by Jonny Ritter and Mollie Patterson. Jonny and Mollie got off to the perfect start with a 21-11 victory in TT, followed up by a 21-14 win in badminton.  Dan and Izzy may have been strong favourites on paper in the squash, but were restricted to just a 21-19 win, Jonny Ritter with some excellent retrieving to push Dan all the way. The unseeded pair now required 7 in the tennis and were given a scare as Izzy and Dan managed to reach 19, but Mollie and Jonny were eventually able to secure their place in the final by winning +3. 

Second seeds  Peter Browning and Jane Galsworthy were the next seeds to fall, beaten +8 by Tom Watson and Beth Pye. Peter and Jane were left with a lot to do after losing table tennis 21-3, but recovered well to win both badminton and squash. In the tennis however, they were unable to keep the momentum, losing 19-14. 

In the final, Jonny and Mollie faced Tom and Beth, and began by taking the table tennis 21-15 before winning badminton 21-5 and squash 21-12, not needing tennis to take home the title. 

Dan Busby and Izzy Bramhall took 3rd place. 

 

L-R Beth Pye, Tom Watson, Jonny Ritter, Mollie Patterson 

 

East Midlands 2024 Racketlon +40 Podium

+40 Doubles

In the +40 doubles top seeds Rob Rhodes and Andrew Heath saw off the threat of Izzy Bramhall and Malcolm Saperia with a +22 victory. They were joined in the final by 2nd seeds Luke Penna and Jon Foulds who roared to a victory over first-timers Gabor Nagy and Robert Svrcek. 

In the final, Rob and Andrew took the TT 21-13, before Luke and Jon turned the tables, winning the badminton 21-16 and then showing no mercy in a 21-2 squash victory. Luke and Jon required 6 in the tennis and duly did so with Rob and Andrew on 15, to take a +7 victory and the title.

Third place was won by Izzy Bramhall and Malcolm Saperia

 

L-R Andrew Heath, Rob Rhodes, Jon Foulds, Luke Penna

Mens +40 Doubles Finalists for Oxfordshire Racketlon

Men’s B Doubles

In the Men’s B Doubles, 1st seeds Kieran Shelley and James Trueman were rarely troubled and the GB teammates started with a comfortable victory over Gael Guetard and Dhairyasheel Dhanaji Patil. In the final they met father and son duo of Jamie and Raefe Watkin-Rees who had defeated Bora Molla and Daniel Austin in the semi final by +12. 

Jamie and Raefe started strong with a 21-12 TT win, but were on the ropes from that point on, with James and Kieran looking comfortable in the final 3 sports and seal a +17 victory. 

Dan Austin and Bora Molla took 3rd place.

L-R Kieran Shelley, James Trueman

 

Mens A Winners of Oxfordshire Racketlon

Mixed B Doubles

Top seeds Rob Rhodes and Ellie Thomas started strong, and after a bye in the opening round, completed a +18 victory over TT specialist Jamie Watkin-Rees and Isobella Khan to race into the finals. Second seeds Andrew Heath and Kayleigh Chapman also received a 1st round bye and were then caught cold by Stuart Preston and Jess Pugh. Andrew and Kayleigh took the table tennis 21-14 but were immediately under fire in the badminton and squash, as Jess and Stuart won 21-0 and 21-14, to require a single point in the tennis, which they managed at the first attempt. 

In the final, Rob and Ellie took the TT 21-11,  but knew they would have to work hard for points in the badminton, with Jess being a former England international and Stuart a county player himself. In the end they were delighted to finish the game with 2 points, the only pair to score anything in the badminton against Jess and Stuart all day. Squash was more comfortable ground for the pair, especially Ellie, and they dug out a 21-10 win to lead +1 going into tennis. The tennis was a tight affair throughout but Rob and Ellie held their nerve at the business end to win 21-19 and take a +4 victory. 

Andrew Heath and Kayleigh Chapman took 3rd after Jamie Watkin-Rees and Isobella Khan were unable to play the game. 

 

L-R Stuart Preston, Jess Pugh, Ellie Thomas, Rob Rhodes

 

Mixed B finalists of the Oxford Racketlon Open

Beginner Doubles

 Beginner doubles featured 4 pairs, all relatively new to racketlon or entering their first ever competition.  In the top half of the draw Gael Guetard and Dhairyasheel Dhanaji Patil strode into the final with an impressive win before tennis against Ewan and Arthur Freind. In the bottom half Simon Burrage and Simon Taylor showed equal form with a before-tennis victory over Alex Blake and Phil Pinto.

In the final, Gael and Dhairyasheel took the TT 21-14, before the two Simon’s took control of the middle two sports, with 21-5 and 21-12 wins. Burrage and Taylor then went on to wrap up the title at 4-4 in the tennis.

Third place was won by Alex Blake and Phil Pinto, who won the first three sports to claim their match against Ewan and Arthur Freind without needing tennis. 

 

U18 Singles

The U18 singles event ran according to seeding, with number #1 seed Dan Austin showing why he is one of the strongest players in the country for his age group by remaining undefeated in all sports and not once pushed to tennis. His toughest challenge came from number #2 seed Henry Vernon who was close to taking the badminton, before Dan sealed a 24-22 win. 

The battle for 2nd and 3rd was between Henry and Alexy Grantcharov, and it started with an incredibly tight TT game – Henry taking that 23-21. From then on  Henry showed superior strength in badminton and squash to wrap up 2nd place without needing tennis. 

Junior Singles

In the junior singles event, featuring the youngest members of the draw, it was a three player showdown between Noah Penna, Martha Vernon and Charlie Hunter. Perhaps inspired by his dad’s victory in the men’s +40 doubles, Noah claimed first place, with Charlie taking second and Martha third. 

The closest match came between Charlie and Noah, with Charlie taking the TT before being pegged back in both the badminton and the squash. Charlie proved to be the stronger tennis player but was unable to deny Noah the required 8 points needed to win the match.  

 

A massive thanks must go to Jane Galsworthy, Peter Browning and team for the smooth running of yet another successful tournament. Thanks also to St Edward’s School for providing their facilities.

Overall, the doubles format was a huge success, and UK Racketlon are hoping to host similar events in the future.

Full results of the Oxfordshire Open 2024 can be found on Tournament Software and remember to follow UK Racketlon Facebook and Instagram for the latest tournament news and updates.

Happy Racketloning! 

 

 

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