!!  (Friday)  Veterans :  Winners - Keith Sandiford (Holmfirth) & Diane Parish (Spen Valley)

!!  (Wednesday)    Mixed A :  Winners - Ken Boulton & Naomi Downes   (Holmfirth)

!!  (Wednesday)    Mixed B :  Winners - Issy Caffoor & Sue Oldfield   (Royds Hall)

!!  (Tuesday)    Ladies :  Winners - Anne Bricklebank & Lesley Radley  (Kirkburton)
(Due to lack of entries the Ladies A & B tournaments were combined)

!! (Tuesday)    Mens A :  Winners - Austin Paul & Nick Shoreman  (Valley St James)

!!  (Monday)    Mens B :  Winners - Ian Holness & Jonathan Clerehugh  (Valley St James)

Tournament Picture Gallery
Click on any of the thumbnail images to enter the Picture Gallery

The Mens Section A (Divs 1-3) Tournament was played at Royds Hall High School on Tuesday 10th November, 2009.  

Many thanks to Royds Hall Badminton Club for the use of their courts

Nine couples entered the mens tournament, divided into two groups. After a very competitive round robin section, the top two couples in group A won the same number of points, both going through to the semi-finals with the group B top two couples.  Ron Mellor and Julian Priestley took on Wayne King and Steve Nottingham winning 21 – 17. The other semi was won by Austin Paul and Nick Shoreman 21 – 15 against Hadrian Clarke and Dennis Goodridge.

The final saw Paul and Shoreman on plus 9 against Mellor and Priestley on minus 3, playing the best of three games.  Mellor and Priestley got off to a flying start in the first game; Paul and Shoreman soon got into their stride, but couldn’t quite catch the more experienced pair losing 21 -16.  Paul and Shoreman had the upper hand at the start of the second game and held on to the lead winning 21 – 14.  The third game was very closely fought but finally youth won over experience and age;  winning 21 – 15 Paul and Shoreman became worthy HDBL Mens Doubles (Div. 1-3) Champions for 2009/10

The Mens Section B (Divs 4-6) Tournament was played at Fartown High School on Monday 9th November, 2009. 
Many thanks to Flying Feathers Badminton Club for the use of their courts

With only 6 pairs entering the tournament this year it might have been feared that it would be a disappointing night, but far from it! With the combination of experienced players with years under their belts, a father and son pairing and two emerging stars from the Huddersfield Eagles coaching squad, the night was a roaring success!

The round robin phase resulted in Eagles rising stars Sukhjeet Sodhi & Billy Prady and father and son team Neil and James Firth plus old hands Colin Sladen and Steve Bricklebank as well as Jonathan Clerehugh and Ian Holness making the semi finals, with Neil and James making it by one point from their final game!

Even the presence of their Eagles principal coach, Mike Hall and his playing partner Matt Cromack or Russell Dyson and Mick Charles who stepped in to play at the last minute, was not enough to stop Sodhi and Prady from winning through into the Semi Finals as the leading pair!

The Semi Finals were a different matter though, being the best of three games to 21, In the first Semi, Sodhi & Prady initially took the lead but the wise old heads of Sladden & Bricklebank took control and in the end gave the youngsters no quarter, eventually winning 18-21, 21-11 & 21-13. The other Semi Final was more decisive but no less competitive with father and son pairing of Neil & James Firth losing narrowly 21-18, 21-18 to Clerehugh and Holness.

The final was intense with all players raising their game, with both pairs playing off stratch it was Sladden & Bricklebank who took first blood, 21-19, but the other pair of Clerehugh and Holness found another gear and turned the game round winning the second game 21-9 then closing out to win decisively 21-14 in the third to be crowned worthy HDBL Mens Doubles Champions (Div 4-6) for 2009/10.

The Ladies Section A (Divs 1-3) Tournament was played at Newsome High School on Tuesday 10th November, 2009

Many thanks to Valley St James Badminton Club for the use of their courts

The Ladies HDBL Handicapped Tournament was held on Tuesday 10 November at Newsome High School, with an entry of 12 couples from a range of Divisions divided into 2 groups.

Sandra Emmerson and her partner Maggie Johnson (+11) were clear winners of their group by 10 points whilst the second group won by Hannah Settle and Naomi Downs (+3).was a closer affair winning by 5 points from Helen Pearman and Sarah Hewitt (+4).

Time allowed for Quarter finals to be played which were won by Hannah Settle and Naomi Downs, Helen Pearman and Sarah Hewitt, Anne Bricklebank and Lesley Radley, and Debbie Jackson and Judy Vickerman. Handicapping proved to be good with close scores with the exception of Hannah and Naomi (+2) who won comfortably over Sandra Emmerson and Maggie Johnson (Scratch) at 21-12. This was due to the fact that Hannah and Naomi were newcomers to the Huddersfield League and unknown to the handicapping committee. However, by now the handicapping team were becoming aware of their standard and adjusted their handicap accordingly in the Semis which unfortunately swung the other way and they were beaten off Scratch by Helen Pearman and Sarah Hewitt (+4) by 21-16. The second Semi Final between Annue Bricklebank and Lesley Radley (Scratch) and Debbie Jackson and Judy Vickerman (+9) resulted in the same score as the other Semi at 21-16 in favour of Bricklebank and Radley who had to work hard to pull back the handicap deficit.

The final which was the best of 3 games, between Bricklebank and Radley (-1) and Pearman and and Hewitt (+9) meant that again Bricklebank and Radley could not afford to make mistakes and give points away and they managed to pull back the deficit to just take the first end setting at 23-21 despite strong opposition from Pearman and Hewitt. The second end saw the stronger pair of Bricklebank and Radley take an early lead but Helen and Sarah fought back to 20-16 when Bricklebank had a chance to clinch the title with an easy smash at the net but which unfortunately no-one could determine whether the feather had actually gone over the net ! The point was therefore played again and this time, Bricklebank and Radley made no mistake and took the game to win 21-16

The Ladies Section B (Divs 4-6) Tournament was cancelled due to lack of entries.

Players who had entered were amalgamated into the  Ladies Section A Tournament

2009 Winners : No Competition

The Mixed Section A (Divs 1-3) Tournament was played at King James High School on Wednesday 11th November, 2009.  

Many thanks to Kirkburton Badminton Club for the use of their courts

The Mixed Doubles 'A' (Divisions 1-3) HDBL Handicapped Tournament was held on Wednesday 11 November at King James High School, with an entry of 11 couples divided into 3 groups.

Ken Boulton and his partner Naomi Downes (+4) were close winners of their group by 3 points whilst the second group was won by Dave Lyons and Lesley Radley (+6) by just 1 point and Group 3 won by Caroline Bottomley and Zainal Mohammed (+5) had only 1 point separating each couple.

The Quarter finals made up of Winners and Runners Up from each group were won by Ken Boulton and Naomi Downes (+7), against James Smith & Nicola Horne (Scr) 21-15, Jonathan Holland & Carol Holberry(+8) narrowly beat Lance Dosser and Anne Bricklebank (Scratch) 22-20 with Dosser mistakenly leaving the shuttle which landed in on match point. Dave Lyons and partner Lesley Radley (Scratch) narrowly beat Caroline Broadbent and Zainal Mohammed (+6) 21-18 and the remaining quarter final was won by husband and wife team Hadrian and Sarah Clarke (+7) from Will Browne and Judith Spangdenburg (Scratch) 21-18. Handicapping proved to be good with close scores.

In the Semi Finals Boulton and Downes (+2) narrowly beat Holland & Holberry (Scr) 21-18 whilst the Clarke pairing (+4) proved too strong for Lyons and Radley (Scr) winning 21-10.

The final was a classic nail biter, being the best of 3 games, between Boulton & Downes (+8) and the Clarkes (-1). The first end was won by Boulton and Downes at 22-20, and then the second end proved to be a real tussle with the Clarkes managing to clinch the game 26-28. The deciding end was dictated by the nerve of Boulton and Downes who won 21-14. All four players showed exceptional skill and determination to produce an excellent Final.
 

ThThe Quarter Finalists and Sheila Mellor( Tournament Organizer) holding the Margaret Ashworth Memoral Trophy,
Players are left to right Dave Lyons & Lesley Radley, Jonathan Holland & Carol Holberry, Hadrian and Sarah Clarke and Ken Boulton & Naomi Downes

The Mixed Section B (Divs 4-6) Tournament was played at Honley High School on Wednesday 11th November, 2009.  

Many thanks to Holmfirth Badminton Club for the use of their courts

Only 6 couples took part in the Mixed B Tournament, which was held at Honley High School on Wednesday night. There was a mixture of experience and youth taking part with a couple of players from the Eagles junior coaching scheme, Billy Prady and Amy Crowther, pairing up to gain some valuable experience.

The couples taking part were:
Les Newby & Diane Horton  (Royds Hall)
Ian Stuart & Cheryl Green  (Flying Feathers)
Issy Caffoor & Sue Oldfield  (Royds Hall)
John Mellor & Nicky Faulkner  (Kirkburton)
Amy Crowther & Billy Prady  (Kirkburton)
Unser Bhatti & Cath Bentley  (St Cuthberts Racqueteers/Kirkburton)

Despite the low numbers, some excellent handicapping by tournament committee meant that it was a very close and exciting tournament with none of the couples managing to win all of their games in the initial round robin stage of the tournament.

The semi-finals were played over two ends and as no couple won both of their games, the scores wee added together to decide a winner
In the first semi-final, Issy Caffoor and Sue Oldfield beat John Mellor and Nicky Faulkner by an aggregate of 37 - 30
The other semi-final was won by Ian Stuart and Cheryl Green, who beat Les Newby and Diane Horton by 38 - 32

The final was the best of 3 games, but it was decided that setting would only take place if required in the 3rd game.
The match was a very tight affair, with Caffoor and Oldfield just managing to edge it in 2 games by the narrowest of margins: 21-20, 21-20

Issy was a late replacement in the tournament and was just sitting down to his tea when the phone rang to see if he would be able to play. Sue’s original partner, Malcolm Holmes, had unfortunately had a bike accident that evening and was unable to part in the tournament.
Well done to Issy and Sue, and we wish a speedy recovery to Malcolm !

Thanks to Holmfirth Badminton Club for the use of their courts for the tournament  and also to the Tournament Director, Janet Winn.

The Veterans Open (45 & over) Tournament was played at Newsome High School on Friday 13th November, 2009. 

Many thanks to Valley St James Badminton Club for the use of their courts

2008

Mens A    Matt Ford & Keith Sandiford  (Holmfirth)
Mens B    Ian Carpenter & Les Newby  (Royds Hall)
Ladies A  Ng Yu Shing & Lisa Pearson  (Holmfirth)
Ladies B   Rachel Fay & Gill Gabanski  (Valley St James)
Mixed A   Rob Archer & Kathryn Taylorson  (Ossett Sports)
Mixed B   Les Newby & Nicola Horne  (Royds Hall)
Veterans  Barry Goldsborough & Christine Berry (Beaumont Park)
Junior       Sam Kershaw & Sukhjeet Sodhi