The Harrow 2011 UK Racketball Series
Chapel Allerton Squash Club - 16th July
Introduction - Details - Information - Club Facilities
Click here to see all the photos
Final PositionsA Grade
B Grade
Over 40's
Over 50's
Womens
Beginners
Click here for the full results
Reports A Massive tournament at Chapel A
This was one of the best events we have run so far so a massive thank you to all the competitors who made our lives as organisers easy and another big thank you from us to the club and Peter Edwards for supporting and promoting the event. The next stop for the Series is Nottingham on 13th August!
Tournament IntroductionLast year we were very concerned that our most Northern tournament was Nottingham, this year as we were expanding the tour we were determined to get an event at one of the racketball hotspots in Yorkshire. Chapel Allerton fits all the criteria for a top UK-Racketball event, the club has fantastic facilities with 8 newly refurbished courts, as well as a great bar and catering facilities. Chapel Allerton is one of the largest clubs in the country and a beacon for racketball in South Yorkshire with the 2010 UK-Racketball Series Champion and England Number 3 Dominic Hamilton training at the club on a regular basis. With other massive racketball centres close as well, Hallamshire and Abbydale in Sheffield this could be one of the best attended events on the 2011 tour and one of our most exciting new venues.
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The Over 50’s competition saw early injury withdrawals from Series favourites which opening up the draw right up from the start. Tony Washington had a good run, beating Louis McLeod and Peter Curwen before being defeated by Peter Edwards in the 1st semi final. Jez Horrocks also made the semi after capitalising on the withdrawal of Graham Greensall by beating Ian Coulson in the quarters. Horrocks then pushed Lincoln Champion Nigel Millington all the way before eventually being beating in the 
decider. The final saw some top age group racketball but in the end resulted in Nigel Millington taking the title for the 2nd event in a row, beating local hero Peter Edwards 2-0 in the final. 
In the over 40’s Mark Webster beat Dave Lord in one of the opening matches which opened up the draw. After the initial box league stage it was Ian Furlonger, Ian Cawthorn and Mark Webster who all came through there groups without dropping a game to make the finals. The deciding match in the final’s group was a tough battle all the way but in the end Cawthorn was just too strong for Webster, picking up his first UK-Racketball Series Title.
Another fantastical well entered B grade competition saw competitors having to win their box league only to have to then win the semi finals box league in order to make the finals. It meant at least 4 matches for everyone and 5 if you were seeking the crown, so as always with the B grade there were plenty of matches. James Healey was unlucky not to make it through against Dave Evens who then saw off Tom Murton 2-1 to make it through to the final. At the top of the draw it was Anthony McCarthy 
who came through both group stages undefeated setting up the final against Dave Evans. The final was close all the way but in the end it was Evans who benefitted from a longer break between matches and came through as champion. 
In the A grade there were 4 groups of 3 each of which had a competitor ranked within the top 20 in England as their number 1 seed. The top 3 groups went to seeding with Dom Hamilton, Ben Brown and Tom Phipps all making it through to the semi finals, group D was fantastically competitive with Dan Lawrence coming through despite close matches with Matt Rushby and Ollie Turner. In the semi’s Hamilton was forced into a deciding set by Brown, but Phipps came through comfortably against Lawrence who’s good run of form seemed to abandon him for the 
semi final. The final in front of the biggest crowd at a Series Event yet saw some fantastic racketball with both players looking to attack whenever possible. Hamilton’s home support helped and in the end he was just too consistent for Phipps, a 5th Title for Hamilton who now has a run of 20 unbeaten matches at UK-Racketball Events. 
The women’s draws at UK-Racketball tournaments are going really well this year but Chapel Allerton was twice as big as the largest event so far with 20 entries for the women’s category alone with 4 qualification matches having to be played before the monrad competition could even begin. In the first round Jenny Slight defeated number 1 seed Jayne Dixon 2-1 with Patricia McKinney knocking out 2 seed Sarah Irwin in another close 2-1. It was a fantastic event with over 
40 matches resulting in the final matching the local prediction of Claire Walker against Paula Arrowsmith. In the end the title went the way of Claire Walker 2-0 to take her first UK-Racketball Title. .jpg)
