NATIONAL RACKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008
Edgbaston Priory Club, Birmingham 23rd-25th May 2008 ‘First-timers’ report: As two friends, Jenny Mathews & Jonathan Norris, and I travelled up apprehensively from our small Club in Surrey to the Edgbaston Priory Club for the May Bank Holiday weekend to take part in our first-ever National Racketball Championships 2008, we wondered what we were letting ourselves in for. But what a fantastic weekend it turned out to be! All three of us have become addicted to Racketball at our Club which has grown in popularity over the past 4 years with internal Leagues and an annual Handicap & Doubles Championships. So I persuaded my friends to enter their first-ever racketball tournament Age Group events out of curiosity but with definite trepidation! But the friendly, smiley faces of Edgbaston Priory Club staff, the organiser Rob Shay and his Event Team and fellow competitors of all ages from teenagers to the young-at-heart soon put us at ease and helped all three of us to win our first-round matches on the Friday evening. After a tasty meal in the Club lounge, we made our way back to the impressive Menzies Strathallen Hotel for a sound night’s sleep. The next morning we bumped into several other players over a leisurely full English breakfast and then returned to the Club to soak up the atmosphere and watch some exciting and skilful play before our next round matches. One of my personal highlights over the weekend was watching Jim Lord (England Squash Director of Development & Competitions) gliding effortlessly round the court on his way to winning both the Over 35 and Over 40 titles. His breathtaking shot selection and movement around the court was awesome – poetry in motion! That inspired me to get through to the Over 45 Ladies Final where I played well but lost 1-3 against Lesley Sturgess, last year’s Champion. I was just pleased to get that far and am looking forward to returning again next year. But without doubt my best highlight of the entire weekend was seeing Jenny fighting hard from 0-2 down to win an exhausting, hour-long 5-setter to become the Over 50 Ladies National Champion. Fabulous! A perfect end to a perfect weekend! Jo Robinson Ebbisham Sports Club, Epsom, Surrey |
