This Is Guernsey

TWO Guernsey girls claimed a hat-trick of trophies apiece in the Creasey’s Junior Open. Maxine Cumming and Emily Trebert were the most successful Sarnians as players ranging in age from nine to 18 battled for honours.

Competitors fought it out in nearly 50 groups over the first two days for places in the finals.

The under-13 event was an all-Guernsey affair, but players from Jersey, Flintshire, Staffordshire, Notting-hamshire, Hampshire and Lancashire competed in the under-15, 17 and 19 age groups.

The outstanding player was Adam Rickenbach, from Hampshire, who is in the top 10 players in England under-18.

‘It was especially pleasing this year to have so many entries from Jersey and the UK,’ said tournament organiser Jane Langlois.

‘Playing against different opposition is invaluable for Guernsey players as it provides the opportunity for them to measure their play against others and identify where training will help them improve their game.’

The many family and friends watching the finals saw some very close matches, starting with the U-13 boys singles in which Luke Le Tissier beat the holder of the title, Ben Enevoldsen, for the first time competitively.

They then joined up as a doubles partnership and defeated Adam Wakeford and Zander Barnes in three sets. The latter pairing, though, played their best badminton to date.

Cumming was the star of the U-13s’ competition, beating Ellie Mason in the singles, teaming up with her to beat Chloe Le Tissier and Sara Martin in the doubles and, with partner Jordan Trebert, winning the mixed against Enevoldsen and Mason.

The closest match was the mixed, which Cumming and Trebert won 21-18, 21-19.

The third member of the Le Tissier family, Glenn, was in action in the U-15 event.

He had a relatively comfortable win against Matthew Bignell from Jersey in the singles and won in three games with partner Trebert in the mixed against an all Jersey pairing.

Trebert dominated Natasha Hutchings in the singles and retained the trophy, and with regular partner Hannah Spittal beat Hutchings and Kirsty Marshall (Notting-hamshire) in the doubles, again retaining the trophy.

Le Tissier was unlucky not to make it three titles when he and Jack Batiste won the second game against Bignell and Richard Streets 26-24, but they lost the third 14-21.

Trebert and Spittal also featured in the U-17 girls’ doubles final in which they took a game off Jade Goodfellow and Merilisa Garnier, but the Jersey pair proved too strong and ended as winners.

Michael Johnston (Lanca-shire) and Hutchings featured in the U-15 singles, doubles and mixed finals.

The latter was the victor in the singles, but Johnston took his revenge in the mixed when, playing with Garnier, he beat Hutchings and Goodfellow. Johnston teamed up with Hutchings and defeated Matt Ceresa and Nick Abbott in the doubles.

In the U-19 events, Rickenbach showed what a talented player he is.

In the singles he beat singles specialist James Le Moignan from Jersey 21-16, 21-12 and, partnering Johnston for the first time, he beat Rob Norris (Staffordshire) and Le Moignan in two straight games.

He had another straights sets win in the mixed with Welsh partner Hannah Stephenson when they were victorious against Norris and Kiara Green.

Green was undoubtedly the strongest U-19 Guernsey player.

She had a comfortable win against Stephenson in the singles, retaining the trophy she won last year.

In the doubles Green got her revenge for defeat at the hands of Stephenson and Jane Jones in 2006 as she teamed up with Katherine Thornton (Jersey) to win in the ninth three-setter of the day 21-17, 14-21, 21-17 against Stephenson and Jones.