This last weekend witnessed the annual ritual that is the Yonex Scottish International Veterans Championship, held at the Inverclyde National Sports Centre in Largs.

As befitting past years’ attendance this, the 10^th tournament, attracted a huge entry, with almost 200 players entering from the home nations, as well as from further afield including squads from Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

A strong field of entrants competed across 6 different age groups. In the over 40s section Rajeev Bagga lifted the men’s singles title to add it to other various accolades including the 2007 English National Veteran Men's Singles title, while Betty Blair retained her women’s singles title for the 3^rd year pipping the home nation’s Aileen Travers to the trophy.

In the over 40s men’s doubles Chris Hunt and Nick Ponting, a former All England Champion in 1994, lifted the honours while the women’s doubles final was a repeat story for last year’s runners up Karen Stalker and Julie Hogg of Scotland who, again despite a spirited defence, lost out in the title race beaten 7-21, 21-17, 21-1   by Julie Bradbury and Viv Gillard.  The mixed doubles honours went to Nick Ponting and Julie Bradbury.

In the over 45 section, Martin Staden lifted the men’s singles title, Colin Ross and Steven Thomson won the men’s doubles event while Kathy Isherwood and Kay Vickers came out on top of the round robin event making up the women’s doubles event.  Thomson shone through again in the mixed doubles event when he, together with his partner Jill Smith, won the final after a tough three game final.

The Danes ruled the over 50’s singles events with Per Juul Ulrich winning the men’s title while Ellen Aagard upset the challenge of Christine Black by lifting the women’s trophy.  Douglas Mcbriar and Joe O’Donnell won the men’s doubles competition while Ellen Aagard was triumphant again in the women’s doubles when she won the section along with Danish compatriot, Susanne Berg, in a round robin tournament.  Berg’s winning streak continued when she picked up the mixed doubles gong playing with Jes Vingloev.

John Gardner was the victor again in the over 55s men’s singles event holding on to his title for another year while he and Peter Emptage claimed the doubles title once more, having also won it last year.   The honours in the women’s singles went to Carina Kruseborn who also captured the doubles title along with partner Kathryn Gartner.  The mixed doubles event, played on a round robin basis, was won by Andy Muirhead and Doreen Arnott.

The over 60s category saw Ian Smith lift the only treble of the weekend winning the men’s singles title, the men’s doubles with Billy Henderson and the mixed doubles with Margaret Emery. Emery also won the women’s doubles with Margaret Gibson in a round robin competition and the women’s singles event was won by Kathryn Gartner

Three events were contested in the over 65s category with Michael Coley and Harry Shadwick lifting the men’s doubles title while Rose McClymont and Kath Quinn did the same in the women’s doubles. The mixed doubles title went to Harry Shadwick and Beryl Goodall.

On the Friday afternoon Scotland’s Veterans also played an International match against Ireland, continuing their winning streak against the Irish and taking the match 22 rubbers to 2 (view the results here). Their next match is against the might of England, and will be played on Friday 23^rd January at Ribby Hall in Lancashire.

A complete set of results can be found here 

by Neil Archibald