1982 SAAB Grand Masters Final
(Extract from the 1981-82 EFA Annual Report)This took place over the weekend of 15th and 16th May at Eton College. The weather was lovely and made watching for the spectators very much more pleasant than during our usual winter months.
The six pairs contesting the final are shown at the end of this report. Sadly two of the leading pairs Mathews and Reynolds who had won all of the four championships, and Williams and Wainwright were not able to compete.
Friend and Turnbull and Buxton and Tyler were eliminated in the initial pools. In the semi-finals Hughes and Lambert beat Vargas and Dunbar 3-0 and Firth and Keeling beat Cox and Baddeley also 3-0.
The final turned out to be disappointing for the spectators Hughes and Lambert being relatively easy winners 12-8, 12-0, 12-1, although at times during the first game the losers showed flashes of the brilliance which had won them the Kinnaird in previous years. Hughes and Lambert were extremely efficient, made very few mistakes and were clearly very fit. They thoroughly deserved their success.
In the play-off for 3rd place Cox and Baddeley beat Vargas and Dunbar 3-1. This was clearly a keenly fought enjoyable match with the exhaustion of a lot of fives on a very hot day finally taking its toll on the losers.
FINAL PLACINGS:
1st - A Hughes and R Lambert
2nd - D Firth and M Keeling
3rd - N Cox and P Baddeley
4th - D Vargas and G Dunbar
5th - C Friend and K W Turnbull
6th - Buxton and R Tyler
Constructed by Mike Fenn
20th November 2001
efa@etonfives.co.uk