The Northern Championships
Held at Shrewsbury 17th/18th February 2001
As usual, late entries and even later withdrawals lead to several last minute drafts and redrafts of draws in both competitions, but unusually prompt arrival by the majority of entrants meant that play progressed reasonably quickly. Sunny skies and calm conditions meant that spectating was a relatively comfortable experience, at least until sunset.
MAIN CHAMPIONSHIP
The pool stages provided no major surprises, although group 5 was closely contested with three pairs each beating one another. Alick Varma & William Powell just edged it only to lose to Robin Mason & John Caudle in the quarter-final. In the other groups, Howard Wiseman & James Toop, Karl Rudman & Seb Cooley, and Ed Taylor & Richard Tyler progressed comfortably to the knock-out stages.
In the semi-finals, the Old Olavians were again triumphant, as Wiseman & Toop beat Mason & Caudle and Rudman & Cooley hit peak form to ease past Taylor & Tyler. However, the weekend's activities were beginning to take their toll and, although Rudman & Cooley took one game, the trophy went to Howard & James.
PLATE
Murphy's Law struck again! Injury and/or unexpected withdrawals affected the smaller groups, whereas many of the games in the larger groups went on forever. This meant that there was a long wait for the semi-finals and, when the all Olavian match between Mew & Fautly and Powell & Varma went into a deciding game at 6:30, it was decided that the final would have to wait for another time. Mew & Fautly eventually triumphed and may meet Shaw & Thompson (Cambridge Univ.) at a date to be agreed, if possible.
FESTIVAL
Although numbers were lower than previous years, due to the half-term break at Shrewsbury School, the Festival entry was made up of the usual mix of ages, abilities, nationalities and sexes. It was particularly good to see two pairs making the long trip from Zuoz.
Unusually, the knock-out stages were almost entirely free of Olavians, with Black & Bunyan (Windsor & Eton) beating Corn & Garnons Williams (Monday Club) in one semi-final and Ryder & Arasatnam (Cambridge University) beating Ranasinghe (Old Olavians) & Mason-Malik (Emmanuel School) in the other. Youth prevailed in the final as Black & Bunyan succumbed to the effects of their hard-fought semi-final.
PLATES
The remaining field was divided into two plate competitions, based on results in the pool matches. In Plate "A", Fletcher & Fletcher (Ipswich School/Old Ipswichian) are rumoured to have beaten Dobler & Darmadi (Zuoz) in the final, despite the best efforts of the Zuoz coach to disrupt the match with his car alarm.
Meanwhile, in Plate "B", Rees (Old Olavians) & Mitchell (Monday Club) beat White & Tadman (Goddington) in the final, as a bit of draw-fixing enabled the organiser to win something.
Results
CHAMPIONSHIP
Semi-finalsH Wiseman & J Toop (Olavians) bt R Mason (Edwardian) & J Caudle (Ipswichian)
K Rudman & S Cooley (Olavians) bt E Taylor (Salopian) & R Tyler (Edwardian)
Final
H Wiseman & J Toop bt K Rudman & S Cooley 3-1
Plate
Unfinished: D Mew & S Fautley had to catch a train.
May be arranged at a later date, otherwise N Shaw & P Thompson (Cambridge University) win by default.
FESTIVAL
Semi-finalsP Black & N Bunyan (Windsor & Eton) bt P Corn & J Garnons Williams (Monday Club)
E Ryder & R Arasatnam (Cambridge University) bt S Ranasinghe & D Mason-Malik (Olavian/Stoke Newington School)
Final
E Ryder & R Arasatnam (Cambridge) bt Black & Bunyan (Windsor & Eton)
Plate A
T & T Fletcher (Ipswichian/Ipswich School) bt N Dobler & S Darmadi (Zuoz)
Plate B
M Rees & A Mitchell (Olavian/Monday Club) bt K White & E Tadman (Goddington)
A.D.M.
Constructed by Mike Fenn
13th March 2001
efa@etonfives.co.uk