The aim of the Graham Turnbull Trophy is to encourage young Fives players at school level, to take part in adult Fives and to therefore forge a strong link to the game that exists when leaving school. By opening players’ eyes to the game that can be played beyond school, it becomes more likely for those same players to continue with the game well into adulthood. With this in mind, the tournament was set up with the aim of recruiting players from as many different school and Old Boy clubs as possible.
Recruitment went very well, despite various clashes that the Fives calendar can easily avoid next season. As a result, on 14th March 2004, the Westway courts were overflowing with twenty-six players, who between them, represented twenty different Old Boy and School clubs. Almost every pairing consisted of school boy or girl paired with an Old Boy or teacher from the same school. It was an impressive line-up:
Schools Clubs: Shrewsbury, St.Charle’s College (Westway), Westminster, City of London School, Emanuel, Eton College (withdrawn injured), Ipswich, Lancing College, Kingston College (Westway), Oakham School and St.Olave’s. Old Boys Clubs: Salopians, Westway Coach, Ipswichians, Berkhamstedians, Citizens, Emanuels, Etonians, Lancing Coach, Oakham Coach, Olavians.
Most pairings had been recruited by the organiser in order to ensure a compatible standard across the whole entry. There was also a retrospective handicapping system that ensured that the lowest score that could be reported was six points to the losing pair (in the rare case that they actually scored less!). This made certain that no one rogue result ruined the ambitions of any pair hoping to reach the final.
During the five hours of play, forty-one one-game matches were played. Most pairs managed six or seven matches each in the time available. At this point, the two highest average scoring pairs played a one-game final. The standard was very high. Tom and Tim Fletcher played particularly well to win all their matches and to thereby guarantee a place in the final. A real battle raged all afternoon for the other place in the final. At lunchtime, Juliet Browning from Lancing College, together with the Lancing Coach (Howard Wiseman), was also undefeated, but this was all soon to change!! The positions changed four or five times during the afternoon, and despite there being many very similarly high averages, Dominique Redmond and David Mew qualified by the narrowest of margins for a place in the final.
After a group photograph and a quick speech about Graham Turnbull himself and the aims behind the setting up of a Trophy in his name and memory; the final showdown commenced. It was a classic final – full of fantastic Fives, and even the most generous of lets awarded on match point by the Fletchers for a ball that was possibly down?? Well no matter about that ball being up or down – the match continued to 11-11, and then to the bitter end of setting. The game was poised at sudden death at 13-all until eventually, Dominique and David clinched the elusive final point. Tom and Tim looked the most organised and steady pair throughout the event. Great credit therefore to Dom and David for pulling through!! This was Dom’s second tournament win in as many days – having just become the National Ladies Winchester Fives Champion the day before!!
Final:Dominique Redmond & David Mew beat Tom Fletcher & Tim Fletcher 14-13
The event was hugely successful. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed playing at Westway, and benefiting from all the superb on-site facilities. New friends were certainly made in this very friendly tournament, and even one or two Kinnaird pairings were arranged between players, having just met for the first time. Above all else, it was clear how exciting the Fives was for those still at school – mission accomplished.
H.M.E.W.
Graham Turnbull Trophy Report 2003-2004 by Howard Wiseman
Created 16 December 2004 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk