The 2nd Charterhouse International tournament took place on Saturday 11 September 2005 at Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey. On the evening of Friday 10 September, most participants and wives attended dinner at the Stag at Eashing to welcome the Swiss and start festivities.
There were 26 entrants and pairings were arranged by the organisers. 3 groups were formed and round robin matches in each group played,. The top 2 pairs going forward to Plate A and the last 2 pairs to Plate B.
In Group 1 Alex Burrows and Andrew Falk won all their matches to top this largest group beating Ed Taylor & John Gossage and Alex Knight & Daniel Haering. Group 2 was won by Nick Bourne & Martin Lindsay and Group 3 by Mark Platt and Jim Fredenham.Again 2 groups were created in each Plate and round robin matches played with the winner playing in the final. Plate A games were all remarkably close but Ed Taylor and John Gossage upped the pace and won all their matches including a very close encounter with Ronal Pattison & Jim Bennett and comprehensively drained their energy at the same time. Alex Knight and Daniel Haering negotiated a less exhausting group despite close matches with Mark Platt & Jim Fredenham and John Reynolds & Simon Peck.
The final was a close encounter with Daniel Haering not going to allow the opportunity of a lifetime to elude him and Alex Knight determined not to be outdone by his brother Joss, the reigning champion.
Plate A Final
Alex Knight & Daniel Haering
beat Ed Taylor & John Gossage 12-8
Special mention should be made of John Gossage who needed TLC for several days afterwards and to Ed Taylor for his sportsmanlike approach. Mark Platt & Jim Fredenham beat Alex Burrows & Rod Smart 12-9 in the 3rd place play off.
Plate B saw close matches with Sandy Savage & George Hewitt overcoming Sebastian Spear & Paul Martin. Richard Murray & Andrew Hitchcock beat Rolf Caspar & Nick Higgins. Martin Powell teamed up with veteran Dieti Mettler armed with the advantage of Dieti’s challenging services and they made it through to a close final against Duncan Foster & Stuart Clarke. Despite a strong start by Foster & Clarke, Powell & Mettler managed to pull back the deficit
Plate B Final
Dieti Mettler & Martin Powell
beat Duncan Foster & Stuart Clarke 15-10
The Ladies enjoyed a daytrip down to the coast and the evening festivities were held at the house of George & Joan Hewitt in a Hewitt marquee (marquee hire tel. 01428 429348) and included a sumptuous 3 course meal at which the earth moved and babies flew out of their prams.Sunday offered lawn tennis, croquet and a Sunday roast thanks to the kindness and generosity of Danny and Diana Hewitt.
M.P.P.
Charterhouse International Report by Martin Powell
Created 27th March 2007 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk