Eight pairs made their way to Westway in hope that they may qualify for the final of the Turnbull Trophy. Two pairs from Lancing, one from Berkhamsted, one from Westway, three Olavian pairs and one St Olave’s/Westminster collaboration competed in the round robin structured competition playing a single game to 12 against all opponents.
Initial favourites Doug Foster and Will Betts (Lancing) won their first six matches of the day despite some excellent play from Steve Piper/Dave Smith (Olavians) and Alex Moore/Matt Dempsey (Olavians). Both matches were eventually edged out 12-11 by the Lancing pair.
Ant Theodossi and Ryan Perrie from Westway on the other hand began the day less favourably, losing their first match of the day to Piper/Smith (Olavians) 12-11. Despite this early setback they came through their next five matches to set up an exciting finale with Foster/Betts (Lancing). Going 7-0 down seemed not to faze the Westway pair who after a hard fought battle eventually won 12-11, meaning they came top of the day, just beating Foster/Betts on points won.
Piper/Smith came 3rd, and Moore/Dempsey a close 4th. After some close matched from the other four pairs, D Cooke/R Cooke (Berkampsted), V Patel/M Chen (Olavian/Westminster), C Smythe/E Tranchina (Olavian) and C Gough/J Nelmes (Lancing) made up the remaining places.
Finalists - A Theodossi/R Perrie and D Foster/W Betts
Results table - QualifyingFinal
The final of the Graham Turnbull Trophy was held at Eton on Sunday 26th February between a Lancing pair, Will Betts and Doug Foster, and a Westway pair, Ryan Perrie and Anthony Theodossi. It was a very entertaining match of over three hours with plenty of high quality Fives. Apart from the third game, where one of the Lancing pair was encumbered by an injury, the final could have gone either way and all was down to an exciting fifth game which saw the Westway pair come out on top.
It was good to see Kitty Turnbull and family attending the final. The Trophy was commissioned in 1996 in memory of her husband Graham who did so much for Fives and the EFA. It had been a long standing wish of Graham to hold a competition in which each pair consisted of a current schoolboy and an old boy.
A.M./A.J.B.
Graham Turnbull Trophy Report 2005-2006 by Alex Moore and Andrew Betts
Finalised 27th February 2006 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk