Cornwall’s top badminton players took part in the annual county championships over 2 days at St Austell Leisure Centre at the weekend, with an exciting display of talent from over 40 players of all ages ranging from 14 to veteran. Half of the entrants were under 20, showing the promise that the future holds for Cornish badminton, and several sets of siblings took part, including the three Sillifant and Dyer brothers, from Launceston and Truro, and Truro’s Bailey sisters.
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| Watching the men’s final |
Day one started with the men’s singles event which had attracted a large entry, and the crowds were treated to some excellent badminton. Penryn graduate Sean Havis had a good quarter final battle with top seed Tyler Sillifant before losing in three ends, while the other three seeds made their way through to the semi-finals. Here both top two seeds, Tyler and Liam Sillifant had comfortable victories over the evergreen James Whetter from St Austell and Jack Dyer, to meet for the fourth year running in the final. This year it was younger brother Tyler’s turn to triumph and regain his crown, both playing with skill, speed and determination in an absorbing match.
The women’s singles saw a battling Bronwen Wotton from Camborne finally overcome young Joanna Vyvyan in a hard-fought quarter final to meet second seed Mollie Bailey in the semi, which was a step too far as Mollie won in two ends. The final pitched Mollie against her friend, the top seed from Liskeard, 14-year-old Cara Collins who had beaten Beckie Bailey in the semis in two comfortable ends. Cara’s speed and control once again proved too powerful and she ran out county champion for the second time.
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| The singles finalists |
The first day finished with the women’s doubles, and the top seeds progressed to the final, after a tight semi where second seeds Cara and Amy Cox just beat the impressive pairing of Mollie and Truro’s Melissa Lin. The final was one of the best games of the day between the number one seeds, from Camborne, Bronwen and Amy Polglase, a new pairing, against second seeds singles champion Cara with her partner Amy. Cara and Amy finally won after an exciting, see-sawing match of three close ends, thanks to their speed, power and retrieval, but were pushed hard all the way by their opponents.
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| The women’s finalists |
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Men’s doubles action
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| Women’s doubles action |
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The next day twelve pairs contested the men’s doubles, and all four seeds duly made their way to the semi-finals, despite a tense quarter final three-ender between title holders James and his regular partner from St Austell, Guy Michell, with the Saltash/Pool pairing of Richard Townsend and Sam Spencer. James and Guy had a more comfortable semi-final win over number four seeds Jack and Tyler, although second seeds Launceston’s Tom Lyle and Liam were challenged by Sean and his partner from Plymouth, Tony Clark, in a very tight three-ender, just winning 22-20 in the final end. In the final James and Guy lost a close first end, and despite being pushed hard took the second, and then powered through to win the final end over a tiring Tom and Liam in a thrilling match of hard smashing, quick reactions and amazing retrievals.
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| The men’s finalists |
The final event of the weekend was the mixed doubles which had some of the best games of the weekend and 14 pairs taking part, ranging from new young talent to experienced players using all their skills and knowledge. Some notable successes were Elliot Dyer and Melissa Lin beating the number four seeds Liam and Amy Polglase in an exciting match that went to the wire, and older brother Jack Dyer and Mollie Bailey doing well to oust second seeds James and Amy Cox in another tight game in the quarter finals. The first semi-final line up was top seeds Guy and Bronwen against Tom and Cara, and this was yet another close game which went the distance, but Tom and Cara finally proved a little more consistent despite some excellent retrieving and power play from Guy and Bronwen. In the other semi younger brother Elliot and Melissa could not match the all court play of Jack and Mollie and they ran out comfortable winners in two. The final was a more straightforward affair after all the previous three-enders and Tom and Cara overpowered Jack and Mollie to become well-deserved new champions to complete a fine weekend of top-quality Cornish badminton.
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| The mixed finalists |
In the plate events the youngest Dyer brother, Harry, won the men’s singles, and Beckie Bailey took the women’s singles by default. The women’s doubles saw a victory for Yin Ling Tan from Penryn, partnering Newquay’s Jen Pugh, and the men’s doubles was won by Will Bick from Penzance and his partner Elliot Dyer, and in the final event, the mixed doubles plate winners were Truro’s Josh Richards and Beckie Bailey.
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| Singles plate winners |
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| Plate doubles winners |
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| Plate mixed winners |
Results –
Men’s singles Tyler Sillifant beat Liam Sillifant 21/13 21/11
Women’s singles Cara Collins beat Mollie Bailey 21/6 21/15
Men’s doubles Guy Michell/James Whetter beat Tom Lyle/Liam Sillifant 18/21 21/15 21/17
Women’s doubles Amy Cox/Cara Collins beat Bronwen Wotton/Amy Polglase 21/16 14/21 21/15
Mixed doubles Tom Lyle/Cara Collins beat Jack Dyer/Mollie Bailey 21/14 21/14
Plate events –
Men’s singles Harry Dyer beat Richard Townsend 21/17 21/16
Women’s singles Beckie Bailey
Men’s doubles Will Bick/Elliot Dyer beat Gary Braunton/Steve Ellis 20/21 21/11
Women’s doubles Yin Ling Tan/Jen Pugh beat Marianne Thomas/Vicki Thomas 21/14 21/13
Mixed doubles Josh Richards/Beckie Bailey beat Sam Spencer/Amelia Burrell 21/16 20/21
