Under 21 Champs

Cornwall Under 21 Championships 2019

Over 25 young players from all over Cornwall played in this year’s Championships at Carn Brea Leisure Centre at the weekend, showcasing the talent that exists in Cornish badminton.
The women’s singles came down to the top two seeds, Cara Collins from Liskeard and Truro’s Mollie Bailey battling the final game, which was a tight affair as Mollie fought back to push young international Cara hard in the last end, before Cara’s consistency won the day.

Cara and Mollie

In the men’s singles semi-finals, top seed Launceston’s Tyler Sillifant defeated younger brother Luke, and Harry Dyer from Truro beat St Austell’s Misha Higgerson to reach the final as predicted. Despite Harry pushing Tyler hard in the first end, it was the more experienced and steady play of Tyler who triumphed in two ends to retain his title for the last time in this age group.

Tyler and Harry

The women’s doubles again came down to a play-off of the top two seeds, Cara and her partner Melissa Lin from Truro against the Bailey sisters, Mollie and Beckie. This was one of the best games of the day, played across two exciting ends of skilful badminton, with the results going the way of the second seeds, Mollie and Beckie, who pulled off a famous victory after several years of trying.

Mollie and Beckie

In the men’s doubles final, group winners and top seeds Elliot and Harry Dyer were up against Tyler and his partner from Pool, Alex Beaumont, a new pairing who found it tough going against the more established pair, and the Dyers ran out winners in two ends.

For the last contest of a long day the players drew on all their fitness and strength, and played the mixed doubles event, with the final being between experienced partners, Harry and Cara against Tyler and Mollie who had had an excellent and hard fought victory against the seeded Elliot and Melissa in the semifinal.

Harry and Cara in action

Mollie and Tyler

The final went the distance, with Harry and Cara storming the first end before Tyler and Mollie edged the second, then found it too hard to resist the eventual champions Harry and Cara, to end a successful day’s badminton.

The mixed doubles finalists.

U21 Championships

The annual CCBA U21 tournament will be held at Carn Brea Leisure Centre on Sunday 22nd December. 

Entry form available here. 

Veterans Tournament

The annual CCBA Veterans Tournament will be held at Cornwall College, Trevenson Road, Pool, Redruth. TR15 3RD

Date: Sunday 5th January 2020 - 10.00am to 5.00 pm

Entry forms available here

A Bonanza of Badminton, Carn Brea Leisure Centre, Pool, 17 November 2019

A Bonanza of Badminton, Carn Brea Leisure Centre, Pool, 17 November 2019

Over 50 badminton players from all over Cornwall, Plymouth and north Devon, gathered at the 8 court Carn Brea Leisure Centre in Pool at the weekend to take part in Cornwall Badminton Association’s latest Bonanza. 

The idea of Badminton Bonanza tournaments is to give both social players and those who play league badminton a chance to try out and develop their skills against different players. The many regulars were joined this time by some very welcome new faces, some playing in a tournament for the first time, as the Bonanza goes from strength to strength, with any profits going towards developing badminton in Cornwall.

.

Men’s singles finalists

This year’s tournament at Pool was another great success, with some close fought battles in all the 5 different disciplinesand a great day of badminton.

The social players combined with the league players, and then played their own finals and there were some tightlycontested matches, with many familiar faces battling alongside some first-time entrants in the men’s and women’s events.The men’s doubles was a closely fought event, with regulars Mark Griffiths and Martin Penney from Camborne’s Choughs Club narrowly beating David Wong and Joseph Tse for the first time. In the mixed doubles, Martin and his partner Dee Frost again triumphed after beating their fellow Choughs players Mark and Della Griffiths in an exciting final. The men’s singles final pitted old foes Martin against Mark, and once again Martin came out on top, after a tight battle. The women’s singles final was one of the most absorbing events of the day, when Millie Bray narrowly beat the more experienced Sanaa Roff by a single point to win the title for the first time, after both women had played in the combined mens and womens division. 

Millie and Sanaa

Men’s social doubles finalists

For the combined women’s doubles, after many close games, the Penzance Mount’s Bay Club pair of Marianne Thomas and Choi Wong won the title after just outpointing Kay Bossenger and Rachael Williams from the Pool based Tecansclub, with Dee Frost and Deborah Peters of Camborne once again winning the social women’s doubles.

Women’s doubles finalists

The league events also had some hard fought, skilful badminton, and in the men’s singles once again the current champion from St Ives, Tony Wong showed his fitness and skill in overpowering Truro’s Chen Yu Zhao just to retain his title for yet another year. There was another very tight final for the men’s doubles with Ben Hamill and Matthew Harveyfrom Chulmleigh taking on St Ives’s Tony Wong and Jake Turpie - after two ends the score was even and after a short, intense play-off, the Devon pair ran out deserved winners to keep their title from the previous year. The mixed doublesthis year was a family affair, with the Hamill brothers playing each other with their partners. In the end, Ben Hamill and Michelle Wylde overpowered the scratch pairing of Matt and his partner from Pool, Anne Herlihy, to complete an excellent day’s badminton.

Cornwall v Devon

Mixed doubles league finalists

Results –

League men’s singles – winner Tony Wong, runner up Chen Yu Zhao                                                                                                  

Social men’s singles  - winner Martin Penney, runner up Mark Griffiths

Social women’s singles – winner Millie Bray, runner-up Sanaa Roff

League men’s doubles – winners Ben Hamill/Matthew Harvey, runners up Tony Wong/Jake Turpie

League women’s doubles – winners Marianne Thomas/Choi Wong,  runners up Kay Bossenger/Rachael Williams

Social men’s doubles – winners Mark Griffiths/Martin Penney, runners up David Wong/Joseph Tse

Social women’s doubles – winners Dee Frost/Deborah Peters

League mixed doubles – winners Ben Hammill/Michelle Wylde, runners up Matt Hamill/Anne Herlihy

Social mixed doubles – winners Martin Penney/Dee Frost, runners up Mark/Griffiths/Della Griffiths

Cornwall Badminton 1st Team in Bath, November 2019

For the first matches of the new season, the team travelled to Bath University on Saturday November 9th, to play in Badminton England’s Senior County Championships.

Cornwall 1st team

Tom’s Team Talk

First up were old foes West Glamorgan with a strong singles line-up, and Launceston’s county champion Tyler Sillifantfound it tough going in the number one slot against a skillful opponent. Honour was restored when older brother Liam won the second singles after three hard-fought ends, and young debutant from Truro Harry Dyer showed impressive speed and agility to outlast the Welshman in third and take his first victory.

Liam in action

In the women’s singles both Cara Collins from Liskeard and Camborne’s Amy Polglase battled to three ends in their games, and Cara came agonizingly close but just lost 22-20 in the final game.

The Cornish men’s doubles pair of Tom Lyle and Liam wereup against a very talented pair and lost in two, but St Austell’s Guy Michell and James Whetter in the second men’s completely overpowered the West Glam men to win their game.

Guy and James winning here

The top women’s doubles game was again a tough call for Cara and Amy Cox, and they were outplayed, but the Camborne pairing of Bronwen Wotton and Amy Polglase showed great determination and skill to win their game in three close ends to make the match score 4-5 to West Glamorgan going into the mixed doubles, and Cornwall needing both to clinch the overall win.

There was never any doubt with the first mixed, as Tom and Bronwen won easily, demonstrating great technique and percentage badminton, followed by an absorbing battle which went the distance before a new pairing of Guy and Amy Cox finally triumphed, meaning that Cornwall took a fine victory 6-5.

The afternoon match was against Worcestershire and this proved a step too far for the tiring Cornish team against hard opponents.

Cornish players and fans

All the singles except Cara’s went to the midlands side, despite Amy Polglase battling to three ends. Cara’s win was as a result of her digging deep and outplaying her experienced opponent to an impressive result.

The doubles also went Worcestershire’s way, although again Cara and Amy Cox were desperately unlucky to just lose theirs after a nail-biting three-ender which should have been a draw!

The final two mixed games were also lost, to complete a heavy defeat to a side that will do well this season, but the young Cornish team can be proud of their first victory.

Cornwall team – 

Tyler Sillifant, Liam Sillifant, Tom Lyle (all Launceston), Guy Michell, James Whetter (both St Austell), Cara Collins (Liskeard), Amy Cox (London), Bronwen Wotton (Bristol), Amy Polglase (Camborne)

West Cornwall Badminton Bonanza

Cornwall County Badminton Association Presents:

The 2019 West Cornwall Badminton Bonanza Tournament

17th November 9am – 5.30pm

Carn Brea Leisure Centre, Station Road, Pool, Redruth. TR15 3QS

Separate Social and League Categories

Level doubles – early morning

Mixed doubles – approx midday

Singles – mid afternoon

Entry form - click here.

Cornwall's Champions 2019

Cornwall’s top badminton players took part in the annual county championships over 2 days at Carn Brea Leisure Centre at the weekend, with an exciting display of talent from players of all ages ranging from 14 to veteran. More than 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 Sillifant, Dyer and Beaumont brothers, from Launceston and Truro, the Bick twins from Penzance, and Truro’s Bailey sisters.

Watching Dyers 

Day one started with the men’s singles event which had attracted a good entry, and the crowds were treated to some excellent badminton. All 4 seeds had fairly comfortable runs through to the semi-finals, where top seed Tyler Sillifant defeated the evergreen James Whetter from St Austell in two ends. In the second semi, it was a much tighter affair between Liam Sillifant and Harry Dyer, with the latter showing his flair and promise against his more experienced opponent. In the end, after three exciting ends of close rallies and amazing defence, it was Liam who ran out winner to reach the final again, once more against his younger brother. This was the fourth year that the brothers had met, and it was Tyler who retained his crown after a tight first end, then a more comfortable second., with his amazing court speed and consistency.

Tyler in action

Sillifant finalists

Plate winner Alex with Mikhail

The women’s singles were made up entirely of young players aged under 18, and there were some close games and absorbing badminton on display. In the end the final match was between the two top seeds, Cara Collins from Liskeard bidding to keep her title against second seed and friend Mollie Bailey. This proved to be one of the best matches in the weekend, as Mollie just took the first end, and Cara the second, to go into a deciding set, where Cara’s speed and control proved too strong and she ran out county champion once again.

Cara and Mollie 

The first day finished with the women’s doubles, where the two singles opponents with their partners were pitted against each other again. Cara partnered Truro’s Melissa Lin as number one seeds against the Bailey sisters, Mollie and Beckie in the title decider, and this time the second seeds were no match for the impressive Cara and Melissa, thanks to their skilful net play, power and retrieval as they won out in two comfortable ends.

Cara and Melissa winning

The players returned the next day for the men’s doubles and mixed events, to once again thrill the spectators and showcase their talent.

Men's doubles action

Eleven pairs contested the men’s doubles, and all four seeds duly made their way to the semi-finals, although Tyler Sillifant and his partner Sam Spencer from Perranwell were pushed hard by Camborne’s Josh Richards and Jake Turpie in the quarter finals. Top seeds and title holders James Whetter and Guy Michell were no match for Tyler and Sam and they cruised through to the final, and it was a similar story in the other semi, as Launceston’s Tom Lyle and Liam Sillifant took no prisoners against the Dyer brothers, Jack and Harry. The final turned out to be a fairly one-sided affair as James and Guy never really got going against the hard smashing, quick reactions and clever positioning of Tom and Liam, and Tom and Liam became county champions at last, after several years of trying.

Guy and James and Lorna the scorer

Winners Liam and Tom with Guy and James

The final event of the weekend was the mixed doubles which had some of the most exciting games of the weekend and 13 pairs taking part, ranging from new young talent to veteran players using all their experience and knowledge. One of the tightest games was between England vets from Callington, Bob Bell and Lynda Beer and new pairing James Whetter and Newquay’s Jen Pugh, where it took three very close ends for James and Jen to eventually triumph and reach the semi-finals. In another thrilling quarter final, second seeds Jack Dyer and Mollie Bailey were beaten in three by the unseeded pairing of Liam Sillifant and his partner from Camborne, Amy Polglase. In the first semi-final, top seeds Harry Dyer and Cara Collins outfought another new pairing of Guy Michell and Melissa Lin, playing together for the first time, in two very tight ends. It was the same in the other semi, as Liam and Amy took on James and Jen, and again it was Liam’s power and Amy’s finesse which won the day, despite being pushed very hard by James and Jen.

Plate winners Jack and Mollie

The final of the mixed doubles was the final event of the weekend, and the crowd were treated to a fine display of mixed doubles, to see Harry Dyer and Cara Collins outplay Liam Sillifant and Amy Polglase and win the title for the first time, and to give England squad member Cara her impressive hat-trick of titles for the second year in a row.

Mixed winners Cara and Harry with Amy and Liam

Results –

Men’s singles          Tyler Sillifant beat Liam Sillifant    24/22  21/14

Women’s singles     Cara Collins beat Mollie Bailey     19/21 21/18  21/14

Men’s doubles         Tom Lyle/Liam Sillifant beat James Whetter/Guy Michell   21/14 21/17

Women’s doubles    Cara Collins/Melissa Lin beat Mollie Bailey/Beckie Bailey   21/13 21/12

Mixed doubles         Harry Dyer/Cara Collins beat Liam Sillifant/Amy Polglase   21/11 21/16

Plate events –

Men’s singles       Alex Beaumont beat Mikhail Higgerson    21/14 19/21

Men’s doubles      Dave Bartholomew/Julian Cooper beat Alex /Ollie Beaumont  21/19 21/15

Mixed doubles     Jack Dyer/Mollie Bailey beat Ollie Beaumont/Joanna Vyvyan 21/7 21/6

CCBA Restricted Championships

Entry forms for the Cornwall Restricted are now available to download here.

The tournament will be held at Carn Brea Leisure Centre on Saturday 28th September and Sunday 29th September, starting at 10am each day.

Entries must be received by Sunday 22rd September

CORNWALL BADMINTON – NEWSLETTER

Welcome to the 2019/20 Cornwall Badminton Season. We hope you’re having a good break and are raring to go! Please note - 

Key dates: Sun 1st September               Truro     1-5 Open Practice-all welcome

                             Sun 8th September                                      Tregorrick Park 10-4 Trials for 1st/2nd/3rd teams

Sat/Sun 21st/22nd September               Truro Duchy Championships

Sat/Sun 28th/29th September               Carn Brea 10-6 Restricted Champs

                             Sun 22nd December                                    Carn Brea 10-6 Under 21 Champs

 All of last season’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd team players should attend practice & Training, enter
the Duchy Champs and Restricted, and attend the Trials to be considered for selection. Any
other players wishing to be considered for squad selection may attend the Trials and we
welcome those who have graduated from the under 18s to all of these events.

County Training/Practice:  now at Cornwall College Sports Hall, Pool, TR15 3RD on
Sundays 1pm – 5pm, starting on Sunday 1st September, and then 1pm – 4pm:                                         

October 20th with James Elkin      

November 3rd with James Elkin

January 12th with James Elkin

March 8th with James Elkin

                  ALL expected to attend all of the above to be considered for team selection

Matches: all 1st/2nd/3rd matches will be played on fixed dates at central venues –
1st team TBC, 2nd and 3rd TBC  - please note (and be available on!) the following dates –

Saturday 9th November – 2 matches 

Saturday 25th January – 2 matches 

Saturday 28th March – 2 matches 

Sunday 29th March – 1 match 

Fees: per player, payable at start of each event - £25 for each James Elkin training,
£15 for each practice, Trials - £8 for each event (singles/doubles/mixed), or £20 for
all 3 events. Match fees - £9 per event for each match eg if you play singles and
doubles then you pay £18. Match players will also be expected to contribute towards
any accommodation costs for March weekend.

Please let us know asap if you will NOT be available for any of the above.

If you have any questions, please contact one of the Selectors if you need any
information in advance, or we can see you at the first practice and training.

Thanks, and have a good season!

Team selections will be made after the Restricted Championships,

entry forms will be available soon – please organise your partners!

Selectors: Brian Hannibal   01736 740913 07770 442800 
brianhannibal@hotmail.co.uk

Lorna Riggs 01726 862878 07775 934679

Sue Cooper         01872 870897 07840 335734 
scooper1964@hotmail.com

Sue Biscoe 01872 242293 07804 584663 
bertbiscoe@btinternet.com   

Sam Spencer      07775 338394                        
samspencer365@gmail.com

We’d be grateful for help with any of these events – please support your hard-working
committee & join us!