Over 60 badminton players from all over Cornwall and Plymouth, gathered at Truro School’s 8 court sports centre at the weekend to take part in Cornwall Badminton Association’s popular Bonanza event.
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.
The Organisers Sue, Kath & Trev
This year’s tournament was another great success, with some exciting battles in all the disciplines, and a happy day of great badminton.
In the social men’s doubles, the Choughs club pair of Martin Penney and Steve Knuckey narrowly beat Falmouth’s Scott McGrane and Barry Buist, winning the most number of sets and overall points.
Martin Penney minus partner Steve Knuckey!
Runners up Scott McGrane & Barry Buist
The men’s doubles league produced some tight games leading to a final between the top two seeds, Jake Turpie and partner Will Woodard from Plymouth, against Newquay’s Jake Brazewell and Alec Hill - which the Devon pair won after an entertaining game.
The men’s doubles league finalists.
The women’s doubles combined the league and social pairs, with Tecans club colleagues Paulina Elliott-Poxon and Sara Best just beating Helen Pennells and Rachel Williams by a narrow margin. The Choughs club pair of Zelda Bennett and Fran Combellack won the social women’s doubles.
The league women’s doubles finalists
Zelda Bennett & Fran Combellack
Both mixed events followed, again with some narrow wins and unlucky losers. The mixed league final was between Jake Brazewell and partner Penny Foulds against Truro’s Maci Johanning and Sheila Wu, who had won their competitive group in fine style. Jake and Penny took the title in a convincing manner in two sets of attacking badminton and good defence.
The mixed league finalists.
Martin Penney again won another title with his partner Fran Combellack as they won the mixed social group, just outpointing club colleagues Mark Griffiths and Zelda Bennett.
Social mixed doubles winners and runners up
Later in the afternoon the singles events started, eventually leading to two great finals as the tiring players somehow dredged up enough energy to play more sets. The men’s league final was won by Jake Brazewell who just beat Mount’s Bay Lee Chapple in two close fought ends, and it was a similar story in the social men’s final where Martin Penney completed his hat-trick of wins by only narrowly beating Falmouth’s Simon Rafferty in one of the best games of the tournament.
Watching the league men’s doubles final
Lee Chapple and winner Jake Brazewell
Martin Penney & Simon Rafferty
The day closed with the women’s singles, as Hester Luke of Mount’s Bay over-powered Falmouth’s Sheila Wu in the league, with Amelia Ooi also from Falmouth, won the women’s social event, and complete another popular tournament for the year.
Winner Hester Luke with runner-up Sheila Wu
Results –
League men’s singles – winner Jake Brazewell runner up Lee Chapple
Social men’s singles - winner Martin Penney, runner up Simon Rafferty
League women’s singles – winner Hester Luke, runner up Sheila Wu
Social women’s singles - Amelia Ooi
League men’s doubles – winners Jake Turpie & Will Woolard, runners up Jake Brazewell & Alec Hill
League women’s doubles – winners Paulina Elliott-Poxon & Sara Best, runners up Helen Pennells & Rachel Williams
Social men’s doubles – winners Martin Penney & Steve Knuckey, runners up Scott McGrane & Barry Buist
Social women’s doubles - winners Zelda Bennett & Fran Combellack, runners up Charlene Cheung & Thea Cann
League mixed doubles – winners Jake Brazewell & Penny Foulds, runners up Maci Johanning & Sheila Wu
Social mixed doubles – winners Martin Penney & Fran Combellack, runners up Mark Griffiths & Zelda Bennett
