What a weekend! From 31 January to 1 February, our Berkshire O40 teams took to the courts at Rocket Padel, Bristol, for two days of high-level competition.
Team selection for the O40 age group continues to be a challenge, with players balancing family commitments making a full weekend away tricky. Despite this, Berkshire fielded teams that mixtures of experience with enthusiasm, including a few players returning from injury.
- Mixed: Finished second in their group of four to progress to the quarter-finals, where they faced Channel Island. They fought hard throughout the tie; the first pair (Kellie/Scott) went to a match tie-break, while the second pair (Phil/Laura).narrowly lost by one game in both sets.
- Women’s Team: Kellie Johnston, Laura Godfrey, Jennifer Harding and Helena Shirley with Mam Aldridge as reserve. Competing in a challenging group of five, they finished third, losing to two top, strong counties. Despite the tough opposition, the women produced a resilient and impressive performance throughout, showcasing real determination and quality.
- Men’s Team: Phil Downs, Scott Maycock, Rob Castignetti and Brad Allan. Faced an extremely high level of competition and finished fourth in their group of four.
Overall, it was a weekend of more matches than we anticipated, with plenty of match tie-break shootouts, but a great experience for all. The event was full of competitive padel, strong team spirit, even in a freezing venue, and, of course, plenty of energy drinks, Ibuprofen, and blisters! The event showcased not just the talent on court, but the communities and friendships that make Berkshire padel so special
A huge thank you to all players for their commitment, to team captains Kellie and Phil for their leadership, and to our two big smashers, Scott and Laura, who fought incredibly hard in their first-ever Padel major tournament.