The second annual running of the Eric Winton Trophy took place in sunny conditions, a welcome change from the cold and wet that had hitherto dominated the spring, on Saturday 27th April, 2024.  As is now customary for social tournaments, pairings were made by lots being drawn, and the ten pairs all went on to play each other over matches of 24 points, with each player serving in batches of three points, with change of ends after 12 points.

Long-standing servant of the club, Eric Winton, was there himself at kick off to gee up all the players and to provide beer for the eventual winners.

Huge thanks must go to Yvonne Dunn, who adjudicated adroitly, armed with different coloured highlighter pens to make order out of chaos, to Paul Ward, who organised the whole event and stealthily took snaps of the action, and to Diane Short for helping Yvonne out.

Tennis was the winner, with hilarity a close second, but in terms of leaderboard placings when the dust had settled, the results were as follows:

• 1st - Steve Wingate & Mike Dean
• 2nd - Kieran Martin & Graham Fewell
• 3rd - Helen Ball & Colin Bentham
• 4th - Jake Fewell-Williams & Hee Yun

There was, in fact, a tie for first place, so the result had to be determined by the head-to head between team Steve Wingate & Mike Dean and team Kieran Martin & Graham Fewell.  In that particular match, Kieran and Graham were 11-6 up, but with their backs to the wall, Steve and Mike fought back tenaciously to take the next seven points to win 13-11.

Special mention must go to Kieran Martin, playing his first social tournament at the tender age of 15 and coming within a hair's breadth of taking the title, and to the other debutants, Hee Yun Chung, Steve Lloyd and eventual champion Mike Dean, who all performed admirably.

Honourable mention goes to Helen Ball, who proudly proclaimed herself champion of the Ball household, edging out husband Albert.

Thanks to all for entering the competition.  The next event is President's Day on Sunday 25th August, so let's hope the weather is equally good in late August, possibly even warmer, and hopefully we can fill all six courts.