UPHILL Badminton Club s internal mixed doubles tournament attracted a record entry of 48 players. This gave the organisers a headache as it meant two full nights of four courts would be needed and four boxes would have to be played, two boxes on each nig

UPHILL Badminton Club's internal mixed doubles tournament attracted a record entry of 48 players.

This gave the organisers a headache as it meant two full nights of four courts would be needed and four boxes would have to be played, two boxes on each night. With so many players drawn at random the diversity of handicaps needed was also a difficult job to achieve.

The results from both evenings indicate that the organisers did a great job in setting the handicaps. The tournament has been organised so that all players play each other in their box. A winner and runner-up then emerge from each box on the number of points scored. The winner from one box plays the runner-up from the other box and vice versa. The two winners then play each other to determine who goes through to the final against the winner of the second night's play.

The first box in the first week consisted of Lynn Pope and Rob Murray (+3), Caroline Poole and Jonathan Kittos (+3), Nicole Blunden and Dave Barnes (+3), Chris Retallack and Nigel Judge (+4), Sue Garrett and Grant Kelly (+4) and Nicky Mills and Mark Edwards (-11). From this box, Nicky and Mark won with 104 points and Caroline and Jonathan were runners-up with 99.

The second box consisted of Steph Hadley and Robin Curry (+3), Christy Langford and Paul Edwards (-11), Denise Burton and Steve Retallack (+4), Mary Palmer and John Hunt (-2) and Fiona Singleton and Mark Hosford (0).

From this box Christy and Paul won with 84 and Fiona and Mark were runners-up with 72 Nicky and Mark then beat Fiona and Mark 21-13 and Paul and Christy beat Caroline and Jonathan 21-13.

The final for these two boxes produced some excellent badminton with first Christy and Paul on top, taking a 17-13 lead, but then Nicky and Mark came back to 20-20 before clinching the win 21-20 against Paul's service.

The first box in the second week consisted of Rachel Harding and Steve Robinson (+6), Ruth Harding and Henley Ngan (0), Emily Walker and Wai Cheung Ngan (+4), Mary Dunn and Matt Valentine (+3), Becky Halfpenny and Steve Matthew (-8) and Kate Robinson and Steve Emerson (+5).

From this box Emily and Wai Cheung won with 102 and Becky and Steve were runners-up with 98. The second box consisted of Emily Look and Andrew Potts (+8), Helen Woodfin and Billy Fear (+7), Ellie Jewel and Bill Ponting (+1), Maureen Matthews and Dave Pope (+6), Teresa Davison and Tom Higgins (-3) and Claire Garrett and Matt Cole (-9).

From this box Claire and Matt won with 105 and the runners-up were Teresa and Tom with 95. Becky and Steve then beat Claire and Matt 21-15 and Emily and Wai beat Teresa and Tom 21-20. In the final for these two boxes, Becky and Steve beat Emily and Wai 21-16, reversing their box meeting when Emily and Wai won 21-14.

The overall final between Nicky and Mark and Becky and Steve was close for the first 12 points, but then Nicky and Mark ran away with it to win 21-15.

The Uphill Summer Club, at Wyvern Sports Centre, is held on Thursdays from 8-10pm and starts tonight (April 16). If you are interested in playing please come along and join in. For further information on the club visit www.uphillbadminton.co.uk