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HEMSBY PAIRS X
We were back at Hemsby once
again over the weekend of 29th July to 1st August for the 10th
time. It really doesn't seem like all that long ago since the
first time we were here.
As we had already reported
there were several changes which greeted us for this year's event.
Although having already paid a visit in advance we were well
aware of how it was going to affect so we were well prepared.
The main change was to the
Harlequin Ballroom which had been halved in area, allowing us
room for just 3 carpets, on the plus side the lighting was much
improved and it provided a great arena for the Semi Finals and
Final.
As usual we had three carpets
in the Table Tennis Room while the other two had to go on top
of carpet in the seating area. Using our fastest carpets meant
that there were no issues with the speed of the mats, although
there's no denying that it was not ideal as the surface produced
a few odd lines, but as is often said, it's the same for both
teams.
More importantly this year
saw a great turnout with 56 Pairs competing, our biggest entry
since 2008.
FOURS
Friday and Saturday nights were, as usual, set aside for the
Fours competition. Each team would get 2 games per night to decide
the winners.
Five teams won both of their
Friday games:
Clemmet-Newling-Solly-Daniels and Easy-Swan were both on 21 shots,
Swan-Masters had 17 shots and Spriggs-Alston-Huxtable-Clarke
and Cooke-Meade-McNeil both had 15 shots.
Amazingly none of those teams
were able to win their first game on Saturday night. However
one of them was able to manage a draw, the Spriggs-Alston-Huxtable-Clarke
team, meanwhile there was a win for the Staines-Hume team, who
had been on 3 points overnight, taking them up to take the joint
lead.
However, having leapt into
contention, Staines-Hume lost their final game and were overtaken
again by 5 teams who won their last games and moved on to 6 points.
But Spriggs-Alston-Huxtable-Clarke held their nerve, took a final
win and finished as clear winners by a whole point.
PAIRS
Group 1
Brian Archer & Pat Phillips and Peter & Diane Orrin were
off to perfect starts on Saturday morning, both winning their
two games. But close behind were Geoff & Margaret Holland
and David & Wendy Cooper, who had dropped just one point
each.
Pater & Diane continued
their winning run into their third game and with their nearest
rivals all losing they now had a clear 2 point advantage.
Saturday finished with another
win for the Orrins, taking them on to 8 points. Behind them in
a clear second place were Brian Archer & Pat Phillips who
had won three games and lost one.
Before the Peter & Diane
had even played a game on Sunday they had qualified as nearest
rivals Brian & Pat lost. When they did play they made it
five wins out of five, guaranteeing the group win.
The Orrins finished with a
final win for maximum points, fully 6 points clear of second
place which finally went to Preston & Jo Gypps who got it
on shots from Brian & Pat.
Group 2
Peter & Kay Masters and Sam & Trish Agnew both started
well, each winning their first 3 games. Nearest to the leaders
were Chris Huxtable & Mike Daniels who had won two and lost
one.
The Masters won their fourth
game of the day to move on to 8 points and take a clear lead
in the group. They had a two point lead over both Sam & Trish
Agnew and Chris Huxtable & Mike Daniels.
A miracle win for Peter &
Kay in their penultimate game (6 on the last end to win 8-7)
gave them the group win and they closed out their games with
another win to finish on maximum points.
Having started well before
their form took a dip, Sam & Trish Agnew came through to
take the runner-up spot on 8 points.
Group 3
It was Tony & Lin Cooke and David Clemmet & Angela Newling
who made the best starts, winning thier first 3 games and drawing
clear of the rest of the group.
Tony & Lin and David &
Angela both finished Saturday with another win to go into the
second day four points clear of the next best team. Those two
would play one another on Sunday in a match that could decide
the group winners.
Actually that wasn't what happened
as the two teams held one another to a draw. The other group
results meant that they were both guaranteed to qualify.
In the final set of games Tony
& Lin took another win to take the group on 11 points while
David & Angela drew to finish on 10 points.
Group 4
Jean Love & Sue Ross and Owen Allcock & Daphne Leggett
were out in front after just 2 games have won both.
However the top two were unable
to remain unbeaten as they reached the halfway point. Jean &
Sue could only draw, but with Owen & Daphne losing, that
draw was enough to give them a clear lead at the top of the group.
However two other teams, Marie Bluett & Sheila Cocksedge
and Paul & Jacqui Harris were now also on 4 points.
The final set of games on Saturday
saw big changes as the Harris' took their third win, lifting
them to the top of the standings. One point back, despite getting
only one point from their previous two games, were Jean &
Sue and behind them, one more back on 4 points were Marie &
Sheila, Owen & Daphne and Syd & Dot Tanner.
Paul & Jacqui opened Sunday
with a win and as the other results went their way they were
guaranteed qualification and a draw in their final game, with
everyone else close together, was enough for them to win the
group on 9 points.
Meanwhile Syd & Dot Tanner
came through for second place, one point behind the winners.
Group 5
Ann & Alan Blundell already had a clear lead after just two
games, having won both. However Keith & Prim Hume and Gordon
Bloomfield & Sylvia Vaughan were just a point behind.
Ann & Alan lost their third
game and the lead of the group now went to Keith & Prim.
They were on 5 points, with the Blundells, David & Dee Folkes
and Roger & Diane Marshall one point behind.
Keith & Prim finished the
day unbeaten on 7 points, a point ahead of the Folkes and 2 ahead
of Gordon & Sylvia.
Another win for Keith &
Prim gave them the group win first thing on Sunday, with a game
still to play. And they closed out with another win to finish
on 11 points. And it was David & Dee Folkes who made it to
the top of the chasing pack to take second on 8 points.
Group 6
Mike & Judy Easy and Colin Spriggs & Peggy Alston held
the joint lead after two games, nicely ahead of everyone else
in the group, who had all lost at least once.
In the third round of games
the two leaders played one another and a win for Colin &
Peggy took them clear at the top. Two points behind in a tie
for second were the Easys, Stephen & Maisie Woodley and Graham
& Gaye Swan.
Colin & Peggy finished
the day on maximum points, with Stephen & Maisie in a clear
second place on 6 points.
Sunday morning saw the fifth
win on the trot for Colin & Peggy to guarantee a place in
the knockout rounds. And two wins for Stephen and Maisie did
the same for them.
Group 7
Don & Maxine Poulter and Brian & Grace Crump were out
in front early on, winning their first 2 games. Don & Maxine
were able to continue that winning run, but the Crumps lost to
Mike Walker & Paul Daniels who now shared second spot along
with the Crumps and Alan Smith & Colin Barnes.
As Saturday ended Mike &
Paul took the narrowest of wins over Don & Maxine which meant
that 4 teams were all tied for the lead on 6 points. They were
Mike & Paul (38 shots) Don & Max (37), Alan & Colin
(31) and Brian & Grace (26).
While Mike & Paul and Alan
& Colin lost at the start of Sunday, Don & Maxine and
Brian & Grace both won to put them in pole position for qualification.
However the top two faced each
other in their final game. And with that game going the way of
the Poulters, it left Mike & Paul to grab second place with
a win in their final game.
Group 8
Dee Whittaker & Chris Tilbrook opened up with a pair of wins
to take an early lead in the group, a point ahead of Richard
& Linda Cornell.
However both teams stuttered
in their third games. Dee & Chris lost, but the Cornells
won to give themselves a 1 point lead in the group.
Richard & Linda finished
Saturday undefeated, on 7 points, one point ahead of Dee &
Chris and two ahead of John Austin & Madge Smith and reigning
champions Martin & Marilyn Bennet.
By the time the first Sunday
games were played we had a 3 way tie for the lead with the Bennets,
John & Madge and the Cornells all on 7 points.
The Bennets and Cornells faced
each other in their final game and with the Bennets winning that
took them through and knocked the Cornells out. John & Madge
then took their game to finish second in the group, by a single
shot.
KNOCKOUT ROUNDS
First Round
Preston & Jo Gypps
edged away from reigning champions Martin & Marilyn Bennet,
taking the win 6-2.
Sam & Trish Agnew led early on but lost the last 5
ends to Peter & Diane Orrin who finished 8-3 winners.
Peter & Kay Masters were 7-0 up after 3 ends but allowed
David Clemmet & Angela Newling to chip away at the
lead, however the y held on to win 7-5.
Lin & Tony Cook set the seal on their game against
Syd & Dot Tanner with 5 shots on the first end and
went on to win 10-2.
David & Dee Folkes were just ahead of Paul &
Jacqui Harris with 5 ends played, but that lead was
reversed on the next end and the Harris' took the last end to
win 6-4.
Keith & Prim Hume had immediate control of their game
against Stephen & Maisie Woodley and were 8 up after
4 ends. They went on to win 12-3.
Mike Walker & Paul Daniels took a crucial 4 shots
on the 2nd end against Colin Spriggs & Peggy Alston
and kept a comfortable gap all the way through to win 9-3.
Having been behind John Austin & Madge Smith took
3 to draw level with Don & Maxine Poulter on the 5th
end. But the next end was a disaster as they dropped 5 and the
Poulters went on to win 11-4.
Quarter Finals
Peter & Diane Orrin versus
Tony & Lin Cooke was as close as you'd like. Never
much between them, it needed an extra end to settle it and it
went to the Orrins who won 5-4.
It was another close one between Keith & Prim Hume
and Don & Maxine Poulter and again needed an extra
end which the Poulters took to win 7-6.
Preston & Jo Gypps and Peter & Kay Masters
were 3-3 with an end to go and with the final wood, on a measure
the game went to the Gypps 4-3.
Paul & Jacqui Harris had 4 on the board before Mike
Walker & Paul Daniels got a start and were never threatened
as they went on to win 9-4.
Semi-Finals
It was 3 all with 2 ends to go between Paul & Jacqui Harris
and Don & Maxine Poulter, but the penultimate
end saw the Poulters take 3 after which they controlled the final
end for a 7-3 win.
Peter & Diane Orrin had won 5 of the first 6 ends
played against Preston & Jo Gypps but were only 6-4
ahead. And the final end was taken by the Gypps, 2 shots to take
the game into an extra end, but that just went to the Orrins
to give them a nervy 7-6 win.
Final
Don & Maxine Poulter v
Peter & Diane Orrin
End 1 – With the Orrins holding, Don draws in for shot with
his second and it stays there to win the end. 1-0.
End 2 – As the skips come to bowl there's nothing within
6 inches. Don takes shot but Diane moves the jack back to hold
only for Don to snatch it back. 2-0.
End 3 – Peter draws shot and close though he gets Don can't
quite get close enough. Diane doesn't risk her final wood. 2-1.
End 4 – The battle of the leads is a close one but it's
Don again who draws the crucial shot to take 2. 4-1.
End 5 – Peter just has the edge on Maxine. Don gets in and
one of each is touching. A bold shot from Don taps the opposition
wood away to hold 2. Diane's final wood is positive and nearly
does it, cutting the opposition down to 1. 5-1.
End 6 – The Orrins need something now. Again Peter out draws
Max but Don is unstoppable, dead drawing beyond the long spot
and putting another in front for 2. Peter & Diane need a
miracle. 7-1.
Final End – Maxine's first wood to a long jack is 6 inches
behind and surely enough to win the match even though Peter takes
shot with his first. All the Poulters need to do is be close
but trying to force the issue Diane looses her first wood off
the mat. 2 more to the Poulters and they win 9-1.
The final score doesn't really
reflect how close the game way, but does show just how well Don
in particular bowled, giving him two wins in our last two events
for him as he had also won at Hayling Island, on that occasion
with Joan Clark.
Once again we would like to
thank everyone for another great weekend and for all those who
helped contribute towards another great total from draw which
totalled £300 for East Anglia
Air Ambulance for whom we have now raised more than £4000.
You will find the full set
of results here.
2017 Plans
As those of you who
were there with us will know we have had to take the decision
to take a year off from Hemsby in 2017.
Although Seacroft has been
a constant in our calendar until now there is more than one factor
which means that we think it's right to take a break.
On our arrival we learned that
Richardsons are planning to demolish the Trafalgar ballroom to
make way for more accomodation over the course of the next year.
Whilst this does not directly
involve the bowling since we don't use that ballroom, it does
effect those with whom we share the complex.
In order to guarantee the space
which we need for our carpets we always share the weekend with
a group of ballroom dancers. It's a system which works well because
each set of guests stick to their own part of the complex.
However without that ballroom
the dancers will be using the Harlequin next year which will
mean that the area which is central to our event won't be available
to us.
Over the weekend we explored
all the possibilities available to us for accomodating our mats
but we felt that there would be too much compromise without knowing
how the changes would effect the dancers and their event.
In addition we would have to
have moved to a weekend 2 weeks earlier than this year which
would bring us into very close proximity with the Lakeside holiday
which is already booked.
We are sorry to have had to
take this decision but feel that it's for the best in the short
term, but we will certainly be reviewing the situation for 2018.
2nd August
2016
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