Fortrose hosts major Highland badminton championship with players from across north
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Fortrose hosted the Highland Badminton Group Senior Restricted Championship which took place on Friday, September 29 and Saturday, September 30.
A total of 20 men and 14 women battling it out over the two days from all over the Highland Badminton Group Area.
The men’s singles were played over two groups and then the plays-off for the main overall winner and also a consolation
play-off.
Mark Mackay from Caithness topped Group A with Steven McGregor from Nairn in second with Iain Nicolson Caithness and Sam Groudwater Orkney headed to the consolation.
Group B saw Great Glen’s Callum Craig top the group followed by Thomas Calder from Shetland with Erlend Ballantine and John Macculloch through to the consolation. Craig and Calder fought it out for the top place with a 3 setter which Craig won 11-21, 21-19, 21-12.
The main draw saw young Calder and Mackay play with Mark coming out top 21-15, 21-17.
The other semifinal saw Craig challenge McGregor with Craig winning 21-2, 21-11.
The final was very well played by both with some great rallies, Mackay clinched the title winning 21-15, 21-17.
The consolation saw young Sam Groundwater take on John Mcculloch in the first semi-final which went to three sets with Sam winning 21-16, 13-21, 21-18.
The second semi-final was a walkover to Nicolson when Ballantine retired.
But Ballantine but Nicolson decided enough was enough for one night he then also retired which meant Sam won the Consolation draw.
The ladies singles was a round robin, with Shannon Leslie, Orkney coming out on top and Orkney’s Jody Groundwater taking second.
The levels were held on Saturday, the men’s events saw the top two teams from each of the three groups going through to the main draw and the rest going into the consolation rounds.
The main draw saw two very good semi-finals.
First being Mark Mackay of Caithness and Thomas Calder of Shetland defeat Callum Craig of Great Glen and Callum Mcwhirter of Elgin 21-13, 21-8.
The second semi-final saw a closely fought battle between the Orkney duo of father and son Eion and Erlend Ballantine against John Durrand Caithness and Alistair Gordon from Great Glen. It was the father and son duo who come out top 20-22, 22-20, 21-17 after a nail-biting semi-final securing them a place in the final. Mackay and Calder domianted the final winning 21-14, 21-10.
The consolation final was a battle between Caithness duo Matthew Robertson and Iain Nicolson against Great Glen’s James Brown and Mark Sproule, which saw the Caithness pair win 21-14, 21-18.
Ladies Doubles was played in two groups with the top two heading to the main draw play off and the others playing in the consolation.
The main draw saw two very well played semi- finals the first of them between Jody Groundwater and Emma Work from Orkney and Chloe Mackenzie Caithness and Joanne Pottinger Orkney, everyone in the hall got to witness a great match between these teams. Groundwater and Work came out on top after a marathon setter 22-20, 19-21, 23-21.
The second pair securing their place in the final was Orkney’s Shannon Leslie and Gemma Foulis after beating Emma Donald, Moray and Rachel Birse Great Glen 21-16, 21-18.
The final saw Leslie and Foulis come out top 21-19, 21-16.
In the consolation final Eleanor Bonser and Joanne Welsey saw off Emma Sendall and Cara Strath after a lengthy three setter 19-21, 21-14. 21-19.
After a long day of play the mixed doubles, was played as an elimination with consolation.
There were some great round one games and quarter-final games. But making the semi-
finals were Mark Mackay and Shannon Leslie who beat Eion Ballantine and Emma Donald. against Erlend and Jody with Mark and Shannon winning 21-7, 21-8.
The Consolation Cup was won by Callum McWhirter from Elgin and Gemma Foulis from Orkney 21- 17, 21-18.
