Highland Restricted Tournament - Season 2006-2007 - 17 & 18/02/07

Some winners

Caithness players were to the fore at the second Highland senior badminton competition held at Dingwall last weekend. Two titles and three runners-up award represented a more-than-decent return for the county entry at the event staged by Highland Badminton Group.

Mark Mackay, from Scarfskerry, was on course to win a treble but he and Thurso partner Michelle Cowie were pipped in the final of the mixed doubles. They prevailed in a close all-Caithness semi versus James Henderson and Donna Majilton, who had earlier come through a marathon three setter versus Shetland's Jason Jamieson and Thurso's Jane Grant.

Shetland duo Colin Grant and Anne Wood lost the first set in the final versus Mackay and Cowie but stormed back to level. The experienced island duo then took an early lead in the decider which they went on to close out. Mackay was the stand-out player, unsurprisingly given his current Scottish ranking of first in the mixed; fourth in the level doubles; and sixth in the singles.

The 31-year-old, who was unable to play in last year's inaugural competition, went through the singles and level doubles without conceding a set. He defeated defending champion, Wick's John Durrand in the final after the pair had defeated Orkney opponents at the penultimate stage. The Caithness pairing later combined to score a straight sets victory over Shetland duo Colin Grant and Jason Jamieson in the final of the doubles.

The competition featured an epic set which Orcadian pair Eoin Ballantine and Ross Groundwater won 30-28 to clinch their place in the last four. Julie Anderson, from Forres, retained the women's singles title, which was played on a round-robin basis. Runner-up was Suzanne Henderson, a Shetlander now living in North Kessock. Michelle Cowie finished third.

The final of the ladies doubles was a rerun of last year's show down between Carole Mowat, from Thurso and Halkirk's Casey Sangster and Henderson and Shetland partner Anne Wood. The contest mirrored last year's final with the Caithness duo having their tails up after winning a keenly fought opening set. They had chances to clinch the title in the second but their opponents doggedly stuck in to prevail 22-20. Henderson & Wood went on to retain their crown in winning the decider to 16.

The competition in Dingwall Leisure Centre which was played in excellent spirit was voted a resounding success by all the participants. HBG's organisation of the tourney was also complemented by the president of Badminton Scotland Stuart Paterson, who made an unannounced appearance.

Glasgow-based Mr Paterson praised HBG for its initiative in helping breathe new life into the sport in the region. The senior competition marked a hectic spell for the voluntary-run group which had already run five age-group competitions this year. The group is keen to build on its early success and has appealed for newcomers to get involved in the behind-the-scenes effort.

report from Jane Grant.

Winners

Key:- B = Beauly, C = Caithness, F = Forres, I = Inverness, NK = North Kessock, S = Shetland,

• Ladies Singles - Julie Anderson (F) beat Suzanne Henderson (NK)
• Mens Singles - Mark Mackay (C) beat John Durrand (C)
• Ladies Doubles - Anne Wood & Suzanne Henderson (S) beat Casey Sangster & Carole Mowat (C)
• Mens Doubles - Mark Mackay & John Durrand (S) beat Colin Grant & Jason Jamieson (S)
• Mixed Doubles - Colin Grant & Anne Wood (S) beat Mark Mackay & Michelle Cowie (C)

Photos

All winners & Scottish Badminton Union president, Stuart Paterson - centre back

End-of-Document

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