My thanks to David Allen for publicising Events, News and Results on the Web site. Also to Dave Harrison for directing and scoring the County Pairs and to Giles Woodruff for time consuming advice on movements & other matters.
County KO. There was a good entry of 20 teams and some exciting matches. There had been problems with a lot of teams failing to complete matches by the deadline for that round. The final between Zakrweski and Greig has yet to be played but players from both teams (Sonia Zakrewski, Ian Greig,Michael Ashe & Tony Kelly) will represent the County in the Pachabo Final. All but one of the eliminated teams played in the Plate. P.Last has reached the final and awaits to see which of two university teams will oppose him when they have settled their semifinal.
Garden Cities. This year reverted to knockout format. The entry of 10 teams was more than when last played as a one day event. I have received mixed comments about the format, more in favour of a knockout than against, but we would like more views from clubs & members. There were some excellent matches. The University knocked out a strong Cambridge 1 team in one semifinal, while in the other. Cambridge 2 beat Saffron Walden 1 by a mere 5 imps (+8 & -3). The final was even closer with the University finally triumphing by 2 imps (+10 & -8).
Golfprint Trophy. Four teams entered and St Neots were the winning team.
Swiss Teams Club Challenge. This was restarted after a gap. The date was changed at a late stage to avoid a clash with two nearby Green point events. This had the unfortunate effect of preventing teams from the University and some teams from several other clubs taking part. In spite of this there was a fairly good entry of 13 teams which included 5 club teams of eight. With this number there were difficulties with the movement over six rounds, trying to avoid teams playing against their other half or a team they had played before! In spite of this there was an enjoyable competition.
Results. Winning team of 4. D. Oxbrow, K. Haddock, F.Padgett &
P.Morgan. (81VPs)
Team of 8 Club Challenge 1st - Cambridge 1 (142VPs)
(V. Milman, N. Stelmashenko, P. & S. Wraight, P. Jackson, C. Parker,
E. Howard & T. Pal)
2nd Saffron Walden (133VPs)
Leading team with two players <1* master B. Briscombe, P. Oxley, M.
May & N. Pimblett;
Ascenders Prize P. & K. Riley, J. Pearce & R. Courtney (by half a
VP from M. Anderson, D. Williams, A. Stenner & I. Hill)
County Individual. Four clubs held heats, a total of 97 players entering.
Results of 20 player all play-all-final:
1. D. Carmichael
2. M. Soames
3. K. Jackson
4. D. Harrison
County Pairs. (detailed report as I have received a lot of comments and criticisms about this, mainly related to the venue and the movement)
96 pairs entered in 7 club heats, a moderately good total. The management committee had decided to increase the numbers qualifying for the final to 30 pairs. Because of EBU regulations governing Corwen qualification, it had to be played as a qualfying semifinal followed by an all-play-all final and a consolation final.
Three clubs were unable to send the quota to which they were entitled (only one pair came from each of two clubs entitled to three pairs). In spite of attempts to reallocate places to other clubs, the final had to reduce to 28 pairs, with a lot of board sharing, which was understandably unpopular. In retrospect, at least three factors contributed to this.
i) The date had been fixed earlier in February than usual and some clubs
seemed unaware of this in spite of secretaries being informed in June
2000, a number of qualifiers being unable to play as a
result.
ii) To allow for clubs who might have fixed their heats in January, the
closing date, two weeks before the final, left little time to sort out
reserve qualifiers.
iii) Saffron Walden & Cambridge, the only clubs willing to accept non
club members, by chance arranged their heats on the same day.
There were further practical problems at the final in addition to the fluctuating room temperature. There was a shortfall in the number of teas due to an arithmetic error by the TO in informing the caterers of the reduced numbers, and delays in scoring (errors in entries on travellers added to difficulties in implementing the complicated carry forward scores) led to delay in restarting the finals. These appeared to go very well.
Results. Consolation final winners C. King & L. Scofield
Final.
1. R. Midgley & N. Pimblett
2. F. Warren & K. Orde-Powlett
3. P. & S. Wraight
These three pairs will represent the County in the Corwen. I would be very happy to have further comments on this (and other) events, but on the basis of the comment I have already received I propose making the folowing recommendations to the management committee for next year:
i) The date should revert to the end of February, even if this involves
an apparent slash of dates.
ii) We move to a better venue, probably Fulbourn Village
Hall.
iii) We revert to an all play all final of 24 pairs. Of these about 20
will be allocated, as in previous years, in proportion to the numbers in
each heat. An additional 4 or 5 places will be allocated to those clubs
with players in the top eight places in the previous years final, (based
on a points system, with 8 points for first reducing to 1 for eighth). If
this is adopted, next year Saffron Walden(15pts) and Cambridge(14pts) will
get two extra qualifiers and Thursday (6pts) one. As before, places
released by any club unable to fulfil their quota will be offered to other
clubs in rotation, with the usual proviso that all qualifiers must have
gained more than 50% in their heat.
Finally a reminder that the Jubilee Pairs is being held again this year, with a Swiss format, on Sunday 10th June in Trumpington Village Hall. Entry forms have been circulated to clubs and are available here. Can I appeal for a good entry to make this event a success and I would be grateful if club delgates would encourage their members to enter what I hope and expect will be a most enjoyable event.
Philp Wraight
Tournament Organiser 8/5/01