Blaze locals fall short in home event

Going into the event the ladies tour winner had already been decided but the men’s tour couldn’t have been closer with just 15 points between the top three competitors, Jonathan Whitty, Benny O’Reagan and Nick Wright.

With 16 teams entered into the men’s pairs event, the competition was always going to be tough, and so it proved for all of the top competitors. With Nick Wright and Wilson losing out early on, finishing 5th over all. With O’Reagan and Whitty still in the competition this ended Nick’s hopes of claiming the “king of the beach” title this summer, meaning that the title would be shared between the Southern Pair who eventually finished third in the event. In the final another southern pair, Goti and Stolarek, proved just too strong, defeating Blaze Pair Jeff Scott and David Park in a nail biting tie break third set.

In the ladies event Top Seeds Erin Madden and Erin Schreck were overwhelming favourites, a tag which proved accurate as they steamrollered the competition en-route to the final where they came up against a strong and determined Blaze Pairing of Alice Harkness and Kerry Kirkpatrick, who pushed them all the way, becoming the first team to take a set off the top seeds all day. Again there was despair for the locals though as the tiebreak third set went the way of the top seeds and they crowned themselves as the undisputed top two on the beach this year.

The organisers would like to congratulate all those who took part in the tour this year, especially O’reagan and Whitty the tied winners in the men’s section and Erin Madden who ran away with the ladies section.

Anyone interested in trying the sport should contact Johnny McClenaghan on 07817061634 or by e-mail [email protected]