THE recent Plymouth and District Badminton League Christmas Mixed Doubles Tournament saw, for the first time, players from Tavyside Badminton enter.

The round robin section of the tournament saw all the Tavyside Badminton pairings come up against pairings from all divisions of the league and there were a number of surprises when the lower ranked pairings pushed the games right to the last few points, and for some pairs, a notable win.

Apart from Rachael Williams and her partner Dave Bartholomew (Callington Badminton Club) all the Tavyside Badminton pairings moved, from the round robin stages, into the 'plate' event. Rachael and her partner lost in the quarter finals to the eventual winners of the overall tournament.

At the quarter finals stage of the 'plate' event Tom Cooper and Hilary Corn came up against Alan Berry and Ellie Drage. In the end, experience paid off with Alan and Ellie moving through to the semi final 21 – 16. Andy Crocker and Jemma MacKenzie also fell in the quarter finals to the Plymouth Life Centre pairs by the narrowest of margins 19 – 21.

Tavyside Badminton had two pairings through to the semi final but here Alan and Ellie lost a close encounter with the strong Plymouth Life Centre pair 19 – 21, 19 – 21.

Jonathan Stoecker and Olivia Walker kept the Tavyside Badminton flame alive with a convincing victory in the semi finals before coming up against a Plymouth Life Centre pair in the final.

With Jonathan and Olivia playing stylish mixed doubles throughout the final they dominated the Plymouth pair and comfortably won the plate event 21-14, 21 - 15.