Category: Sports News

RACQUETS Fitness Centre, Thame, was celebrating this weekend, after the centre’s Men’s Team learned that they had become the winners of the Thames Valley Racquetball League. The team was wholly made up of players who have learned racketball at Racquets Fitness Centre, Thame.

Team manager Simon Martin, who played and won, said: “I was so proud to be turning out a team of young keen players all of whom have been coached at Racquets from a young age.” The team comprised Ben Hedger, Will John, and Chris Backhouse. Ben Hedger was the star of the finals with a 3-2 win over a very experienced racketball player, David Evans.

The final was held on Saturday, July 18, at the home club of the holders for the last five years, Aylesbury Squash and Tennis Club.

The final was the culmination of a league which has run from May through to July 2015, during which Racquets fielded two teams – one in each division. Matches were played home and away every week.

After all the matches, Racquets First team went through to the final in Second position and came through to win.

Racquets’ Coach, Sue Martin Downhill said: “The players at Racquets would like to thank Geoff Collins for running the teams this year and for running the internal leagues which gives the players so many opportunities to play plenty of games throughout the year.”

THAME Bowls Club’s opening game of the week was at home to Loudwater. The visitors avenged their defeat by Thame three weeks earlier, with a 75 shots to 56 win.

Highest rink for Thame was that of Marion Keal, Mike Smith and skip Trevor Copley who won by 9 shots. Thame Ladies had yet another successful match, this time in the County Top Club quarter-final against South Oxford Ladies. Although Hazel Westcott lost her singles match, the Thame Ladies Pairs – Jill Brooks and Mathie DuPreez won by 5 shots, the Triples of Margaret Boynton, Barbara Waters and skip Doreen Penn won by 18 shots, and the Fours of Maire Duncan, Maureen Giles, Caroline Walker and skip Maxine Plested drew their match 18 shots each.

This was enough to take the Thame Ladies to a semi-final against either Banbury Borough or Oxford City & County in August. Thame Men’s league Team lost again, this time to close neighbours Watlington in their Division 2 Match winning on just 1 of the 4 Rinks.

On Saturday, Thame’s President Les Canfield hosted the Annual President’s Day competition which was finally won by the Triple of Jennie Lowe, Richard Plested and skip Doreen Penn. Their opponents in the final were Doreen’s grandson Thomas Tisbury, Simon Bell and Doreen’s husband Graham at skip – almost a complete family affair.

To end the week on a high note Thame’s Mixed Sunday Team led by Captain Ron Duncan, easily beat Wendover for the second time in 3 weeks, this time by a massive 68 shots – 151 to 83. Top Rink at Wendover was that of Margaret Boynton, Dave Holland, Caroline Walker and skip Ron Duncan who won by 25 clear shots. Still only one defeat (by just 1 shot at Chesham) so far this season for this successful squad of players.

SOURCE: Contributed

A squad from Thame Swimming Club mustered every last bit of energy and determination to end the season ‘on a high’ at the Wycombe District Swim Club, Level Three meet over the weekend, July 18/19.

Under the guidance of Head Coach Ian Blyth the swimmers put in some stunning swims with eight swimmers making it to either the 15+ Finals or the 14 and Under Finals. Particularly noticable performances came from:

· Elizabeth Humphreys: For going sub 30 for the very first time in the final of the 50 Free, and taking Gold. Also for knocking a whopping 29 seconds off her 400 IM
time and 44 seconds off her 400 Free.

· Martha Pearson: For taking an impressive 10 seconds off her 100 Free time and achieving great PBs in all her races.

· Tally Simms: For taking a fantastic 22 seconds off her 200 Free time and likewise Katelin Phillips for taking 15 seconds off hers.

· Katelin Phillips and Maya Camp: For achieving great times in their first ever 400m Free long course race.

· Elliot Riley-Brown: For taking a fabulous 18 seconds off his 100 breast personal best time.

· Josh Williams: For qualifying for his first ever Final!

Medal Tally below:

THE Ladies of Thame Bowls Club fought their way through to the semi-finals of Oxfordshire Ladies Top Club competition this week, by defeating rivals South Oxford Ladies. This competition, which the Thame Ladies have already won twice in the past, is made up of a Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours match.

Representing Thame in the Singles was Hazel Westcott, who despite her efforts was defeated by in-form South Oxford’s Sue Stewart. In the Pairs match Jill Brooks and Marthie DuPreez overcame an early 9 shots to 2 deficit to gradually claw their way back into a tight game and eventually take the match by 25 shots to 20 against the excellent Oxford pairing of Diane Rocket and Carol Mobley So, honours-even at this stage.

In the Triples match skip Doreen Penn was leading her other Thame Ladies, Margaret Boynton and Barbara Waters to a decisive 24 shots to 6 victory with some excellent bowling from the Thame trio. It was now left to the Thame 4 of Maire Duncan, Maureen Giles, Caroline Walker and skip Maxine Plested to pick up the necessary point to carry Thame to the next stage of the competition and in the closest fought match of the tie it ended 18 shots apiece to share the point, leaving Thame Ladies with a two and a half to one and a half points victory.

The semi-final match at either Banbury Borough or Oxford City & County will take place on Sunday 16th August.

SOURCE: Contributed

THAME Town Cricket Club is running junior courses to help children between 6 – 16 years, improve their cricketing skills in a safe and fun environment.

With excellent facilities, including the clubhouse and an ECB-standard, three-bay outdoor net, plus a barbecue
on the Friday afternoon at the end of the course, this will be a fortnight of high-quality cricket coaching! All coaches are DBS-checked. The club also has a new Australian player/coach this season, Jarryd McPhee.

All the dates and times can be found on the club’s website: www.thametowncricketclub.org.uk. Book now by contacting Sheena Beard, either by emailing sheenabeard@btinternet.com
or calling 01844-213695.

Weekly coaching sessions are available for Juniors from April to August! See website for details –www.thametowncricketclub.org.uk

THAME Swimming Club’s Henry Bell’s latest success in the open water, came on Sunday (July 12) when he came second in the Elite Category at the Padstow-Rock swim. He swam just under a mile in 15.5 minutes, a staggering five minutes faster than last year.

The Padstock-Rock swim is an annual charity swim for Marie Curie and is a one mile swim across the Camel Estuary.

At the same time, Thame’s coach, Ian Keys and his wife Emma, helped a keen group of Thame Swimming Club swimmers get used to the Open Water experience, at the Oxford Wakeboard & Ski Club, near Berinsfield, Oxford.

Two members of Thame Swimming club, Rebecca and Michele were there and described the event. “It was a bit overcast at 8.15am when the squad met at lakeside, but at least it wasn’t raining! Ian & Emma managed to find some wetsuits to fit the crew, ran them through some safety guidelines, then it was time to get used to the water, which apparently wasn’t that cold – although it didn’t look particularly warm from where the parents were standing!

“The seven swimmers, Oscar North, Maya Camp, Lucy Day, Caitlin Shipley, Laura Cresswell, and Lucy & Harry Block swam a 300 metre circuit under the guidance of their coaches, repeating this three times, which is no mean feat for their first time on an Open Water Swim, and Harry even went back for another cheeky circuit at the end!

“The swimmers then took to a high swing at the edge of the lake where they had great fun hurtling into the water, followed by a warming sauna, bacon buttie and hot chocolate.

“A fantastic morning and introduction to Open Water Swimming, which many are keen to try again.

“Many thanks to Ian and Emma for giving up their time.”

SOURCE: Contributed by Rebecca and Michele

THE weekend of June 7, saw young squash players from all around the country, including Thame, assemble in Sheffield for the National Under 11s Championships. This is a spectacular tournament, with England Squash Referees and almost all matches played on glass-back courts with audiences watching.

It is the only national championships which anyone can play in, as all the older age groups take only the highest ranked people from those you apply.

In total there were 50 boys and 19 girls present. Oxfordshire had three representatives Oliver Coulcher-Porter, who is trained by Racquets Squash Academy in Thame, taking part in the tournament for the first time ; Rory Richmond doing his third, after previously finishing 50th and then 27th, and veteran Jasmine Tranter doing her fourth after finishes of 23rd, 15th, and 7th.

Writing in the Oxon Squash Newsletter, Oliver said: “I had a really great day. The competition was a very high standard. There were very good facilities and there were proper referees, and I played on Nick Matthew’s court. I’m really looking forward to it next year.” Oliver’s highlight of the tournement was a brilliant fifth round tie where he held his nerve despite losing the third game 14-12, to close out the match 12-10 in the fourth round. Overall he finished 42nd, a great platform to build on for next year.

This was the first year Oxfordshire had a player in the Quarter Finals for both boys and girls.

See http://www.squashsite.co.uk/2009/englishu11-2015.htm for more details about the tournament and the results.

SOURCE: Oxon Squash Newsletter

ON a hot, steamy day with an ice cold swimming pool, a squad from Thame Swimming Club did their founder swimmer, Rebecca Brightling proud on what was her last gala before she heads off on new adventures in September

As is becoming a habit, once again the squad excelled, this time at the Bracknell & Wokingham Swimming Club Level 3, Open Meet on Saturday, July 4. Under the guidance of Ian Keys, the squad put in some spectacular swims with personal bests being achieved, club records being broken and all round brilliant swimming all in evidence.

Speaking for the club, Helen Williams saod: “We would like to take this opportunity to say a massive congratulations to Rebecca; winning two Gold medals and a Silver medal is a great way to finish too! Rebecca is a founding swimmer of Thame Swimming Club and back in March 2009 won the competition to create the logo which is still being used today, what a legacy!”

Thame Swimming Club achieved a massive medal count of 77, among the notable from the gala are:

· Harry Block for swimming sub-30 for his 50 Fly.

· Douglas Birchall for edging ever closer to going sub 30 on the 50 Free, 30.01 is the cruellest of all results.

· Hazel Randall for knocking 7 seconds off her 200 Free time – no mean feat given she knocked 15 seconds off at CMK
only two weeks ago!
Hazel also took a whopping 18 seconds off her 200 Back personal best time.

· Manas Bapat for taking 19 seconds off his 200 Free and 12 seconds off his 100 IM personal best times.

· Flora Kershaw for taking 10 seconds off her 100 IM personal best time.

· Josh Williams for swimming at all given he got home from A&E just before 1am on the morning of the gala following a
football collision!

Helen added: “Thank you to the following officials who supported this gala on behalf of Thame Swimming Club: Mark Simms, Michele Block, Emma Day, Brian Pridmore, Paul Williams, Wendy Randall and Matt Randall.”

In a separate ‘first’ for the club, three of its swimmers have qualified to swim in the Welsh National Championships later in the month. They are Ben Williams (Boys Club Captain), Hallam Cozier and Josh Williams. It’s the first time Thame Swimming Club has had swimmers compete at these National Championships ‘so we’re all a bit excited!’ concluded Helen.