Extra Grade Added To Take Bigger Badminton Entry

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31047, 30 April 1966, Page 17

Extra Grade Added To Take Bigger Badminton Entry

Canterbury badminton faces the start of a new season next week with renewed confidence in its popularity.

Eighty teams have entered for the inter-club competitions in the various grades and the Canterbury Badminton Association has had to add an extra grade to absorb the increase in teams and players.

Numerically, Canterbury is second only to Auckland in affiliated members. The province is not as high on the list in playing strength, but is probably the most powerful centre in the South Island. Inter-club badmintion in Christchurch is held on four nights each week, but this season all the A grade matches will take place on the same night—a departure from previous practice. Nine teams—an increase of two —will contest the grade, with Knox. Avonsid 0 , Railway and Christchurch being the most favoured. The new teams in the senior grade are Army, which will be led by the Canterbury B grade champion, W. Edgecumbe. and a second side from the Knox club. A grade teams consist of two men and two women.

The membership of the senior teams is expected to be much the same as last year. One new player at Skellerup Hall will be Miss L. Tucker (University), who has returned to Christchurch from Hawaii after a three-year absence.

On the representative front. Canterbury will have more games at home than last year. Otago and Southland will be visiting Christchurch for inter-provincial games. As well as the division I, II and

11l national contests, there will also be matches for a junior representative team, for players under 21 who have not appeared for their provinces in the other grades. Perhaps the most cheering aspect of the new badminton season is that Christchurch

has a good supply of feathered shuttlecocks; there should be no difficulties in meeting the needs of the season. Some other centres have been forced to use plastic shuttles in lower grade contests because of the shortage of the genuine articles.