Professional badminton in N.Z. this season

Press, 16 February 1980, Page 60

Professional badminton in N.Z. this season

A New Zealand badminton grand prix with prizemoney totalling $5OOO will be introduced this season, after last year’s decision of the International Badminton Federation to allow open badminton. The New Zealand Badminton Federation’s management committee has decided on a scheme whereby the country’s top players can participate in a total of seven tournaments.

The North Island and South Island championships, the nationals and the players’ own association championships will all be compulsory for attaining ranking

points. Players in line for national selection will also be required to play in at least three of eight other tournaments — Auckland,

Waitemata, Waikato, Wellington, Hutt Valley, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. In singles, the winner will receive 10 points, the run-ner-up eight, the semi-final-ists six, the quarter-finalists four and those making the third round, two. In doubles, the winners get five, the runners-up four, the semi-finalists three, the auarter-finalists two, and fhe third-rounders one.

At the end of the season,

the top points-scorers over all will receive.— Men: First $750, se-

cond $550, third $455, fourth $3BO, fifth $315, sixth $2BO, seventh $245, eighth $2lO, ninth $175, tenth $l4O. Women: first $5OO, second $350, third $250, fourth $175, fifth $125, sixth $lOO. The scheme chosen by the management committee differs from that suggested by the national selectors. The selectors wanted a scheme whereby the ranked players made a contribution and then the National Federation paid their way to stipulated tournaments.