Strong men’s field in badminton

Press, 9 July 1980, Page 26

Strong men’s field in badminton

By

DAVID LEGGAT

With the 10 nationallyranked men ail entered, in addition to two unranked but highly skilled players, the national badminton championships in Christchurch in September should have a top qualify

look about it. When the deadline for entries closed last week, there were 43 competitors in the men’s singles and 36 in the open women’s event;

The president of the C a n t e rbu r y Badminton Federation (Mr Neil Gardiner) said he was fairly pleased with the number of entries for the open events.

“There was a higher number in the tournament in Auckland last year, but this is a good turnout for a South Island-based tournament.” he said.

The two players not among the top 10 in the 1979 rankings, Nigel Skelt of Southland, and the experienced Bryan Purser of Taranaki, will ensure a stern battle for quarterfinal places.

' Steve. Wilson, the current open singles and doubles champion. will almost certainiv be the

No. 1 seed, and it will

take an outstanding performance to deprive the talented and unassuming Otago man of his second national singles title.

Wilson has taken over the mantle worn for so long and so successfully by the strongly-built lefthander, Ross Livingston, and the Purser brothers, Bryan and Richard. At 26 he" has his best years ahead of him and is sure to be the cornerstone of many future New Zealand teams.

. A feature of the men’s singles will be the form

shown by some of the younger players. Graham Robson, ranked third in New Zealand, is only 21. a former national junior champion and current Auckland title-holder. Rob-

son and Phillip Horne, a year younger, are two of New Zealand's brightest prospects.

Horne, who made his first cricket debut for Auckland last summer, is ranked ninth but is undoubtedly on his way up.

Kevin Ross, the seven t h-ranked Wanganui player, won (he intermediate open singles last year, beating Horne in the final. Ross is another who could use the national championships to imrove his standing with a good showing.

Three of the top 10 women in the country will be absent from the championships. The most notable withdrawal is the current singles champion. Margaret Webster of Auckland. Mrs Webster, a 32-year-old mother of three, made

a return to competitive badminton, after a break from the sport, for “the fun of it” last year. And what a remarkable return it was.

She beat Eugene Gray (Horowhenua). Lyn Shirley and Alison Sinton (both Waitemata). all nationally ranked players, to win the singles event. Perhaps her performance was indicative of the strength of women’s badminton, but nevertheless it was a noteworthy effort. In addition to Mrs Webster. Alison Ross, Canterbury’s sixth-ranked player who is overseas, and Sue Thompson. two places lower,- will be missing. But Marv Livingston, who has made international appearances in Über Cup, Whyte Trophy and Commonwealth Games competition. has returned to the sport after a year's absence.

It is nine years since the national championships have been held in Christchurch. That year, Richard Purser won’ the seventh of his 10 open singles titles and Alison Branfield won her second title.