County sport

Shooting

COUNTY AWARD FOR JOHN:

The Cornwall Target Shooting Association held its annual meeting at the Ladock Community Hall, presided over by Lady Mary Holborow.

The meeting was told of the successes and 'near misses' achieved by several county teams throughout the year, including winning The Western Counties Bowl and the Mayflower Cup in the annual match versus the Plymouth & District shooters, where Cornwall's ladies easily defeated their Plymouth rivals. However, the men's team didn't fare quite so well being beaten by a single point in the Trelawney Cup competition.

The overall team effort did succeed in bringing home the Tamar Trophy, so two out of three wasn't too bad.

Reports on the activities of all three wings (full-bore, small-bore and air gun) were given by the three wing secretaries with an overview provide by the CTSA honorary secretary, who also brought the membership up to date with the national scene, including preparations for the 2012 Olympics.

Officers elected: President, Lady Mary Holborow; vice-president, F Teagle; chairman, T Kurn; vice-chairman, Mrs E A Perry; treasurer, MW Hallows; secretary, AW Batten; trustees, C W Williams; Mrs S Parker; F Grocock; M W Hallows; A W Batten.

At the end of the meeting there were two awards made.

The most important – The Lord Lieutenant's Trophy – is awarded to the person or persons who have achieved the most to promote the sport of target shooting during the previous 12 months.

The winner this year was John Emmerson, from the Penzance and St Ives club, for his sterling efforts in running the club, helping to increase the membership, whilst also acting in his capacity as county captain, plus many other tasks.

The trophy was presented by Lady Mary to much warm applause for such a deserving winner.

The second award was to the secretary Charlie Batten as it had been discovered that he has been in office for 20 years and obtained a second 10 year bar to his secretary's award.

Cross country

HOBIE STORMS TO VICTORY:

Hobie Martin produced a terrific performance to win the U15 boys' race at the British Milers' Club Cross Country Championships in Bristol.

The 14-year-old Newquay & Par AC runner from Perranporth showed great tactical awareness to follow the early pacemaking of Bristol & West AC team-mates Luke Jacobs and Zak Tobias before making his decisive move in the closing stages.

"I sat in behind the other lads and waited until the final 400-500 metres before making my move," said Martin.

"I then wound it up and broke clear to win. I was really pleased as it was a strong field and to be honest I was quite surprised to win it as well."

Martin's win on a windswept Sunday represents a considerable improvement from the 2008 race in which the Newquay Tretherras School student finished 13th with Jacobs and Tobias seventh and 11th respectively.

It also rounded off a fine week for the teenager having won the South West regional round of the English Schools' Cup, staged at Millfield School in Somerset, just seven days before.

"I have been running since primary school days but only more seriously for the past three years," added Martin.

"And just over a month ago I started with a new coach, John Knowles and it has been working well."

The Truro-based coach also had success in the U13 boys' race with Truro School youngster Oscar Holdsworth claiming a notable victory, finishing 20 seconds clear of the field.

In the senior men's race Cornwall's top runner Robbie Bugden continued his return to action with a solid sixth place, just behind north Cornwall farmer and reigning South West champion Kevin Heywood.

Truro's British junior international Katie Knowles was among the early pacemakers in the senior women's race before drifting back to finish sixth and second junior.

In the U13 girls' race the Truro School pair of Francesca Waters and Kate Broger-Barham finished sixth and 14th respectively.

British Milers' Club Cross Country Championships, Bristol Downs - Senior men's 4k: 1, Tom Russell (B&W) 11;59; 2, Ben Tickner (Wells) 12:03; 3, Richard Peters (B&W, U20) 12:09; 4, Kevin Heywood (Bide) 12:10; 5, Tom Doe (Lincoln W) 12:20; 6, Robbie Bugden (B&W) 12:24.

Under 15 boys: 1, Hobie Martin (N&P) 9:57; 2, Luke Jacobs (B&W) 10:00; 3, Zak Tobias (B&W) 10:03.

Under 13 boys: 1, Oscar Holdsworth (Truro School) 6:59; 2, Alfie Kilgour (TBAC) 7:19; 3, Mark Bailey (Mendip) 7:19.

Senior women: 1, Susie Hignett (BM) 10:14; 2, Kate Goodhead (B&W) 10:20; 3, Claire Hallissey (B&W) 10:26; 4, Imogen Ainsworth (B&W) 10:27; 5, Eleanor Wimshurst (B&W, U20) 10;28; 6, Katie Knowles (B&W, U20) 10:36.

Under 13 girls: 1, Elisabeth Hood (Poole AC) 7:22; 2, Daniella Whiting (TBAC) 7:30; 3, Amy Cooper (Marlbro RC) 7:33.

Cornwall: 6, Francesca Waters (Corn/Truro School) 7:53; 14, Katie Broger-Barham (Truro) 8:25.

Table tennis

EASY FOR FAVOURITES:

The West Cornwall Table Tennis League, sponsored this year by Ignition Credit plc, continues into week five. Premier Division favourites Docks A recorded a 10-0 win over their C team, Will Abouelhana taking Adrian Noott to 5 ends before going down 11-0 in the final game. Docks A conceded one point to their B team however, Malcolm Peters recording a hard fought win over Martin Rule. Elsewhere Nigel Tregenza beat Roger Jacobs 11-9 in the final end, but could not prevent a 7-3 win for Palace B over Bridge B.

Division One saw Wu Dyson of Docks E take three wins against Palace D, Paul Mallen recording the only 2 singles wins for the Palace, the game ending 7-3 to Docks. Paul featured strongly again in his side's 8-2 win over St Ives B, taking his 3 singles games, although there was a close win over David Smith in the first game of the night. Karim Ali will prove difficult to beat however, as with 3 wins he steered his side Forest Green A to a 6-4 win over Bridge D.

In Division Two, Mounts Bay unveiled their new signing Nigel Cock. Many will recall Nigel from the great days of the St Ives club in the 70s and 80s, and after 25 years out of the game it is good to see him return. Six wins from six so far suggest that Nigel will be a force to be reckoned with.

Mylor D are setting the pace in Division Three, helped by a 10-0 win over the youngsters of Palace G. Palace F showed they are not out of the running by defeating Cape Cornwall 8-2, Jamie Tood and Chris Buckingham each recording 3 wins."

Badminton

DUCHY PIPPED IN THRILLER:

Playing their first home match of the season at St Austell on Sunday the singles players gave Cornwall a storming start, going up 4-1 against a strong Oxfordshire outfit.

Cornwall's men continued the theme, winning the doubles 3-1. Guy Michell and Tom Lyle looked particularly unbeatable.

The ladies had a harder task against their Oxfordshire counterparts, losing all their doubles. Bronwen Wotton and Claire Whitmore pushed one couple very close, narrowly losing the third end. With the score at 6-6 going into the mixed doubles, the crowd were on the edge of their seats. Chiefs captain Kelvin Edwards and Bronwen Wotton could not repeat their earlier wins, but Guy Michell and Rachel Irish captured their game in fine style, giving Guy another 100% performance for the afternoon.

Seven-all with Tom Lyle and Jo Philp providing Cornwall's last hope, the game went to the wire and they were unlucky to lose 27-25 in the third end.

Cornwall captain Kelvin Edwards said: "We are very disappointed to lose this match. I'm very proud of the team who fought all the way. It's up to us to bounce back against Berkshire in our last home match before Christmas – on December 13 – lucky for some!"

Cornwall: Kelvin Edwards, Guy Michell, Tom Lyle, Dave Harrington, Jo Philp, Rachel Irish, Bronwen Wotton, Claire Whitmore.

Short mat

COUNTY MIXED FOURS:

On Saturday, 20 teams, split into five groups with each team playing three games, took part in the qualification competition of the CCSMBA County Mixed Fours event at Bodmin's Dragon Leisure Centre.

In Group One two teams finished on four points with the team of Marion and John Keers (St Agnes) and Joyce and Norman Ward (Withiel) claiming the group win ahead of Margaret Goodwin, Jean Sampson, Graham Reeves and Darren Woolner (Saltash), who claimed one of the three best runners-up spots.

A draw in the final game of Group Two between Meg and Ken Horrell and Eric and Joan Boddy (Withiel) and Camilla, Gillian and Chris Cawrse (Lostwithiel) and Phil Hicks (Luxulyan) saw both teams through to the finals on five points.

Pam Hamley, Jimmy Rule, Betty Temple-Smith and Arthur Hambley (Lostwithiel) were unbeaten in a tight Group Three where no game was won by more than four shots. Margaret Jenkin, Christine Coxall, Len Coxall and Nigel Nicholls (Newlyn Trinity) claimed Group Four also unbeaten.

Group Five also saw the top-placed team of Linda Higgins (Perranporth), Elise Daniell, Nicholas Truscott and Peter Hore (Holmans) unbeaten and joined in the list of qualifiers by second-placed Margaret Menhenick, Mary Moynihan, Peter Morrish and John Menhenick (Wadebridge).

All eight qualifying teams will return to Bodmin on Saturday, March 27 for the finals which will be played on a knockout basis.

Another busy weekend is ahead with the second round of Inter Area League matches on Saturday with West up against North and Central taking on East. Sunday sees the biggest entry of the year in any competition with 126 bowlers entered in the County Triples.

Pool

BECKY STARS FOR LADIES:

The final match of the year saw Cornwall ladies travel to Plymouth to play Devon Ladies.

Cornwall started the match well winning the first section 6-5, but could not sustain this through the rest of the sections.

Devon took the following sections 7-4, 7-4 and 6-5 to win the match 25-19 and finish top of the South West table.

Player of the match was awarded to Becky Cocks with four wins out of four.

Cornwall: Paula Pope, Nikki Billing, Becky Cocks, Stacey Hancock, Su Pettis Martin, Sharon Barbery, Emma Rowett, Nicky Moore, Becky Shirley, Sarah Davies and Carol Stephens Capt.

MEN'S A

Cornwall A's high-flying season, leading the region for most of the year, came to a disappointing end against Devon. Following a poor display against Somerset the previous match Cornwall fell to a 24-20 defeat.

Cornwall needed a victory which ultimately would have secured winning the region and a place in the national finals. In the end Cornwall missed out on the title by three frames.

The match started tensely with Devon winning the first two before Cornwall put some frames on the board and settled. Cornwall kept there noses in front for most of the first two and a half sessions, leading by two frames on three occasions. However, Cornwall couldn't step up the extra gear and kept giving frames away to let Devon back in.

After failing to kill off the game Cornwall had a poor third session in which Devon opened up a four frame lead. Cornwall continued to fight and nearly got to within two frames of Devon to set up a grandstand finish, but it was not to be and Devon held on to win the match and region.

As disappointing as the last two results may be, Cornwall A can hold their heads up high with some superb individual, and more importantly, team displays. The season will have cemented Cornwall's credentials as serious title contenders.

Hopefully the experience gained in the past ten months will enable the team to build on the positives and use the negatives to spur them on.

Cornwall: Brian Phillips, Jeremy Hooper, Mark Harvey, Antony Hasson, Gary Roberts, Rodney Burrows, Kalvin Ashwood, Matthew Cook, Lance Tylor, Russell Moore and Ryan Nicholls (capt).

MEN'S B

This was the final game of the season and both teams were looking to secure a place at national finals. With this in mind it was always going to be a closely fought match.

Cornwall started well, winning the first set 6-5 with some nervy pool.

They followed this by winning the second by the same margin leaving the score at 12-10 to Cornwall at halfway. Cornwall continued to just keep their noses in front, winning the third set also by 6-5, leaving the score at 18-15.

But then things started to go wrong and Devon won five frames on the bounce to lead for the first time and duly wrapped up the win by 23-21.

Cornwall finished in third place in the Region 6 table with Bristol named as champions. Good performances from Stuart Baker and man of the match Gary Hodgson winning three frames.

CORNWALL: Simon Martin, Chris Edge, Nick Rowe, Lee Sturtridge, Ricky Hughes, Gary Hodgson, Stuart Baker, Gareth Ball, Gareth Buckingham, Mike Hancock, Micky Meares, Keith Anstis and captain Andy Hall.

Many thanks from all three captains to all the players who have tried so hard throughout the year and everyone who has supported the county through the highs and lows.

Diary Dates (All taking place at the Q Bar Bodmin):

Cornwall County Pool AGM: January 3, 11am.

Men's trials: January 10: 9.30am register for 10am start.

Ladies' trials: January 17: 11am start.