Showing the benefits of a four month training programme and a week of hard competition in France at the World Championships, Herne Bay club mates Ian Baker and Richard Swaney battled their way to their first National Doubles title over the weekend.
At times they struggled with the testing conditions at the Aorangi Domain (Paraparaumu) terrain, as they ground out narrow 13-12 wins against Ted Burr and Margaret Mordecai (Otaki) in the last qualifying game of round one, the barrage game against Denise Bavidge and Geoff Greer (Bay View) in round two and the quarter-final match against Brian Smith and Dirk Winnie (Khandallah).
In the semi-finals, Baker and Swaney defeated the 2001 champions Christian Fouquet (Herne Bay) and Georgio Vakauta (Victoria Park), while the dream run of Khandallah pairing of Doug Hay and Peter van Heusden was ended in emphatic fashion by David Lippard and Niau Ruta (Herne Bay).
In the final, Lippard and Ruta started tentatively and were always playing catch-up. A late rally saw them reach double figures but the result was never in doubt.
Due to the severe weather on day two of the tournament the Plate and Bowl competitions were abandoned.
Semi Finals
Ian Baker/Richard Swaney beat Christian Fouquet/Georgio Vakauta 13 - 11;
David Lippard/Niau Ruta beat Doug Hay/Peter van Heusden 13 - 0.
Final
Ian Baker/Richard Swaney beat David Lippard/Niau Ruta 13 - 10
Ian Baker/Richard Swaney (Herne Bay) 1;
David Lippard/Niau Ruta (Herne Bay) 2;
Christian Fouquet (Herne Bay)/Georgio Vakauta (Victoria Park), Doug Hay/Peter van Heusden (Khandallah) 3 equal;
Claire Bradburn (Silverstream)/Peter Dennett (Jenkins Estate), Myles Cowper/Oskar de Jong (Kapiti),
John Maxwell/Kevin Rouse (Hawke's Bay), Brian Smith/Dirk Winnie (Khandallah) 5 equal.
Denise Bavidge/Geoff Greer (Bay View), John Greig/Rosie Muir (Hibiscus Coast),
Murray Porter (Bay View)/Chris Priestley (Atomic Cafe), Elizabeth Rocks (Khandallah)/Ruby Vakauta (Victoria Park) 9 equal;
Tony Chin (Khandallah)/Anthony Yee (Park Avenue), Neil Dykes/Marcus Smith (Windy Hills),
Pat Jamieson/Reed Jamieson (Christchurch), Margaret Roberts/Neil Roberts (Caversham) 13 equal.
Plate qualifiers
Ian Baine/Jean Baine (Park Avenue), Fiona Browne/Lee Taffard (Napier), Maurice Belz (Hawke's Bay)/Marie Fenton (Napier),
Clem Boer/Laurel Priestley (Atomic Cafe), Charles Brock/Bill Peachey (Kennedy Park),
Sharon Cannon (Bay View)/Bethne Rouse (Hawke's Bay), Danila Carducci/Margaret Fleck (Kapiti),
Ernie Chu/Andrew Joe (Kapiti), Ann Clayworth/Claire Matthews (Northcote), Ann Dawson/Terry Dawson (Kapiti),
Joanne Evans/Kula Ruta (Herne Bay), Rex Hayes/Shirley Hayes (Kapiti), Sebastian Merval/Louis Mesnage (Hibiscus Coast),
Joan Miller/Claire Wilson (Masterton), Dean Norman/Susan Norman (Windy Hills), Michael Rocks/Roy Zeier (Khandallah).
Bowl Qualifiers
Roger Ball/Tom Van Bodegraven (Masterton), Morgan Bradley (Caversham)/Colin Gooch (Upper Hutt),
Lorraine Brock/Ella Harris (Kennedy Park), Graeme Burnard (Masterton)/Bernadette Lawton (Kapiti),
Ted Burr/Margaret Mordecai (Otaki), Roberta Campbell/Philippa McNiven (Bay View),
Les Clearwater (Christchurch)/Helene Hay (Khandallah), Alain Coulomb/Lynette Mesnage (Hibiscus Coast),
Allan Dighton/Dave Kitchner (Kapiti), Fay Doyle/Harl Stevens (Kapiti), Julie Edwards/Colin Johnston (Putaruru),
Lorraine Gibbons (Masterton)/Jeanne Zee (Upper Hutt), Andy Gilbert/Jane Gilbert (Rotorua),
Desmond Grant/Sarah-Jane Wright (Northcote), Pauli Jalava/Arnold Lander (Rotorua),
Barbara Johnston/Graeme Morris (Masterton), Catherine Maher (Jenkins Estate)/Margaret Maher (Northcote),
John Mason/Peter Williams (Kapiti), Karepa Mataira/Enoka Smiler (Park Avenue), Jan McHardy/Pat Scholes (Kapiti).