A Women’s National Championships to remember

News  Tournaments  Womens

Oundle School
Saturday/Sunday, 25-26 January 2025

Bob Dolby reports : Despite the absence of a number of leading players like multiple champion Louise Mathias (working in Australia), former Schools champions Martha Nugent (studying in the USA) and Ibby Lee, as well as Martha’s sister Holly and Phoenix Fleming, the general standard of play at this year’s championships was extremely high and in the final stages perhaps the highest yet seen. It was particularly appropriate that play on Sunday was witnessed by the legendary, 11-time National Champion Paula Smith, who did so much along with the late Denise Hall-Wilton to promote the women’s game in the 1980s and 1990s.

In this year’s championships the Singles title was won for a second consecutive year by Camille Beattie, currently studying at Sheffield University and playing her Fives at the City of Durham Fives Club. In the final Camille beat Shinan Zhang, also a former Schools champion, who now plays with the Executioners and organises the London Fives League.
 
Shinan duly got her revenge in the Doubles, partnering Helena Tunks in a successful defence of their title, a trophy which Shinan has now won 6 times. In the final Helena and Shinan defeated Camille and a new partner, Sophie Lundie, now playing regularly in London and building on her skills learned at the Edinburgh Academy.
 
The Singles Plate was won by City of Durham Club’s Eleonora Vallascas, who is the current Schools U16 Singles champion. The Doubles Plate was won by the current Schools U18 Singles and Doubles champion Jemima Mitchell playing with another former Schools Champion Phoebe Thornhill, who is now based back in Oxford.
 
The success of so many schools champions past and present just goes to underline the vital role played by the various schools competitions held in London, Durham and Edinburgh. The RFA’s warm thanks go to those coaches who promote girls’ Fives in their clubs and schools.
 
Our thanks also go to Oundle School for hosting this national event at short notice after an administrative error led to a transfer from the Cambridge University Sports Centre.
 

Singles

1st round: Emily Hodgson bt Charlotte Bruce 15-0, 15-0; Eleonora Vallascas bt Katie Perry 15-0, 15-0; Sophie Lundie bt Lauren Osborne-Patterson 15-0, 15-0; Julie McIntyre bt Lottie Merrylees 15-0, 15-0; Charlie Roberts bt Iona Chorley 15-0, 15-0; Evelyn Terry bt Catherine Abercrombie 15-0, 15-0
2nd round: Camille Beattie bt Emily Hodgson 15-0, 15-0; Phoebe Thornhill bt Jemima Mitchell 11-15, 15-3, 15-2; Kirsten Bell bt Eleonora Vallascas 15-1, 15-2; Lizzie Ware bt Sophie Lundie 15-0, 15-6; Savanna Leboff bt Julie McIntyre 15-1, 15-1; Helena Tunks bt Charlie Roberts 15-1, 15-2; Zara Elliot bt Rachel Wood 15-0, 15-0;  Shinan  Zhang bt Evelyn Terry 15-1, 15-0
Quarter-finals: Beattie bt Thornhill 15-0, 15-0; Bell bt Ware 15-8, 15-6; Tunks bt Leboff 15-6, 16-14; Zhang bt Elliot 15-8, 15-7
Semi-finals: Beattie bt Bell 15-2, 15-1; Zhang bt Tunks 15-0, 15-8
Final: Beattie bt Zhang 15-6, 15-8
Plate: 1st Eleonora Vallascas +58pts; 2nd Sophie Lundie +48pts; 3rd Rachel Wood +46pts

Doubles 

1st round: Alison Hutchison & Iona Chorley bt Catherine Abercrombie & Juliana Murphy 15-0, 15-0; Jemima Mitchell & Phoebe Thornhill bt Lottie Merrylees & Katie Parry 15-0, 15-0; Rachel Wood & Charlie Roberts bt Evelyn Terry & Emily Hodgson 15-0, 15-4; Eleonora Vallascas & Julie McIntyre bt Charlotte Bruce & Lauren Osborne-Patterson 15-0, 15-0
Quarter-finals: Helena Tunks & Shinan Zhang bt Alison Hutchinson & Iona Chorley 15-0, 15-0; Savanna Leboff & Zara Elliot bt Jemima Mitchell & Phoebe Thornhill 15-2, 15-8; Kirsten Bell & Lizzie Ware bt Rachel Wood & Charlie Roberts 15-1, 15-1; Camille Beattie & Sophie Lundie bt Eleonora Vallascas & Julie McIntyre 15-4, 15-0
Semi-finals: Tunks & Zhang bt Leboff & Elliot 15-8, 15-13; Beattie & Lundie bt Bell & Ware 15-8, 15-6
Final: Tunks & Zhang bt Beattie & Lundie 15-6, 15-10
3rd place play-off: Leboff & Elliot bt Bell & Ware 16-14, 15-8
Plate: Mitchell & Thornhill bt Vallascas & McIntyre 15-5

The assembled participants

The Women’s Singles champion with Paula Smith

Singles finalists Shinan and Camille

Singles Plate winner Eleonora

Doubles champions a second time

Runners-up in the Doubles

Doubles finalists Helena, Shinan, Camille and Sophie

Plate winners Jemima and Phoebe

No words needed!