Rutger Beijderwellen won the Winchester One-ball Charity Championship

[<<] [>>] by Kevin Carter
25th April 2005 (Other News)

Rutger Beijderwellen swept all before him in this year's Winchester One-ball Charity Championship, winning both the 'Cryptorchid' handicap and the 'Monorchid' advanced level events. So comprehensively has Rutger embraced the skills and tactics of one-ball that it would be good to see him take on one or two of the more illustrious past champions, such as Robert Fulford or Stephen Mulliner.

In fact, the final of the level competition had a very international flavour, with Dutch champion, Rutger, beating former Polish and Welsh champion, Tony Mrozinski. But nobody could match Rutger's shooting and hooping and he also made the best break of the weekend, an eleven-hoop break from the second, to finish, which is a significant accomplishment, given how difficult are the Winchester hoops. Kevin Carter beat James Tuttiett in the third place play-off.

This year's event supported Cancer Research UK and heats were held in three clubs, with 15% of all entry fees, from the heats and from direct entries, going to the charity.

Two heat winners performed well. Charlie Askew, from Northampton, played doggedly throughout the weekend and deserved his consolation Swiss win after being eliminated from the main level event. Graham Brightwell, who won the Surbiton heat, won his first six games in the handicap Swiss competition, but wilted under pressure late on Saturday afternoon, to allow three other players - James Tuttiett, Chris Daniels and Rutger - to join him on 7 wins from 9 games. This was resolved by means of semi-finals and a final, but by then, Rutger was in full flow and he saw off first Chris, then James.

Winchester should be congratulated on having their lawns in such good condition in time for this most enjoyable tournament.