[<<] [>>] by Chris Roberts at Nottingham Croquet Club
12 Aug 2012 (GC)

Tobi Savage of Ramsgate won this first qualification event for the All England GC Handicap Competition, beating Watford's Steve Dennis in the final.

Six other players also qualified and they will be joined by a further eight from Area Final South at Hamptworth CC this coming Sunday (19th August). The National Final will be held at Colchester CC on 22nd & 23rd September.

Tobi won this event in 2010 and will be joined at National Final the runner-up in the competition that year, Stuart Smith of Broadwas. They both won their respective blocks, as did the 2011 winner, and current title holder, Nick Archer of Watford. Also qualified are last season's runner-up Steve Dennis, also of Watford, Martin Wroughton (Ashby), David Whyte (Dulwich), Philip Holmes (Colchester) and Robert Staddon (Letchworth).

This event started with local rounds played at players' own clubs so all those taking part in the area final was already a winner by dint of their participation.
The process of perming eight qualifiers from a field of 18 made the maths pretty simple with three blocks of six.
Qualifiers were known by the end of the block round with the first two in each block being joined by (in true 'Olympic style'), the best two 3rd placed players.

Thereafter, three rounds of ranking games were provided for all players to establish a finishing order for the day and everyone therefore played eight games.

Pauline Donner of Woodhall Spa, was the unlucky 'third best third' after the block results but kept her game together well to come through the ranking games to finish 9th overall and hence become the first on the North reserve list of the National Final. She can also boast perhaps the best personal result of the day as being the only player to reduce her handicap (from 9 to 8).

Thank you to all the players for making this event so enjoyable, Nottingham CC for the use of their splendid courts and facilities, and to Ian Vincent, the Nottingham Secretary for his liaison.
Thank too, to Frances Colman for refereeing duties and co-management on the day and I am delighted to say that Frances will be managing the National Final.
And a special thanks also to Nottingham player Kath Wright who was putting in hoops as we arrived, played all day, cleared three of the lawns, did the washing up and then had to cycle home - what a trooper!

1. Qualifiers:

1st Tobi Savage (Ramsage)
2nd Steve Dennis (Watford)
3rd Sturat Smith (Broadwas)
4th Martin Wroughton (Ashby)
5th David Whyte (Dulwich)
6th Nick Archer (Watford)
7th Philip Holmes (Colchester)
8th Robert Staddon (Letchworth)

Non-Qualifiers (North Reserves in Order)

9th Pauline Donner (Woodhall Spa)
10th Anne Dennis (Watford)
11th Kath Wright (Nottingham)
12th Ian Dampney (Broadwas)
13th Michael Manning (Colchester)
14th Colin Gregory (Letchworth)
15th= Maureen Croft (Watford)
15th= Maggie Cowman (Ripon)
17th Gill Brent (Ripon)
18th Stuart Arthur (Ripon)