The ESMBA National Over 55 Pairs were held at Solihull with three Norfolk pairs taking to the mats for the group stages. In Group 2 Hingham’s Joy Townsend & Graham Tweed, playing as Norfolk 2, beat Cornwall 1 by 15-4 but defeats against North Yorks 3 and Essex 4 saw them finish third in the group and fail to progress. Norfolk 3, Shropham’s Andrew Rawnsley & Richard Broad, were in Group 15 and failed to make it through after losing their three games. The only Norfolk pair to win through the group stage was Will Townsend of Hingham and Terry Newby of Carleton Rode who took maximum points in Group 11 beating Oxfordshire 1, Hampshire 3 & Hertfordshire 4. They continued their good run with a 10-4 win against Jean Bridges & Peter Arthur of North Yorkshire in the Last 32 round. Another victory followed in the Last 16 stage as they beat Alan Bull & Peter Collins of Humberside 13-11. This earned them a quarter-final spot where they faced Lawrence & Chantel Ireland of North Yorkshire but that proved to be the end of their run as they were defeated 11-6. A close final went down to the last wood with Dave Ekins & Chris Weston of Northants beating Surrey’s Sue & Steve Tuttle.
Terry Newby & Will Townsend pictured at the Norfolk Qualifier
The Champions Dave Ekins & Chris Weston of Northamptonshire