The Edinburgh Reporter November 2023

SPORT 23

CHARLOTTE KERSHAW

and Joel Akhurst are ladies

and men’s singles champions

at Lomond Park tennis club,

Trinity, for 2023.

In the final Charlotte

defeated Harriet Balloch

while Joel came out on top

against Euan Ward.

OTHER FINAL RESULTS...

• Ladies doubles – Harriet
  Balloch and Charlotte
  Kershaw beat Bernadette
  Capaldi and Jane McCauley.


• Men’s doubles – Euan Ward
  and David Reid defeated
  Graeme Milne and Duncan
  McFadzean.


• Mixed doubles – Phil

Mullery and Bernadette

Capaldi defeated Jerry

Balloch and Harriet Balloch.

PLATE EVENTS...

• Ladies singles – Val
  McKenzie.


• Men’s singles – Nik

Stansfeld.

• Ladies doubles – Lynne
  Lineen and Kathryn Hardie.


• Men’s doubles – James
  Beaton-Hill and Arthur
  Cross.


• Mixed doubles – Kathryn
  Hardie and Graeme Hardie.

JOPPA, represented by

Emma Devine and Finn

McLean, took the venerable

Pringle Cup – 65 years old

• when they defeated
  Musselburgh in a final
  hosted by Craigmillar Park

Tennis and Padel at

Cameron Toll.

Musselburgh were

represented by James

Towlson and Ruiqing Hu.

Some 15 mixed doubles

pairings from 13 East of

Scotland clubs including the

far travelled Kirkcaldy and

North Berwick competed in

what was a social as well as

a competitive event.

Joppa will now host the

Pringle Cup in 2024.

A Slam dunk for

girls basketball

Special night for Hearts

Lomond Park Tennis champs

Joppa win the Pringle Cup

CITY OF EDINBURGH basketball club have

expanded their programme for primary 5-7 girls

after initial successes.

Started in 2021 with monthly tournaments,

coach Mhari Campbell is now holding

three weekly training sessions for 40 girls

across Edinburgh.

Ten of these girls were this year selected to

attend training camps run by Basketball

Scotland for talented youngsters and many of

those who started out in the programme are now

playing competitively at under-12 and under-14

level with some aspiring to regional play.

“Coach Campbell says: “After recognising a

number of girls with lots of potential and

enthusiasm, I started a Junior WNBA Talent

Programme which gives selected girls an

extra session per week where they can still

have the same fun but develop skills in a more

focused environment.

“Sessions are at an affordable price to keep

it inclusive.

“I take great pride in being part of these kids’

growth from little girls to basketball players.

The girls come to each session smiling, excited

and eager to learn and that’s what makes me love

m y j o b .”

C of E club official Garreth Lodge pays tribute,

saying: “Mhari is the mastermind behind an

amazing project and has even started a high

performance development programme for

talented young girls from it.”

Sessions are either at Portobello or Holyrood

High School. For more information e-mail:

[email protected]

HEART OF Midlothian swimming club,

Edinburgh, had a night to remember at the

annual Scottish Swim awards.

Nominated for “club of the year” although

they missed out to eventual winners Lerwick

in a final three that also included Renfrew it

was still a significant achievement to stand

on the podium.

The photo above shows some of the

delighted Heart of Midlothian contingent

with a plaque to mark their success which

came after they had to compile a video and

undertake interviews to reach the final three.

Holly McGill recently moved to Stirling

University having represented Great Britain

at the European Junior Championships then

Scotland at the Commonwealth Youth

Games during the summer.

Also at the awards dinner were

Phil Potter (head coach), Michael Adamek

(assistant head coach), Claire Mackie

(committee member) and Jennifer McGill

(entries secretary).

Another factor contributing to the

nomination may have been sending a coach

and five swimmers to Sheffield for the

National County Team championships as

part of the East of Scotland squad placing

a commendable 11th in A Division.

President Elinor Crofts said: “We are

especially proud of the recognition our

swimmer of the month award provides.

It isn’t about who is the fastest or best

swimmer but recognises those who put in

the extra effort. Our swimmers have said this

makes them feel valued.

“The club is thriving with a continual

stream of new enquiries and run regular

trials for new starts to ensure they go into

the appropriate squad."

Any new members are welcome and should

contact [email protected] or fill in

the form at http://www.swimhearts.com

Left to right: Layla Wedderspoon, Ellie Starkey (coach),

Holly McGill, Elinor Crofts (president), Keir Stormonth, Alice Mackie

Emma Devine and Finn McLean are pictured

with organiser Aly Findlay (centre)

Ten girls selected for Basketball Scotland training

Doubles winners Charlotte

Kershaw and Harriet Balloch Euan Ward and David Reid