The drama of the Centre Court enveloped Pickleball on Saturday as entrants packed their paddles (aka bats) and gathered for the inaugural Bishop Monkton Pickeball Championships.

Over the following two hours a near capacity crowd would discover who could best combine their own natural talent with the skills learnt over the season from award-winning coach Dorothy Culshaw.

Based on a round robin doubles format where everyone played with and against everyone else, players kept their own scores from each round-then the four players with the highest individual totals entered a play-off format to decide the overall Champion.

The players who made the final 4 were Chantal Ireland, Ruth Abel, Graham Banks and Dorothy Culshaw and after a tense finale Graham Banks was crowned ‘Champion Pickleballer of the Year’.

We would like to thank everyone who came for their participation and sportsmanship and for contributing to a really fun afternoon.

Pickleball sessions run on Monday and Friday afternoons (from 2-4pm and 4-6pm respectively) and on Wednesday evenings from 6pm. Non- members are welcome to come along at any of these times for a free taster session-we will lend you a paddle (aka bat!).