THE Wangaratta Lawn Tennis Croquet and Pickleball Club was buzzing on Sunday, 13 April as it held the final major event on its 2024/25 calendar, the second last round of the North East seniors tournaments. Club organisers Kevin Callahan and Michael Falkenberg were very pleased to welcome a total of 53 players aged 30-plus to play at the picturesque Merriwa Park club. Players came from as far north as Wagga Wagga and from clubs in Melbourne, plus local North East towns such as Euroa, Shepparton, Benalla, Albury Wodonga, and Nathalia, as well as Wangaratta. All players and their visitors appreciated the weather was ideal autumnal North East conditions. The courts were in immaculate condition, particularly considering they are now at the end of another long hot dry summer season, and the catering run by the club members was delicious and plentiful. The event was again generously sponsored by Gapsted Winery. The tournament was a round robin format so each court winner and runner up could choose a bottle of wine to their taste as their prize. Some of the players indicated they were staying on in the region for the Easter break (for further tennis) and said they would most likely visit Gapsted and other wineries while in the area as ‘tennis tourists’. Tennis is still being played on the Wangaratta lawn courts over the winter break, and there is still one final seniors 30-plus tournament to be held in Yarrawonga in May. Results Ladies Section 1 – Winner: Kate Campbell (Benalla) 30/15. Runner up: Palmira Rigoli (Euroa), Frances Lawrence (Euroa) 21/24. Section 2 – Winner: Helen Ginnevan (Nathalia) 18/11. Runner up: Faye Mollison (Benalla) 16/13. Section 3 – Winner: Sue Piper (Wangaratta) 26/14. Runner up: Phillipa Slinger (Nathalia) 24/16. Section 4 - Cate Geard (Wangaratta), Mary Kelly (Euroa) 28/20. Runner up: Cherrelynne Saunders (Mill Park) 22/26. Men Section 1 – Winner: John Brunner (Wangaratta) 29/19. Runner up: Michael Reid (Albury) 27/21. Section 2 – Winner: Mark Brown (Wangaratta) 31/15. Runner up: Matt Curran (Wangaratta) 26/22. Section 3 – Winner: Jamie Almond (Corowa) 31/19. Runner up: Ash Weston (Violet Town) 25/25. Section 4 – Winner: Grant O’Callaghan (Shepparton) 29/16. Runner up: Brian Jones (Corowa) 24/21. Section 5 – Winner: Noel Boyd (Wangaratta) 29/26. Runner up: Gerry King (Melbourne) 28/24. Section 6 – Winner: Peter Curran (Wangaratta) 30/17. Runner up: Greg Renner (Wangaratta) 24/23. Section 7 – Winner: Paul Ryan (Wagga Wagga) 28/24. Runner up: David Godkin (Wangaratta) 27/24. Section 8 – Winner: Ray Hempill (Corowa) 30/10. Runner up: Bruce Boyd (Benalla) 19/21.
