Caithness six battle for honours in Scottish International Masters Championships
Six players from Caithness competed in the Badminton Scotland 2025 Scottish International Masters Championships in Glasgow.
The tournament had an entry of more than 300 across age groups from 35-plus to 70-plus. The Caithness contingent included European gold medallist Mark Mackay and his wife Shona Mackay, this being her first tournament since being injured at the 2023 Island Games, along with Jane Grant, Carole Begg, Sam Campbell and John Durrand.
In the 35-plus section Shona took part in the ladies’ doubles with Catherine Andersson they won one of their two group games. Shona then competed in the mixed doubles with husband Mark, who played down the ages to play with Shona, and they topped their group – beating the 3/4 seeds 21-17, 21-17.
In the semi-finals they faced the number one seeds and the Mackays came through 21-18, 19-21, 21-16. In the final they lost out to Nikita Kolomnin and Kimberley Clague after a great three-setter, the last game of the tournament.
The Mackays lost the first 21-10, won the second 21-16 and were edged out 21-19 in the third.
John Durrand competed in the 40-plus category, playing level doubles with Dimitris Kyprianou, and they won two of their three group matches.
In the mixed John partnered Laura Muir, losing their group matches.
Mark Mackay then played singles in the 45-plus section. He won all this group games comfortably, placing him in the final where he faced Stephen Morrison.
Mark picked up gold, winning 21-8, 21-8.
Mark played level doubles with Craig Lamb and they were seeded number one. They won all their group games in two sets, securing their place in the final where they took on fellow Scots Ross Campbell and Frazer McCulloch.
Mark and Craig ran out winners 21-14, 21-17.
Carole Begg was in the 50-plus section. She played level doubles with fellow Scot Karen Aitken and they won two of their three group matches.
In the mixed, Carole played with Craig Lamb and they came out on top in all their group games to reach the quarter-finals.
They edged out Torben Agerup and Lene Kjaer 21-18, 18-21, 21-19 before losing 21-17, 21-13 to Craig Robertson and Jane Ashfold in the semi-finals.
Jane Grant and Sam Campbell played in the 65-plus category.
Jane played singles and had some great games, while in the level doubles she partnered fellow Scot Jill Gladwin-Greig and they won one of their three group matches.
In the mixed Jane played with Ross Gladwin and they also won one of their three games.
Sam played in the men’s singles and had two tough games. In the level doubles he teamed up with John MacCulloch, from the Black Isle, and they won one of their three games in the group stages.
