Mackay keeps up proud record in men’s singles at Orkney championships
Mark Mackay has continued his domination of the men’s singles at the Orkney Badminton Association SSEN Championships.
The 49-year-old Dunnet farmer won the final against Shetland’s Thomas Calder, keeping up his proud record of having won the singles every year he has attended the tournament since it began in 1996.
Mark also lifted the mixed doubles title with fellow Caithness player Lauren Gunn and the consolation men’s doubles with Rory Irvine of Shetland.
Seven players from Caithness made the trip across the Pentland Firth for the competition in Kirkwall Grammar School.
The Friday night saw the singles, with Chloe Mackenzie (Dunnet) involved as well as Mark.
Mark faced Orkney’s Matthew Reid in round one of the men’s singles. Mark had a slow start, losing the first set 22-24, but took the second and third 21-14, 21-17.
In the quarter-finals Mark overcame Shetland’s Rory Irvine 21-12, 21-14. His semi-final was against Salim Ben Boudinar (Glasgow and North Strathclyde), with Mark winning both sets 21-14.
The final against Thomas Calder was a rematch of the Highland restricted tournament at the end of September. Mark won the final in three sets on that occasion.
This time it ended in a 21-15, 21-14 victory for Mark.
In the ladies’ singles Chloe had two pool games against Orkney opponents – first against Rebecca Reid, with Rebecca winning 21-17, 21-17, then against overall winner Jody Groundwater, with Jody coming out on top 21-15, 21-18.
Chloe went into the consolation final where she beat Orkney’s Gemma Foulis 21-17, 20-22, 25-23.
On the Saturday the level doubles were followed by the mixed doubles. Mark and Chloe were joined by fellow Caithness players Lauren Gunn, Pauline Craig, Donna Majilton, Grant Steven and Matthew Robertson.
Chloe teamed up with Lauren in the ladies’ doubles. In the quarter-finals they defeated Orkney’s Joanne Pottinger and Emma Work 21-17, 18-21, 21-16.
That put the Caithness duo into the semis against number one seeds Gemma Foulis and Shannon Leslie, and after some well-fought rallies the Orkney pair won 23-21, 21-18.
Pauline Craig and Donna Majilton took on Jody Groundwater and Rebecca Reid (both Orkney). Jody and Rebecca took the victory, placing Pauline and Donna in the consolation event where they lost 21-15, 21-12 to Ella Haime (Lanarkshire) and Alison Shearer (Lothian).
Matthew and Grant took on Shetland’s Darren Forrest and Joe Thomson in the first round of the men’s doubles, with the Caithness pair winning 21-12, 21-16. They then lost out 21-12, 21-11 to Orkney duo Stephen Hill and Gary Nicolson.
Mark paired up with Rory Irvine. They lost their first game against Orkney brothers Tommy and Erlend Ballantine 17-21, 21-14, 21-12, placing them in the consolation.
They first played David Delday (Orkney) and Sam Rendall (Lothian), with Mark and Rory triumphing 21-19, 23-21 after a great contest with some lengthy rallies.
In the final Mark and Rory dominated from the start against Orcadian father and son Ross and Sam Groundwater, running out winners by 21-7, 21-12.
Number one seeds Mark and Lauren met Orkney’s Cath Bremner and Calvin Slater in round two of the mixed doubles, with Mark and Lauren winning 21-4, 21-9.
They faced brother and sister Sam and Jody Groundwater in the quarter-finals, with the Caithness pair winning 21-12, 21-15. Their semi-final opponents were Matthew and Rebecca Reid, with the siblings taking the first set 21-19 – leaving it all to play for.
Mark and Lauren took the second and third sets 21-18, 21-13, putting them into the final against second seeds Andrew Reid and Shannon Leslie. Mark and Lauren won 21-13, 25-23 after a nail-biting second set.
Pauline paired up with Shetland’s Darren Forrest, losing their first game to Orkney siblings Matthew and Rebecca Reid 21-3, 21-6. This placed them in the consolation where they faced Orkney’s Erlend Ballantine and Moira Nicolson, with the Orkney pair winning 21-13, 21-10.
Grant and Chloe played second seeds Andrew Reid and Shannon Leslie in their first match, losing 21-15, 21-7, putting them into the consolation event. After a game of good rallies they lost out 21-16, 21-14 to Sam Rendall and Ella Haime.
