Mackays maintain midas touch
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HUSBAND and wife Shona and Mark Mackay starred in the Caithness Invitation Badminton Tournament in Wick and Thurso games halls.
Numbers were down this year due to other commitments, with the regular contingent missing and players from both Orkney and Shetland thin on the ground. The entry in the singles competition in Wick was augmented by a clutch of very enthusiastic juniors who all stepped up to the plate and learned from the experience.
But the Dunnet couple continued their dominance of recent competitions as they won through their schedule of matches to secure their respective singles titles. They continued in this vein over the course of the weekend with each emerging unbeaten to take home all five trophies. Mark teamed up with club-mate Martyn Cook to take the level doubles while Shona partnered Pam Bain to take the ladies doubles.
Although the overall entry was down, the tournament, run by Casey Sangster, proved just as successful if maybe not quite so competitive as in recent years. Next year, Pauline Gunn takes over the running of the event after Casey hands over the baton after 16 years at the helm.
The weekend competition was sponsored by Dounreay Community Fund, JGC Welding, WA Geddes and J. Sangster Electrician and Plumbing.
Results (A – Aberdeen; C – Caithness; O – Orkney; S – Shetland): men’s singles – semi-finals – Mark Mackay (C) bt Gordon Keith (S) 21-11,21-12. Peter Sangster (C) bt Martyn Cook (C) 21-17, 21-14. Final – Mackay bt Sangster 21-5, 21-8.
Plate – final – Owen Harrold (C) bt Matthew Sinclair (C)19-21, 13-21, 21-16.
Women’s singles – semi-finals – Shona Mackay (C) bt Kirsty Grant (A) 21-11, 21-11. Donna Majilton (C) bt Stephanie Keith (S) 24-22, 21-13. Final Mackay bt Majilton 21-11, 21-8.
Plate – final – Michelle Cowie (C) bt Katie Cunningham (C) 21-5, 21-6.
Men’s doubles – semi finals – Mark Mackay and Martyn Cook bt James Swan (C) and Sam Campbell (C) 21-8, 21-12. Gordon Keith and Graham Keith (S) bt Benjii Mackay (C) and Peter Sangster 21-16, 21-17. Final – Mackay and Cook bt G. and G. Keith 21-16, 21-18.
Plate – Matthew Sinclair (C) and Martin Nicolson (C) bt Owen Harrold (C) and Rory MacDougall (C) 24-22, 21-15.
Women’s doubles – semi finals – Shona Mackay and Pam Bain (C) bt Kate MacNicol (C) and Stephanie Keith 21-10, 21-17. Casey Sangster (C) and Carole Begg (C) bt Martin Nicolson and Elaine Gray (O) 21-19, 21-12. Final – Mackay and Bain bt Sangster and Begg 21-14, 21-9.
Plate – Majilton and Cowie bt Pauline Gunn (C) and Marina Swanson (C) 17-21, 21-19, 21-19.
Mixed doubles – semi finals – Shona and Mark Mackay bt Pam Bain and Martyn Cook – 21-7, 21-11. Begg and Peter Sangster bt Casey Sangster and Gordon Keith 21-13, 21-16. Final – S and M Mackay bt Begg and Peter Sangster 21-19, 21-14.
Plate – final – Ruth Flett (O) and Martin Flett (O) bt McNicol and Craig Jappy (C) 21-19, 22-20.
