Husband and wife pairing Darrel and Julie Turner were the winners of the Huddersfield and District Badminton League  annual mixed doubles veterans tournament.

The event, held at Honley High School, was well supported with players from all divisions entering the handicapped event.

Indeed, Indu Gupta, from Fartown, has played only one match this season, while Beaumont Park’s Julie Turner has yet to play a match for her club side, but both ladies played extremely well against more experienced opposition.

Valley St James players Hadrian Clarke and Kim Stothard reached the semi-finals as group winners and met the Turners of Beaumont Park.

The Division I pairing of Clarke and Stothard had much the higher handicap, but the Division V pairing of Turner and Turner played very well to eventually win the match 21-13.

The second semi-final was between  Ian Carpenter, of Shepley, and Helen Pearman, of St Cuthbert’s, and the Royds Hall pairing of Les Newby and Diane Horton.

The handicap in this match was much closer, with Carpenter and Pearman starting on scratch and Newby and Horton starting on +6.

The match was extremely close with Carpenter and Pearman the eventual winners 21-20.

The final between Carpenter and Pearman starting on -2 and the Turners, who were starting on +9, was very close throughout.

Both pairs battled hard to win the final few points which could have swung the match either way – but it was Turner and Turner who eventually won the tournament with the final score of 21-18.

Competitiors at the Huddersfield Badminton League's veterans mixed doubles
Competitiors at the Huddersfield Badminton League's veterans mixed doubles