The Lewis Park Tennis Tournament hosted by the Courtenay Recreation Centre and the Comox Valley Tennis Club was held Aug. 10-11. The event garnered 37 players from Powell River and many Vancouver Island communities.
The event encourages participation at every level of skill and age, with an approximately 60/40 split between the A and B event players. The spectators sprawled along the banks of the river were treated to a very good calibre of tennis as many participants honed their skills for the upcoming Senior National Championships beginning Aug. 22 in Vancouver.
Flois Aranas, formerly an active member of the tennis club now living in Langley, reminisced about the early days of organized tennis in the Comox Valley after his defeat in the Men’s A Singles.
Of note were a couple of Super Seniors. Gordon Verge, age 79 from Parksville, competed in the A event Mixed Doubles and partnered with Alan Gale from Nanaimo to reach the A event Men’s Doubles final where they were defeated by the much younger father and son team of Al and Jeremy Folster from Campbell River in round robin play.
Our own Comox Valley Tennis Club president, Don Axtell, who recently celebrated his 70th birthday, reached the A Men’s Singles final where he was defeated by Al Folster. Marjorie Milliken, aged 66 from Courtenay, won the Ladies B Singles in a three-hour, five-minute, three-set marathon match in round robin play against Debra Hayhoe from Cowichan. Truly, tennis is a sport for life!
Other results:
Mixed Doubles A: Winners Donna Folster & Jeremy Folster (Campbell River); Finalists: Kim Rogers & Alan Gale (Nanaimo)
Mixed Doubles B: Winners Kristine Aubin & Mike Bellis (Nanaimo); Finalists Chichi Ang & Duff Reilly (Courtenay)
Men’s Doubles B: Winners Barry Larson & Steve Pettit (Nanaimo); Finalists Mike Bellis & Alan Earp-Jones (Nanaimo).
Men;s B Singles: Winner Barry Larson Finalist Steve Pettit (Nanaimo)
Ladies’ Doubles A: Winners Kim Rogers & Debbie Harit (Nanaimo); Finalists Colleen Johnson (Victoria) & Donna Folster.
Ladies Doubles B: Sheila Precious & Sue Twose (Courtenay); Finalists Chichi Ang & Joane Arsenault (Courtenay)
Tournament director Cathy Curry remarked: “By all accounts, this year’s tournament, although not as big an entry as we had hoped, was a great success. This tournament wouldn’t be possible without the hard-working volunteers and the generosity of our sponsors.”
Many participants expressed their enjoyment of the tournament and their appreciation for the hospitality of the Comox Valley Tennis Club and vowed to spread the word and return next year.
The Comox Valley Tennis Club gratefully acknowledges the City of Courtenay, Comox Valley Regional District, High Strung Raquets, VI Fitness, Plates and Boston Pizza, for their support which greatly contributed to the overall success of the tournament.
– Comox Valley Tennis Club
