It started with a downpour, and ended in a heat wave last weekend at the Kalamalka Country Club.
Through it all, spectators were treated to some stellar tennis at the 87th annual Hankey Cup Doubles Tennis Championships over the Canada Day long weekend.
The event included men’s, women’s and mixed A and B doubles in a round-robin format, with teams guaranteed at least three matches.
In the men’s A doubles final, Vernon’s Jeremy Bell and West Martin of Sicamous grounded brothers Jim and Kristian Kiland of Prince George, 6-4, 6-4.
In the semifinals, Bell and Martin brushed back the Vernon pair of Ralph Stevens and Shane Valouch, 6-3, 7-5.
In the men’s B doubles final, Vernon’s Joe McFadden and Alan Brunelle fell to Allen and Eric Knight of Calgary, 6-4, 6-3.
In the semis, the Knights stopped Vernon’s Mark Corbett and Pat Hughes, 6-4, 6-4, in one semi, while the father-son tandem of Murray and Ryan Bennetto bowed to McFadden and Brunelle, 6-0, 6-1, in the other.
In the ladies A and B doubles, the results were determined by round-robin rankings, as there was only one pool each in the ladies doubles.
In the ladies A doubles, first place went to Vernon’s Meryl Ogden and Rosie Schaich of Kelowna, as the pair did not lose a set in their round-robin, going 10-0.
Second went to Eva Koksalove and Elena Audy of Kelowna, who went 8-2, and third place went to the Vernon pair of Lisa Sousa and Supha Phonchiangkwang, who went 5-5.
In the ladies B doubles, first place went to Vernon’s Anne Ellis and Wendi Varley of Predator Ridge with a score of 9-1, while another Vernon team – Bonnie Anderson and Barb Teichman – placed fourth.
In the mixed A doubles final, the Kal’s Ogden and Derek Lord bowed to Rosie and Joe Schaich of Kelowna, 10-4, for the championship.
In the semis, Ogden and Lord stopped Wendi and Jeremy Bell, 10-6, while the Schaichs turned back Koksalove and Craig Tilander of Vernon, 10-4.
The mixed B doubles final was an all-Vernon affair, as the father-daughter team of Leena and Murray Bennetto captured the title by defeating Judi McIntosh and Gary Edwards, 10-2.
Tournament director Ray Kimoto thanked the spectators who came out throughout the three days to watch some great tennis.
“What can we say about the weather?” said Kimoto. “We were very fortunate to get through the matches the first day (rain), but we made it.”
Kimoto also thanked his hard-working tennis committee of Gordon Mann, Karalee Drdul-Mann, Dave Valouch, Gary Davidson and Robin MacRae for their contribution and hard work, grounds keeper Tony Bastien for all his help, and to Voets Coffee for supplying the coffee.
