A season’s successes for Cambridge Fives 2023-24

July 25, 2024RLDNews

July 2024

Bob Dolby reports: Last December I reported on what had been a tremendously successful start to the 2023-24 season for Cambridge Fives players, with Ben Beltrami winning his first National Singles, unfortunately at expense of now three-time runner-up Ed Kay. Ed’s day will surely come, though, as he continues to win regional titles, the first this season having been the South West Open Singles and Doubles titles, followed by the South East Singles.

The other successes before the Christmas break were for Marcus Cloke Browne in winning the Universities Singles title and for his Doubles partner Emrys Thursfield, who won the South East Challenger Singles. Charlie Brooks added to his haul of Doubles titles (14 now) at the London Open, as did Ben Beltrami at the West of England Open.

Since I last reported things have only got better for Ben, Charlie and Ed. Ben won the North West Open Singles and at the same event the Doubles with Charlie. Now on a roll, Ben then went on to win the North of England Open Doubles (making it 8 doubles titles now) and his 2nd Winchester Fives Open Doubles, but not to be outdone Ed won the National Doubles for the 3rd time — he’s up to 38 national and regional Singles and Doubles titles now.

While the men battled it out at the various tournaments Helena Tunks, playing her Fives in London with the Executioners, did a remarkable treble, first winning her 1st National Women’s Doubles in Manchester, then her 2nd RFA Rugby Fives Mixed Doubles at Alleyn’s and finally her 2nd Women’s Winchester Fives Doubles at Bradfield.

Towards the end of the season more success came to our older players, with Andy Pringle doing another impressive double by winning both the Veterans (his 4th) and Vintage Doubles (his 2nd), while Bernard Atkinson was winning his 3rd Grand Masters Doubles title.

All in all 19 gold medals won by CU Past and Present, not to mention an ample number of silver and bronze.

The recently staged South West Open Championships at Blundell’s School actually constitute the first tournament of the new 2024-25 season. Given that Ed Kay won the Singles once more, beating Ben Beltrami in the final, and that the two of them teamed up to win the Doubles, it looks pretty promising for the future!