Successes for Cambridge players in the new season 2024-25

29th October 2024

Bob Dolby reports on success for Cambridge Fives players Past and Present

The new Fives season is now well underway. There have now been five regional tournaments played — the South West Open at Blundell’s School, the South East Open at Christ’s Hospital, the Yorkshire Open at Derby Moor Academy, the London Open at Alleyn’s School and most recently the West of England Open at Sherborne School. I am delighted to report that all 5 Singles titles were won by two of our recent captains of CURFC: Ed Kay and Ben Beltrami. Moreover, 4 of the Doubles titles were won by Ed, Ben or Charlie Brooks, another of our past captains of the CU Club.

Meanwhile some of our current students have been competing in these regional events, building up to the National U25 Championships for Men and Women to be held at St Paul’s School over the first weekend of November. I am delighted to say that they too have had success, with club captain Marcus Cloke Browne & Emrys Thursfield winning the Doubles Plate at the Yorkshire Open and Marcus runner-up in the Singles Plate at the same event.

Next up after the National U25s will be the National Singles Championship for the Jesters Club Cup, where Ben Beltrami will be aiming to successfully defend his title he won for the first time last year, the first Cambridge player to win the cup since Dave Hebden defeated Wayne Enstone in 1979. Ed Kay for his part will be endeavouring to reverse last year’s result after coming runner-up on three occasions.

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At the first tournament of the new season Ed Kay won the South West Open Singles title for the fourth time, defeating fellow Sparrow Ben Beltrami in the final. Ed and Ben then teamed up to win the Doubles. The trophies were awarded by the legend of the game Wayne Enstone, who was celebrating 40 years of running the event on the courts at Blundell’s School in TIverton.

At the second regional tournament of the season at Christ’s Hospital Ed Kay wins the South East Open Singles in August 2024, beating Dan Tristao in the final.

Ben Beltrami wins his second regional Singles title at the Yorkshire Open in September, and makes it a double by winning the Doubles playing with Theo Parker. Marcus Cloke Browne is runner-up in the Singles Plate. Marcus & Emrys Thursfield win the Doubles Plate.

At the London Open at Alleyn’s School in late September Ed Kay wins the Singles and Charlie Brooks the Doubles, with Dan Tristao. It’s Charlie’s 15th Doubles title.

Finally Ben Beltrami does the double once more at the West of England Open at Sherborne School in October, winning the Singles and, with Penn Chai, the Doubles too.