North Bay's Shaw repeats as Canadian tennis champion
Article content
Rob Shaw is a Canadian champion once again.
The 2018 Birmingham National Wheelchair Tennis Championships took place Nov. 22-25 at the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre and Shaw, North Bay’s Top-10 world-ranked quad tennis player finished, on top for a fourth consecutive year.
Shaw won the singles final 6-0, 6-1 over Gary Luker, with whom he teamed up with to win doubles, as well. Shaw recorded his best-ever season also winning two ITF events earlier in the year.
“It is an amazing feeling to once again defend my national singles and doubles titles,” he says. “I have put in so much work these past 12 months and am satisfied to see my efforts pay off in what was a very solid tournament for me.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to cap off what has been my best professional tennis season to date. I’m looking forward to defending my titles next year in Montreal.”
U18 team O’Bright golden at home
The Granite Club was abuzz on the opening weekend of December as more than 80 boys and girls under the age of 18 visited North Bay from places such as Sault Ste. Marie, Smooth Rock Falls, Sudbury, New Liskeard, Hearst, Englehart, and other communities to challenge for a title at North Bay’s stop on Northern Ontario Youth Challenge Tour.
Twelve competitive teams and eight developmental entries comprised the event, hosted by John Burns and his committee of facilitators, coaches and volunteer chefs. All participants were treated to two home-cooked meals, a minimum of three games and prizes.
Come Sunday the top honour went to North Bay’s local travelling team of skip Malcolm O’Bright, vice Andrew Hong, second Dylan Burns, lead Sean Breadmore, alternate Kyle Vainio, manager John Burns, and coach Dave Bondett.
The O’Bright rink overcame rivals Joshua Landry, Jordan Menard, Aiden Manners, and Kolby Fleury of the Horne Granite Club in New Liskeard in what they hope is foreshadowing of a championship final at the Northern Ontario Curling Association Under-18 Provincial March 7-10, 2019, in Fort Frances.
In B event action, Tyler Smith’s Sudbury crew overcame Team Jessica Amyot of New Liskeard, while the C event was captured by New Liskeard’s Kenzie McLean over Mia Toner’s foursome of Sudbury.
A developmental category was orchestrated by the Granite Club’s junior program co-ordinator, Mike Callahan, where Englehart’s Ava Brownlee took first place. A local team involving Michael Miller, Ellie McClelland, Alysha Stricker, Tommy Levasseur and James Foley played in their very first competition and is now planning a trip out of town for one of the following tour events.
Many thanks go out to organizers and sponsors for their contributions to this endeavour in support of our next-generation curlers. Arrangements are already being made to ensure a return of this event in 2019.
Bobby Ray is general manager of the North Bay Granite Club
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.