BOLTON'S veterans took two of the top titles at the Yehlex English National Championships in Sussex.
Julian Priestley (Markland Hill BC) teamed up with Sue Crompton from Essex to win the over-40's mixed doubles' title, and ABC's Avril Sloane and Markland Hill's Bill Hamblett saw off the opposition to become over-55s mixed champions.
Bill narrowly missed a "double" when he and his Bury BC partner Graham Holt came runners-up in the men's doubles.
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In the Bolton Badminton League, Westhoughton C are still pushing for promotion from C Section but encountered a determined Forrest E when they went to the Arena.
Home top couple Ann Schofield and Nico Serventi started by taking both their opening games, and Judith Mealor and Paul Skivington added two more.
Visiting third couple Linda Evans and Alan Green put Westhoughton back in contention with both their mixed games but, after four more closely-fought encounters, it was Forrest ahead 6-4.
Gaynor Parry and Linda Evans set about reversing this with both their top ladies' games for Westhoughton, before Nico Serventi and David Travis pulled the score back with top men's.
When the second ladies' set was shared, all rested on the final men's. Frank Stec and Alan Green took the first, ensuring at least one point for Westhoughton, and then clinched the deal with the second for a 10-8 win.
Forrest G, meanwhile, are continuing their promotion campaign in E Section, but had to pull out all the stops against a much-improved Bolton Lads and Girls' Club.
Betti Worth and Andrew Mealor gave Forrest an excellent start with both their mixed games, Kathryn Travis and Stephen Foreman adding two more. But the visitors rallied to split the next set, and April Foster and Will Murray won their final mixed to contain Forrest to 6-4. Betti Worth and Helen Peters took top ladies' to push Forrest further ahead, and when team-mates Andrew Mealor and Karl Kennedy took both top men's games, the points were Forrest's.
The Lads and Girls were not finished, however. April Foster and Hazel Johnson won the first of their second ladies' set to 19 and narrowly missed out to Kathryn Travis and Helen Peters in the second.
Will Murray and Kieran Patel provided strong opposition to Stephen Foreman and Karl Kennedy, losing the first of the final games of the night, and, winning the second for a 12-6 scoreline for Forrest.
RESULTS: Section A: Bury B 11 7 Hawkshaw B 7; Markland Hill B 4 Abc 4; Hawkshaw A 5 Bury A 5; Markland Hill C 9 Forrest A 9; Metros A 2 Markland Hill A 6.
Section B: Forrest B 10 Markland Hill D 8; Markland Hill E 6 Park 12; Hawkshaw C 11 Sharples A 7; Sharples B 1 Deane A 17; Westhoughton B 1 Westhoughton A 17.
Section C: Forrest D 3 D L Farnworth A 15; D L Farnworth B 4 Forrest C 14; Forrest E 8 Westhoughton C 10; Deane B 15 Metros B 3; Deane C 6 12 Hawkshaw D 12.
Section D: Oakgate 18 Moorside A 0; Westhoughton D 12 Forrest F 6.
Section E: D L Farnworth D 2 16 Moorside C 16; Forrest G 12 6 Lads & Girls 6.
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