Gibb Memorial Quaich Event – 25/02

5 junior teams and 7 senior teams gathered in the badminton halls at Scotstoun on Wednesday 25^th February to compete in the Gibb Memorial Quaich competition. The junior event was played as a pool of 5 and the senior quaich had a pool of 4 and a pool of 3 leading on to a knock-out. It was always going to be a problem getting the event finished for 3 p.m. when the teams were due to get transport back to their schools and the event eventually finished at 3.30 p.m. with the matches to decide positions 5 to 7 for the senior event not being fully completed.

In the junior event Elgin Academy started strong with a 7-4 victory over High School of Glasgow, a 9-2 victory over Mearns Castle and an 8-3 victory over Woodfarm High. Erskine Stewart’s Melville were also doing well with a 9-2 victory over High School of Glasgow and a 6-5 victory over Mearns Castle. In the 4^th round Erskine Stewart’s Melville came up against Woodfarm losing this match 6-5 while Elgin sat this round out . In the final round Woodfarm lost to High School of Glasgow meaning the deciding match was between Elgin and Erskine Stewart’s Melville. Erskine Stewart’s Melville took an early lead winning the mixed doubles and the 3 boys singles but Elgin fought back winning all 3 girls singles. The 2 boys doubles went to Erskine Stewart’s Melville and the 2 girls doubles going to Elgin. 6-5 to Erskine Stewart’s Melville meaning a tie on matches won between the 2 teams. Organisers were surprised to see the software indicate that Erskine Stewart’s Melville were the winners which had been calculated on points score 781-659 and it was only after the event that the setting was able to be changed to take games won before points won. Fortunately the games difference was clearly shown on the table and so the winners were Elgin who won 29 games and lost 15 while Erskine Stewart’s Melville won 26 and lost 18.

In the senior event Pool A contained Elgin, Mearns Castle and Erskine Stewart’s Melville with the teams finishing in that order meaning Elgin and Mearns Castle got through to the semi finals. In Pool B Williamwood High and The High School of Glasgow progressed to the semifinals at the expense of St. George’s School and Berwickshire High. Both semi-finals were very close with Elgin beating the High School by 6 games to 5 and Williamwood beating Mearns Castle by the same margin. In the final teams were winning alternate matches with the scoreline passing through 1-1, 2-2,3-3 and 4-4 before the final 3 games. These last 3 games were all tight with Donald Coull & Finlay McLuckie beating Ross Loudon & Isaac Sanders 21-19 to give Elgin the edge Huruni Chithracharige & Kaiya Wilkes ensured the victory for Elgin beating Snigda Biswas & Sujitha Sivaanth 22-20 and Kelsey Brooke & Isla Griffiths beating Jessica Lok & Paris Mo 23-21 to give a 7-4 scoreline.

All the competitors enjoyed the event but organisers will need to look at the logistics of this event in future years as this number of teams can not be accommodated in the available time with the courts available.