uests arrived by trains, planes and automobiles.
On Thursday morning, participants arrived at the
Catherine Parenteau and Athena Trouillot clinic
for three hours of lessons to fine-tune their skills.
The women took charge and led the eager students through
excellent drills, while offering personalized feedback to
improve that one shot, or rethink a specific angle. At the end
of the day, some participants ventured to sample local food
venues while others took a cruise down the St. Lawrence River
with entertainment, food, dancing and some beautiful scenery.
Friday morning, the event was in full swing. Athletes were
lined up and ready to tackle the day, ranging in age from
12 to 75+. It was amazing action as the women took to the
courts for the first day of Doubles and the men dug deep in
Singles. Spectators were impressed at the skill and agility in
all categories and this carried through for the entire weekend.
Saturday was Mixed and Sunday was Men’s Doubles and
Ladies Singles.
A $15,000 purse was a good draw for professionals to make
the trek north—and they didn’t disappoint, as captivated
audiences clapped and cheered during some intense head-to-
head matches—going point for point in some cases—leading
to extended back-to-back matches. It was incredible to see the
cat-like reflexes and poised ability to wait patiently at the net
for the ideal moment of attack. Spectators were buzzing about
the quality of play and how great it was to see such high-level
players up close and personal.
Each athlete received
a special edition shirt,
customized name
badge and a beer—
truly Canadian—to
commemorate the
event. Those who
made it through
to the medal match earned the
coveted Murney Tower medal and displayed it with pride
throughout the weekend.
A big thank-you to the volunteers, some who traveled three
hours by bus to help, as well as the athletes, sponsors and
hosts for taking on this huge task. It was well-received and
executed with great precision. Although the days were long
and the nights short, players felt welcomed, supported
and accepted, no matter what challenge they were dealing
with or how well they played. After all, this sport is about
staying active at any age, helping one another, and good
sportsmanship on and off the courts.
What better way to spend a long weekend than celebrating
Canada, pickleball and friendships, both new and old!
The 2020 Committee is now taking a much-needed rest!
Paddles up!
See you next year!
FOR TOURNAMENT RESULTS VISIT
https://www.pickleballtournaments.com/cinfo.pl?tid=2296
PLANS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN FOR 2020. CHECK OUT THE FACEBOOK PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS:
https://www.facebook.com/CDNNationalChampionships/?modal=admin_todo_tour
PLACES TO PLAY TOURNAMENT CALENDAR
www.pickleballcanada.org/places_to_play.php www.memberleap.com/members/calendar6c_responsive.php?org_id=PBCA
MEMBERS LOGIN LOOKING TO VOLUNTEER?
www.memberleap.com/members/mlogin.php?org_id=PBCA Check out the opportunities online at pickleballcanada.org.
JULY/AUGUST 2019 |
MAGAZINE
73