The weekend of 6thand 7thApril saw Luton PC and Leicester Banks PC host the semi-finals of the EuroCup, our country’s premier inter-club competition.
It had come down to the last 16 after 58 PE clubs began the competition in August of last year.
Groups A and D were drawn at Leicester and after the three head to heads of six Singles, three doubles and two triples were completed, defending champions Baldock Town (Chiltern) were undefeated in Group A which also comprised Meadow (Kent), Feering Bell (Eastern) and Nomades (Heart of England). Meadow was placed second with two wins and qualified for the PE Trophy.
In Group D, Cobbetts (Southern) also won all three of their encounters against Sports Bar (Chiltern), City of Bath 1 (Great Western) and Bancroft Park (Chiltern). Sports Bar qualified for the PE Trophy.
This was the first time Leicester Banks had hosted a national event, and the feedback from PE members was very positive. Jamie Lewis of Baldock Town said, “It’s an excellent venue and the whole weekend was very well organised.”
Groups B and C met at Luton PC. In Group B, London only dropped two match points all weekend to prevail over British Sugar (Anglia), Railway Inn (Kent) and Nottingham. British Sugar qualified for the PE Trophy.
In Group C, Manston won all of their matches to secure a first time Finals place, defeating opponents Crowborough (Sussex) and City of Bath A (Great Western). Burnham (Thames Valley), who had qualified for Group C were unable to play.
Alan Roden, PE Board Member and EuroCup Organiser said of the encounters at his home club, “The battle for second place in group B went right to the final doubles match with British Sugar just edging the round. Bad luck to City of Bath in Group C who lost both of their games by 16 points to 15!
England’s champion club will be found on the weekend of 27thand 28thApril at Worthing, where spectators are most welcome to attend what should be a thrilling showdown. The PE Trophy will be held at the same weekend at Wallingford.
The CEP’s Board Meeting held on 13thApril revealed that once again our champion club will be travelling to Belgium for the third consecutive year to compete in the European qualifying stage. Aside from Belgium, England will face the champion clubs of Finland, Sweden, Wales, Austria and Russia, with the top four placed nations advancing to the Finals in Saint-Yrieix-sur-Charente, France from November 29thto December 1st.