INTER-ASS0CIATION COMPETITION 

Masters Team – travelled to Rotorua

Eastland Masters played in the North Island Regional Masters Competition in the Northern Region Division 3 Grade. The team was David Colbert, Mark Beard, Justin Kent, Gabrielle Perano, Makuini Winiata, Victoria West, Adrianne McLeod, all from Gisborne Club. On loan players Gary Teague, from Manawatu and Brendan Andersen, from Rotorua. They defeated Waitakere 4: 8 matches to 4; and defeated Auckland 3: 7 matches to 5.

The next round was to be played at North Harbour on 25th September, but due to uncertainty of ALERT levels and unavailability of plyers the team decided to withdraw from the competition.

Super Veterans team – travelled to Feilding

Eastland Super Veterans team travelled to Feilding for a one-day revamped 2020 Super Veterans Inter-Association Competition. There first and only competition for the year.

The team was Helen Morley and Kahu Brown (Gisborne Club), Ron Prebble, Bruce Ledger, Linda White and Annabel Riwaka (Patutahi Club).  Matheus Batlajeri, a long-time loan player from Manawatu, and Richard Skarott Manawatu.

The competition involved teams from Oroua, Hawkes Bay and Hutt Valley, with Hutt Valley Super Veterans team dominated the day. Eastland defeated Oroua; 6 - 3; Hutt Valley: 9 – 0 and lost to Hawkes Bay: 6 – 3.

MASTERS 

Eastland Master’s Badminton Team will re-start their 2020 season this weekend in Rotorua, in a revamped competition. Eastland started their 2020 season back in March, before Covid-19 lockdown. Badminton New Zealand, like all sports, has made a few adjustments and compromises so players can return to the courts in a competitive environment. Prior to Covid-19 lockdown Eastland had been promoted to Division 2 for this season this combination has been cancelled and those entries remain for 2021.

Eastland Masters will now be playing in the North Island Regional Masters Competition in the Northern Region Division 3 Grade.

The team will head to Rotorua this weekend where they will play Waikato 4 and Auckland 3.

Team Manager, Debbie Brown, who is not travelling with the team due to family commitments, is hoping that this weekend the team will enjoy getting back out on the courts to play some good games.

The team travelling is David Colbert, Mark Beard, Justin Kent, Gabrielle Perano, Makuini Winiata, Victoria West, Adrianne McLeod, all from Gisborne Club. On loan players are Gary Teague, from Manawatu and Brendan Andersen, from Rotorua.

RESULTS: Badminton Eastland’s Masters team defeated Waitakere 4: 8 matches to 4 and defeated Auckland 3: 7 matches to 5.

​​​​​​​Super Veterans

Saturday, 15th August playing Oroua & Hutt Valley in Gisborne

Saturday, 19th September playing Hawkes Bay & playoffs at Oroua

Sunday, 20th September playing Finals at Oroua

Masters ready for the challenge

Eastland Masters will step up a division when they start their 2020 season at North Harbour this weekend.  

They finished second in the North Island division 3 masters (over-35) Inter-association competition last year and were invited to move up a division 2 after a team has pulled out. After some discussion, the Gisborne-based team decided to accept the invitation.

Player-manager Debbie Brown said it would be a big step up in the quality of play and the team’s goal was to win enough ties to stay in the division. They were ready to take on the challenge, she said.

At North Harbour, Eastland Masters will play North Harbour 3 and Northland 1. North Harbour 3 finished sixth and Northland 1 finished second in the division 2 competition last year.

The Eastland Masters team are coached by Ross Hannam, but he can’t travel with them this weekend because of work commitments.

It is a long season, which runs into September.

The team travelling this weekend are Mark Beard, David Colbert, Justin Kent, Debbie Brown (manager), Andrea Jones, Gabrielle Perano, Victoria West, Makuini Winiata, who are all from Gisborne Badminton Club, as well as loan players Gary Teague (Manawatu) and Brendan Andersen (Bay of Plenty).

From last year’s team Michael Thorpe, is still on the road to recovery from an accident he had at the end of last year. The team will keep him in mind as they endeavour to bank some wins.

Hayley Ledger and Adrianne McLeod are unavailable to travel this tie while Jacque White has left the district.

The team welcomes Andrea Jones, a former junior and senior Eastland Representative who will be making her masters debut.

RESULTS: Eastland lost to North Harbour 3: 9matches to 3                                                                          and lost to Northland 1: 8 matches to 4