Five English masters claim World gold

England produced five World Masters champions at the 15th WSF World Masters Championships held in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday.

All five of England’s champions were seeded to win their respective titles, including Nick Taylor and Ann Manley who retained the Men’s Over 45's and the Women’s Over 70's titles respectively.

After losing in the Women’s Over 35's final in Johannesburg two years ago, Lauren Briggs coasted to her first World Masters title against teammate Selina Sinclair.

The eldest age group, the Men’s Over 80's, saw England’s top seed Lance Kinder come back from a game down against the USA’s Ed Burlingame to win his first World Masters title.

Jill Campion, the 2017 British National Over 55's champion, rounded out the English champions in an all-English Over 60s final to claim her first World Masters title.

The five champions and other finishing positions from the sixty-five English players earned England the second Nations Cup honours, edging Australia in second place. Despite falling short in the Nations Cup, Australia boasted the most champions out of the fifty-nine-nation field.

Final results

M35: [1] LJ Anjema (Ned) 3-1 [2] Alister Walker (Bot) 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 11-2 (59m)
W35: [1] Lauren Briggs (Eng) 3-0 [2] Selina Sinclair (Eng) 11-2, 11-2, 11-4 (17m)

M40: [1] Liam Kenny (Irl) 3-0 3-0 [¾] Patrick Chifunda (Usa) 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 (28m)
W40: [1] Natalie Grainger (Usa) 3-1 [2] Melissa Martin (Aus) 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 (22m)

M45: [1] Nick Taylor (Eng) 3-0 [2] Zuko Kubukeli (Rsa) 11-2, 11-6, 11-4 (26m)
W45: [1] Sarah Fitz-Gerald (Aus) 3-0 [¾] Susan Davis (Aus) 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (16m)

M50: [1] Mike Toothill (Rsa) 3-2 [2] Hansi Weins (Ger) 12-14, 8-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (48m)
W50: Lauren Wagner (Can) 3-0 [1] Sarah Nelson (Aus) 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (19m)

M55: [5/8] Brett Martin (Aus) 3-0 [¾] Peter Gilbee (Aus) 11-7, 12-10, 11-3 (19m)
W55: [1] Susan Hillier (Aus) 3-0 [¾] Mandy Akin (Eng) 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 (22m)

M60: [1] Geoff Davenport (Aus) 3-0 Juan Mendez (Mex) 11-5, 11-5, 11-2 (15m)
W60: [1] Jill Campion (Eng) 3-2 [2] Karen Hume (Eng) 5-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-9, 11-5 (36m)

M65: [1] John Macrury (Cay) 3-0 [5/8] Mario Raponi (Can) 11-2, 11-6, 11-6 (13m)
W65: [¾] Gaye Mitchell (Aus) 3-0 [1] Laura Ramsay (Can) 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (18m)

M70: [1] Brian Cook (Aus) 3-2 [¾] Ian Ross (Sco) 11-1, 7-11, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10 (36m)
W70: [1] Ann Manley (Eng) 3-2 Margaret Hunt-Kemp (Rsa) 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6 (30m)

M75: [5/8] Howard Armitage (Can) 3-2 [2] Gerry Poulton (Can) 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 15-13, 11-8
W75 1st Joyce Davenport (Usa) 2nd Jean Grainger (Rsa)

M80: [1] Lance Kinder (Eng) 3-1 [¾] Edward Burlingame (Usa) 5-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-2 (15m)