Golfers and pickleball players from the region made their presence felt in the 55+ Games at Vernon.
Golfing success included a gold medal for Mount Brenton Golf Course member Linda Vermette of Ladysmith in the 65-69-year-old women’s low net for Division B.
“It was great, a lot of great people,” said Vermette of the Games.
“I’ve been golfing here in Ladysmith at the little Par 3 for 29 years,” she added.
Vermette decided last year to become a Mount Brenton member, but has already been playing there with the ladies’ nine-hole group on Friday mornings since 2004.
Keith Wyman of Ladysmith earned gold for low gross in the 70-74 Div. B men’s group while Stan Zeller, another Mount Brenton member, participated in men’s 75-79 Div. B and Brian Brownfield in men’s 65-69 Div. A for Zone 2 (Vancouver Island North).
For Zone 1 (Vancouver Island South), Chuck Keehn and Susan Harrison of Chemainus were both silver medalists. Keehn won his for a low gross 180 in men’s 75-79 Div. A while Harrison collected silver for the women’s 65-69 Div. B low gross of 201.
“It was superb. The organization was great,” Keehn said of the tournament.
“The places to eat and visit that were on there were superb as well.”
Geri Elchuk also competed in women’s 70-74 Div. A and Todd Lefebure in men’s 55-59 Div. A.
A couple of other Ladysmith players and Mount Brenton members were also involved - Adrian Austin in men’s 75-79 Div. B and Grahame Quakenbush in men’s 80+ Div. B. Sadly, Quakenbush just passed away suddenly Friday at the age of 84.
Morris Jenson was another Mount Brenton player slated to enter the competition, but pulled out at the last minute due to injury.
In pickleball, Barb Bradford of Saltair and Susan Hawkes of Crofton teamed up for gold in women’s 3.25 doubles.
Ralph Austerman of Crofton and Eileen Wood from Cobble Hill formed a golden duo in the 3.25 mixed doubles. Austerman and Gary Wong of Victoria were sixth in men’s 3.0 doubles.
Arlene Thorne of Chemainus had a fifth-place finish with Jan Bergen of Victoria in the women’s 3.5 doubles. Thorne and Denis Harrigan of Victoria came seventh in the Flight A 3.5 mixed doubles.