Organizer Ken Holman of the Vancouver Island Pickleball Association kept an eye skyward throughout much of Sunday’s 90-minute pickleball tournament at the Fuller Lake Park pickleball courts.
It was one of those days of constantly changing weather that could have disrupted the tournament at any time. There was a short rain delay at one point, but the clouds parted again and the water was cleared from the court to allow play to continue.
The 90-minute tournaments have become extremely popular, with players from around the Island coming to Fuller Lake.
Last time, the mixed doubles event filled up within five minutes of the registration opening, with a waiting list. The men’s doubles filled up shortly after that.
This time, it took a little longer, especially for the women’s doubles event, but all categories were again jam-packed with enthusiastic players.
Results were as follows:
Women’s Doubles - Gold: Lissy Rauber (Black Creek) & Colleen Crowder (Black Creek); Silver: Claudia McLean (Chemainus) & Pauline Davidson (Nanaimo); Bronze: Mary Orme (Victoria) & Becca Stuve (Victoria).
Men’s Doubles - Gold: Matthew Hirota (Nanaimo) & Colin McCartie (Nanaimo); Silver: Andy Daniel (Maple Bay) & Neil Rich (Victoria); Bronze: Sean Kennedy (Nanaimo) & Wade Dawe (Parksville).
Mixed Doubles - Gold: Colleen Crowder (Black Creek) & Thomas Rauber (Black Creek); Silver: Sue Newell (Nanaimo) & Rana Ullah (Nanaimo); Bronze: Lissy Rauber (Black Creek) & Clay Toresdahl (Comox).
