Congratulations to Nikki Kennedy and Chris van der Salm who both succeeded in becoming the Hellers Canterbury title holders for 2016; Niki and Chris the top seeds, didn’t have it easy. In their final's, both of them had very hard five set encounters before prevailing in the fifth.
The men’s final between Chris, who won in 2015 and Olliver Johnston who last won in 2009 was a gripping fifty-five-minute battle between two very skilful players both ranked in the top ten in NZ. They displayed a full range of stroke play from very fine drops to attacking boasts each ensuring the other had to chase very hard retrieving. In particular Chris displayed some fantastic athletism chasing a would be winners of Ollivers. Olliver won the third set 11/3 up two games to one and was looking pretty handy after Chris had lost seven points in one hand but this was reversed in the fourth with Chris having a seven-point hand, then went on to win 11/4 by that time the speed of the game was telling Chris s way, final scores 9/11, 11/5 3/11 11/3 11/4.In the women’s final top seed Nikki Kennedy had to come from behind trailing two sets down against up and coming teenager Emma Cormack, third seed. The last three games score wise were comfortable wins but she was tested all the way, final scores 12/15,12/15,15/10,15/12 15/10.
Another feature game was the play off for third/fourth position between two Canterbury team mates; Jonny Barnett and Jayden Millard the first being a close match but Barnett showed that extra class for a convincing win final scores 11/8,11/7,11/3
MENS Open 1st – Chris van der Salm, 2nd – Olliver Johnston, 3rd – Jonny Barnett, 4th Jayden Millard
MENS A Grade 1st - Thomas Cooper, 2nd - Brendon McHafie
MENS B Grade 1st - Kelsi Carrick, 2nd - Jacob Venner
MENS C Grade 1st - Scotty Butterick, 2nd - Nathanael Paltridge
WOMENS OPEN 1st – Nikki Kennedy, 2nd – Emma Cormack, 3rd - Mary Turnbull, 4th - Claire Cumming
WOMENS A Grade 1st - Kayti Carrick, 2nd - Devon Koller
