The end of September saw the Women's U25 Fives tournament take place, featuring Berkhamstedians Bethan Miles, Freya Butler and Zoe Wheale (née Nicholls)

Bethan Miles paired herself with Salopian Issy Wong. Both are more widely known for their cricketing achievements, for Warwickshire & England in Issy's case and Surrey for Bethan. Despite not having much time to get on a Fives court these days, both have an impeccable Fives pedigree, with Salopian Issy a former U21 national champion (in 2020) and Bethan a multiple national schools champion across different age groups at Berkhamsted, including a win over Issy in the 2017 U15 final. They soon hit their stride, sweeping aside all of their group opponents for the loss of only three points in total,

Group B was won by Berkhamstedians Freya Butler and Zoe Wheale, who although were pushed hard by both the pairings from Ipswich and Repton, fought through to make it to the semi finals at the top of group B.

In the main semi-finals, Issy & Bethan continued in cruise mode to make the final, whilst the other semi-final was much tighter, with Shrewsbury pairing Sienna Earles & Millie Parry playing their best Fives of the day to take Freya & Zoe to 10-10 and then 12-12 in the first game. It was the Berkhamstedian pair who won it 15-12, and they were able to go on and dominate the second game to take their place in the final.

The results leading up to the final suggested that Freya & Zoe would have their work cut out against Issy & Bethan, but the Berkhamsted pair are experienced players and immediately showed that they were in the contest, taking an early lead and posing Issy & Bethan problems that they hadn't yet had to deal with, especially at the set piece which had hitherto been one way traffic for them.

The first game produced some outstanding Fives with the four players all offering different things - Freya returning cut well and controlling things on top step, Zoe volleying with plenty of attacking intent but also a good measure of accuracy, Issy cutting hard and hurtling around the court and Bethan demonstrating her trademark ambidexterity and placement, while never once looking hurried.

With the score at 8-8, it was all to play for but it was at this point that the combination of power and control in the Wong/Miles partnership began to tell and they seized the game by the scruff of the neck, moving ahead decisively to take it 12-8. They never looked back from that point on, and while Freya & Zoe continued to play some good quality Fives, they weren't able to exert the same pressure in the second game as they had in the first, allowing Issy & Bethan to sweep out to a 12-5 win and to claim the title.

Congratulations to Bethan, Freya and Zoe for an impressive display.

Women's Tournament

Semi-Finals

I.Wong & B.Miles beat B.Hansen-Hoare & M.Rajan 2-0 (12-1, 12-1)

Z.Wheale & F.Butler beat S.Earles & M.Parry 2-0 (15-12, 12-3)

Final

I.Wong & B.Miles beat Z.Wheale & F.Butler 2-0 (12-8, 12-5)

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