Carl Baxter pulled off the shock of the night as he defeated English number one Rajiv Ouseph in a tie-break to hand Smashers the win in match 3, before Soraya de Visch Eijbergen added another huge victory to her name after beating world number 31 Karin Schnaase.

“I feel so excited. The crowd was amazing.” Baxter said after his against the odds win against Ouseph.

“To do it here is pretty good, with 1000 people chanting your name. I’ve spent my whole career trying to beat Rajiv. Results like this show just how special the National Badminton League is.

“This is one of the great days of my career!”

A 1012-strong Surrey Sports Park crowd witnessed yet another memorable night for Surrey, as they took the first ever 5-0 win in the National Badminton League to ensure they hold on to top spot after match night 4.

Derby looked to be on good form in the opening exchanges of match 1, as Martin Campbell and Gail Emms took the first game of the night against Matt Nottingham and Gabby Adcock in the mixed doubles, which the hosts quickly turned the deficit around to win the match 3-1.

Emily Westwood and Eefje Muskens took to the court in match 2 to face Kate Robertshaw and Lydia Powell and it was the visitors who took a 2 game lead. But a perfectly timed PowerPlay shuttle in game 3 ensured that Surrey pulled back to win 9-6, before turning the match on its head to win 3-2 thanks to a cruising 5-2 tie break victory.

At 2-0 it was the turn of English number one Rajiv Ouseph to take on Smashers’ star Carl Baxter, and it was the Derby man who quickly took a 0-2 lead despite a number of game saving points from Baxter.

Superb awareness and athleticism from the Smashers player handed him a 9-8 win in game 3 before he pulled the match back to 2-2, holding a shot at a match win in the deciding tie-breaker.

With the home crowd firmly behind Baxter, he raced to a 3-1 tie-break lead over Ouseph leaving him just one point away from a historic win, and a match night victory for Smashers, which he completed in style to secure an emphatic comeback and win 3-2.

Match 4 served up just as much excitement for the home crowd as heroine of match night 3 Soraya de Visch Eijbergen came up against world number 31 Karin Schnaase. Two tight opening games were just edged by the young Smashers player before Schnaase stepped up her game to win the 3rd. Unphased, de Visch Eijbergen dominated her opponent to hold her on the back foot in a long rally at 5-5 and went on to take the game 9-6 and pick up Surrey’s 4th win of the night.

Captain Chris Langridge and Dean George rounded off the perfect evening for Surrey as they defeated Andy Ellis and Chris Coles 3-0 to secure the first ever National Badminton League whitewash.

Smashers Coach Hayley Connor was delighted with yet another win for Surrey: “It feels amazing and I’m in shock. I never thought it would be 5-0 and we seem to be doing nothing wrong as far as the home crowd is concerned. And that is what it’s all about.”

The win sees Surrey Smashers keep their spot at the top of the NBL table after match night 4 and a 100% win record with 12 points.

Match night 5 will take place on Monday 23rd April when Smashers travel to University of Nottingham Sport before the final home match of the season at Surrey Sports Park on Monday 27th April as Surrey host Birmingham Lions.

Full match night 4 results
Surrey Smashers beat Team Derby 5-0
XD: Matthew Nottingham/Gabby Adcock 3-1 Martin Campbell/Gail Emms (3-9, 9-4, 9-4, 9-1)
WD: Eefje Muskens/Emily Westwood 3-2 Kate Robertshaw/Lydia Powell (5-9, 7-9, 9-6, 9-8, 5-2)
MS: Carl Baxter 3-0 Rajiv Ouseph (8-9, 7-9, 9-5, 9-2, 4-1)
WS: Soraya De Visch Eijbergen 3-1 Karin Schnaase (9-7, 9-8, 7-9, 9-6)
MD: Dean George/Chris Langridge 3-0 Andy Ellis/Chris Coles (9-8, 9-5, 9-8)

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Birmingham Lions looked to be heading into the Christmas period top after coming back from 2-0 down for the second match running to beat University of Nottingham 3-2, before Surrey’s late theatrics. Incredibly, after six matches between the six franchises in the inaugural NBL season, five have gone down to the wire (3-2) providing some excellent live entertainment and some tense finishes.

Epsom-born captain, Chris Langridge and Dean George (as pictured above) saved five match points in their nail-biting men’s doubles match decider against Peter Briggs and Harley Towler. This meant Surrey Smashers maintained their unbeaten record in front of a capacity 1,000 crowd that gave both teams a standing ovation after a superb encounter at the Sports Park.

A delighted Langridge said after the game, “We said to each other that we wanted to make it exciting – perhaps 5-4 in the fifth – so we’re glad the home crowd went home happy.”

Match Night 3: Surrey Smashers 3 – Loughborough Sport 2
XD: Matthew Nottingham & Emily Westwood 2-3 Marcus Ellis & Jenny Wallwork (9-8, 4-9, 9-5, 4-9, 3-5)

Marcus Ellis and Jenny Wallwork combined superbly to give Loughborough Sport the perfect start as they beat Matthew Nottingham and Emily Westwood in a mixed doubles thriller. The match went to a deciding tie-break which saw Westwood net on her serve to hand Loughborough Sport a 3-2 win.

WD: Gabby Adcock & Eefje Muskens 3-0 Chloe Birch & Lauren Smith (9-4, 9-6, 9-3)

Gabby Adcock and Eefje Muskens, the Anglo-Dutch pairing, played superbly to beat Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith 3-0. Muskens has yet to drop a game in her two women’s doubles outings.

MS: Carl Baxter 1-3 Henri Hurskainen (4-9, 5-9, 9-6, 5-9)

Smashers’ Carl Baxter lifted the partisan crowd with his on-court passion – the Englishman was given the NBL’s first yellow card for racket abuse – before Henri Hurskainen kept his unbeaten season going with a 3-1 win.

WS: Soraya De Visch Eijbergen 3-2 Linda Zetchiri (5-9, 9-6, 7-9, 9-8, 5-3)

Soraya De Visch Eijbergen then came from 8-4 down in the fourth against Linda Zetchiri to take a compelling match into the tiebreak, which the young Dutch player took 5-3 to level the match.

“It was quite an unbelievable experience,” said De Visch Eijbergen. “That is the best win of my career.”

MD: Dean George & Chris Langridge 3-2 Peter Briggs & Harley Towler (5-9, 9-8, 9-6, 8-9, 5-4)

Loughborough Sport looked to heading for their first win of the campaign with Harley and Briggs producing some brilliant winners to force a decider. But Langridge and George forced the Loughborough pair into some late errors at the net before coming through in the tiebreak.

Match Night 4 will take place on Monday 26 January with Surrey Smashers set for another home tie against Team Derby. Watch this space for ticket giveaways as part of our partnership with Surrey Sports Park!

James Martin

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The action kicks off at 7.30pm on Friday 28 when Surrey United Basketball tip-off against Cheshire Phoenix in the British Basketball League (BBL) as United come off the back of their first away win of the season. Kirk Crecco grabbed the headlines with a magnificent 32 points in a resounding 74-91 victory against Bristol Flyers. Come cheer them on this Friday to help their resurgence in the league- tickets for the match available HERE.

Saturday 29 November sees a number of Netball Superleague stars hit the Sports Park for the Re-energise Tri-Tournament, as Surrey Storm host rivals Hertfordshire Mavericks and Team Bath in a three-way pre-season mini league. This event has proved so popular that spectator tickets are already sold out, but fans can follow live updates throughout the afternoon on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

The weekend is rounded off on Monday evening as Surrey Smashers host Loughborough Sport in the first ever National Badminton League (NBL) fixture at Surrey Sports Park which sees professional badminton in Guildford for the first time ever. With several Commonwealth Games medallists on court, including England’s Gabby Adcock and Chris Langridge, Smashers will be looking to shake up the league in its debut season. Tickets for this match are also sold out, but updates can be found on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

With over 2,500 people expected to be in attendance across the three events, a bumper weekend of professional sport is anticipated by everyone at the Sports Park! But if you can’t make it down this weekend, then fear not as we will be supplying you with match reports, news updates and competition giveaways for the three franchises as usual over the coming months.

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On an historic night for badminton, Smashers opened their NBL campaign in style in front of a packed Milton Keynes crowd and the Sky Sports cameras. The away team took four of the possible five match points available, with only MK’s captain Peter Mills and Paul Van Rietvelde beating Mills’ former men’s doubles partner Chris Langridge and Matt Nottingham.

In a new, faster format with games played to 9 points, best of 5 games and a powerplay shuttle enabling double points when played, the Smashers squad started the campaign as they mean to go on with a huge 4-1 win.

Match Stats

Seasoned pro, Carl Baxter started the night in emphatic fashion in a close game against a well-supported Sam Parsons. Baxter took the opening match 3-0 winning 8-9, 4-9, 8-9 in a passionate and clinical performance.

Smashers continued to convince in the women’s doubles with impressive performances from the pair of Emily Westwood and world number 15, Effje Muskens to take another straight 3-0 win over Sophie Brown and Sophie Sankey 6-9, 6-9, 4-9.

With Smashers needing only one more win to take the overall match night, up stepped the mixed pair of Tom Wolfenden and Commonwealth gold medalist Gabby Adcock. Adcock and Wolfenden raced away to a quick 2-0 lead taking the opening games with ease 3-9 and 2-9.

With the Milton Keynes crowd behind them, Ben Lane and Jess Pugh pulled back the third game in a close 9-8 win. The fourth game was equally tight as the fans cheered on the MK pairing, but Adcock and Wolfenden closed out an 8-9 win to take the match 3-1 and win the game night for Smashers.

Tom Wolfenden said, “There was a bit of pressure on us at some points but our team definitely got behind us and that helped us to get the win.”

With each match earning each team a match point for the overall league table, it was still all to play for as Smashers’ Dutch women’s singles star Soraya De Visch Eijbergen made her way onto court to face Milton Keynes’ Liz Cann.

Soraya took a tight first game 8-9 before showing her strength in game two to win 4-9. The Smashers star finished the match at the earliest opportunity closing it out 6-9 to take the fourth match 3-0 and put Surrey 4-0 up overall on the night.

With Surrey looking for a white-wash, the eagerly anticipated final men’s double match saw club captains and regular GB partners Chris Langridge and Peter Mills go head-to-head alongside Matt Nottingham and Paul Van Rietvelde respectively.

In the most closely contested match of the night, which ebbed and flowed, both pairs traded point after point and game after game to take it to a deciding fifth game. With the fifth game played to the first to a 3-point margin or first to 5 points, it was a tense finish to the match-night with the crowd really getting behind the home side.

With the score at 3-4 to Smashers and at match-point, Nottingham couldn’t get out of the way of a long Milton Keynes shot and the MK pair made it count by taking the deciding point for a consolation match-point for the home team.

The result means Smashers take an early lead at the top of the NBL with 4 match points.

Commonwealth Gold Medalist, Gabby Adcock said, “It was a really good atmosphere and it was really fun to play in. Tonight has been a great start and I think we could be really successful.”

Next up for Surrey Smashers is the visit of Loughborough Sport to Surrey Sports Park on Monday 1 December, with tickets available now HERE.

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Callum began the challenge at 9am and was lying on the floor of the Friary centre with exhaustion by 4.03pm. He sat on a pillow on the rowing machine to relieve pressure and was cheered on by passers-by throughout the long row, whilst friends and family fed him biscuits, cake and water. The previous record, held by an American was seven hours, eighteen minutes and eight seconds, but Callum smashed it, setting a new world record of seven hours and two minutes.

Callum commented, “I had stepped up my training to make sure I am really fit – I am rowing every day (either indoors or on the river), as well as cycling or running and also fitting in regular weights sessions at the Walton Rowing Club gym, so I was quietly confident of beating the record, but seven hours was a long time to keep going at that pace. It was a real test of endurance but the fantastic people who cheered me on really helped me to keep going.”

Callum was spurred on by fond memories of his beloved father, Clive, who passed away in August 2012, having been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour 15 months previously. Callum had been studying for his GCSEs when he got the news and with every pull on the rowing machine he made, he raised desperately needed funds for Brain Tumour Research.

Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of the under 40s and one in 50 people who die under the age of 60, die of a brain tumour – yet research is woefully underfunded, receiving just 1% of national cancer research spending. Callum raised £1,330 from his record-breaking row which will contribute significantly towards the vital research carried out by Brain Tumour which is enough to fund half a day of research.

Callum concluded: “It is reassuring to think that what I did this weekend and what I am planning to do in Dad’s memory will help bring us closer to finding a cure for brain tumours.”

This incredibly demanding fundraising record attempt is impressively a small achievement within a far greater challenge. Callum’s indoor rowing endurance feat will provide a huge boost to his training and efforts to achieve his ultimate goal…

Along with Jay Olenicz, a fellow 19 year old student at Bristol University, they will take part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in December 2015, aiming to become the youngest pair to row across the Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, the two teenagers have set their sights on raising a magnificent £280,000 for three charities, which include Brain Tumour Research, the Princess Alice Hospice in Esher (where Clive received the most amazing care in his final days) and BRACE, funding research into Alzheimer’s.

Please dig deep to sponsor Callum’s rowing challenges and help Brain Tumour Research in their mission to save lives by donating on their JUST GIVING page.

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A little over a year ago in May 2013, Guildford City Boxing Club had been priced out of a potential move to Guildford Corporation Club building in Slyfield Green when the Borough Council quoted them £35,000 to rent the building and car park. Senior boxing coach John Edwards had hoped the building could become the new home of the boxing club, offering increased training space after memberships rose tenfold in the space of five years.

Back then, Mr Edwards had said, “All the kids are gutted. We’ve got Olympic boxers and I just don’t know where to train with the facilities we’ve got. Obviously I knew it would be a bit of money but not that much.”

With that in mind, the move to the Park Barn Community Centre on Cabell Road was greeted with all the more joy, from young members to ex-professionals, to Council members who were in attendance.

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Nikki Nelson-Smith , who opened the site, along with Tony Oakey (retired British, Commonwealth and World Light Heavyweight Champion) said, “I’m really pleased that this fantastic, friendly club has a new home from which to do its excellent work within the community. The former venue in Bellfields, which achieved great results, could no longer provide the club with the opportunity to grow and this new site will allow that. This site has a proud history as a former Judo and Tae Kwon-do venue and it’s great to see it once again being used again for the community.

“I am particularly pleased that girls will now have a real opportunity to participate at this new venue and I’m certain the girls of Guildford will be at least as successful as the boys. I wish all participants and coaches success with all their personal goals, whatever level they may be.”

Currently, two of the club’s most successful boxers, Felix Cash and Jake Ball, who are in the GB Podium Potential squad for the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 are also Young Ambassadors for the Guildford Borough Council. The club that gives so much back to the community has finally been given a new place to call home and certainly we wish them all the best in the future!

James Martin

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The little known about Guildford City Boxing Club is one of Guildford’s best kept secrets, having previously been housed on Bellfield Road, in a small, unassuming property. For over 14 years, this authentic, spit-and-sawdust boxing gym has been teaching, training and showcasing amateur and professional boxers. And after a failed move to the Guildford Corporation Club in 2013 when they had seen an influx in memberships from 10 to 100 in only a five year period, they finally got their much needed move to larger premises in 2014!

The club was voted one of the top 50 gyms by Timeout in 2008 for a variety of reasons, including the success of its members such as 13 year old pair Joseph Smith and John Lee who were awarded Lonsdale Golden Gloves this year after winning the National Schoolboys Championships. And let’s not forget champion boxers Felix Cash and Jake Ball who are currently in GB Boxing’s Podium Potential squad, part of the countdown to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

However, Guildford City Boxing Club is not just about champion boxers, it provides ‘Boxing for All’, for all those who want to compete, take on a new challenge, wanting to learn the art and techniques of boxing and for those searching for an extreme workout. There are sessions available for beginners and casual boxers, women’s and girl’s boxing, competition and pro boxers, as well as one to one group sessions with a Senior England and GB boxing coach for personal training.

Guildford City Boxing Club is a busy, friendly club that is open to all, including absolute beginners. It is casual and welcoming and is a great place to make friends and learn a great discipline under skilled tutelage. So, if you want to give it a shot, just turn up on a training night in comfortable clothes and ask for Paul or John, or alternatively take a look at their website HERE for opening hours and contact details.

James Martin

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Bannister completed his mile in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds at Iffley Road Track in Oxford during a meet between British AAA and Oxford University in front of about 3,000 spectators and was broadcast live by BBC Radio. Although Bannisters’ record only lasted 46 days, his extraordinary achievement was in breaking down the mental barrier for athletes to believe running that fast was possible.

Unfortunately, Roger was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011 and so Parkinson’s has become the official event charity. South East Regional Fundraiser for Parkinson’s UK, Alyson Smith said, “I am delighted to be supporting this special historic occasion and raise awareness for Parkinson’s UK. Over 127,000 people in the UK are affected by the condition, and we are here to ensure no one faces Parkinson’s alone. I look forward to seeing you at the event!”

You can sign up to complete one lap in your best time, which costs £5 per person, or you can sign up for unlimited laps for £15 to have a few goes at getting a Personal Best. Every runner will be chip timed and receive a medal for their great effort and for a small extra fee you can even get your medal engraved with your best time by the trackside engraver.

There will be set starts for Kids and Elites (start times to be published soon), but everyone else can join a start whenever suits them between 9am and 12pm. Runners will be starting their mile every 15 minutes throughout the morning and large numbers are expected, so get signed up now HERE!

Event Director, Toby Jenkins said: “Why not get into the spirit of the 1950s – wear your retro shorts and vest to complete the look.”

Whether you’re completely new to running or an Olympic athlete, this is a great day to record your best effort and what better way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of this remarkable and historic feat?

James Martin

Image sourced from: http://tinyurl.com/l46fkfy

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