Tiny Town Hosts GIANT Pickleball Bash! Ards Shocks World with International Tournament Success
What's the Score?
Newtownards, Northern Ireland, specifically the Blair Mayne Wellbeing and Leisure Complex, recently hosted a significant international pickleball tournament, proving the town's growing importance in the sport. Co-hosted by Project Pickleball NI and Ards Pickleball Club, the event drew 220 competitors, including participants from as far as Texas, USA, and featured almost all the top players from across Ireland. The tournament showcased high-level competition and saw impressive performances from local Ards Pickleball Club members, including serial gold medallists Gracie and Harry Hamilton.
Hit it deeper!
The Blair Mayne Wellbeing and Leisure Complex became a hub for pickleball on the last weekend of April, hosting a "professionally organised, multinational tournament". The event was a collaborative effort between Project Pickleball NI and the local Ards Pickleball Club. Attracting 220 competitors from various nationalities, including a participant from Texas, USA, and drawing nearly all the top players from across the island of Ireland, the tournament successfully positioned Ards as an elite venue on the island's expanding pickleball circuit.
Local players from Ards Pickleball Club demonstrated strong performances throughout the competition. They reached the semi-finals in nine out of the twelve individual tournaments and secured numerous medals. Among the standout local players were teenage siblings Gracie and Harry Hamilton, who are noted as "serial gold medallists from the English Open". The Hamilton siblings were particularly dominant, winning gold in every event they entered. Gracie partnered with Scotland's Karen Crawford to win the Women's Doubles Open title. She then teamed up with her brother Harry to secure victory in the Mixed Doubles Open, defeating Hungarian player Beni Hajnal. Harry also achieved gold in the Men's Doubles Open, partnering with Adrian Jiminez, by winning the final against Bobby Fitzpatrick and Peter Stanka Lopez.
Beyond the Hamiltons, other Ards players found success in the premier categories. Cathy Skea earned a bronze in mixed doubles to accompany her silver in women's doubles. Hannah McAdam took bronze in women's doubles and narrowly missed reaching the mixed doubles final. Jonathan Gibson and David Davies made it to the semi-finals in the men's event.
Ards competitors also performed well in the intermediate levels and the Over-60s categories. In the Men's 3.0, the youngest Ards entrant at 12 years old, Jake Clarke, narrowly missed the knockout rounds, while Bailie and Glenn Cobane won silver. Jim McAuley secured a silver in the Men's 3.5. Judith Patton and Wendy McCormick reached the semi-finals of the Women's 3.0. In the Over-60s Mixed Doubles, Simon Rogers and his wife Helen won gold. Stephen Campbell and Catherine Hunter earned bronze in the same event. Simon Rogers also won the Men's Over-60s title with Trevor Watty. Paul and Sylvia Clarke, recent Connacht gold medallists, performed well in their group but were eliminated in the knockout stage. Bridget Nodder and Sheelagh Foy, along with Jim McAuley and Paul Clarke, narrowly missed out on bronze medals in their respective Over-60s categories. The event successfully showcased talent across different skill levels and age groups.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The hosting of a major international pickleball tournament in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, signifies more than just a successful event; it underscores the sport's growing reach and impact beyond traditional strongholds. For a town like Ards, hosting a tournament attracting 220 competitors from multiple nationalities, including top players from across Ireland and even a participant from the US, is a significant achievement that boosts its profile within the sport. The exceptional performance of local players, particularly the young Hamilton siblings and success across various age groups, highlights the strength of the Ards Pickleball Club and its contribution to the island's pickleball talent pool. This event serves as a powerful example of how local clubs and facilities can become pivotal centres for promoting and developing pickleball, contributing significantly to the sport's grassroots expansion and competitive growth on an international scale.