The Essex Youth Open at Colchester Leisure World held over May Bank Holiday weekend attracted a reasonable entry despite a regrettable clash with the English Schools Individual finals.

And it was pleasing to see players travelling from as far afield as Dorset, Wales, Gloucestershire and Yorkshire to compete.

Local success was restricted to one winner when Colchester girl Caroline Faiers came out on top in the U17 girls consolation singles (the event for players who have failed to qualify for the competition-proper).

Caroline took the title in style without dropping a game with particularly impressive wins over Joanne Hubbard (Kent) and ultimately Clare Smart (Bucks) in the final.

Reagan Nettleingham (Billericay) fell at the last hurdle in the U21 mens event.

After hard-fought wins over William O'Leary (Herts), Owen Griffiths (Wales), Steven Beerling (Kent) and Eli Baraty (Middlesex) he was out-gunned 21-9, 21-18 by top seed Paul Pountney (Surrey).

The big story in this event was the outstanding win for Ben Warner (Basildon) over number three seed Jon Nilsson (Sweden) in the third round.

Warner then played another great game just missing out at 18 in the third against Ross Walker (Kent).

Ipswich defender Gary Blomfield fought his way into the quarter-final overcoming a stern test from Zayd Mauthoor (Romford) and he gave eventual champion Pountney plenty of problems before going under 23-25, 13-21.

Amy Wright (Harlow) justified her second seeding in the U14 girls by booking her place in the final with a win over U12 champion Kelly Craven-Griffiths (Leics) and she fully extended Gemma Chapman (Bucks) only losing -14, 20,-15.

Although disappointed Amy can take heart that the in form Miss Chapman came back on the Sunday to take the U17 girls title without dropping a game.

The U17 girls event saw the two excellent Ipswich girls Aimee Sparkes and Clare Emmerson fight their way through to the semi-finals.

Aimee excelled in the group stages getting the better of number one seed Aparna Narendran (Middlesex) before bowing out in the semi-final to the in form Gemma Chapman.

Clare lost an altogether closer battle to Clare Gibbs (Somerset).

Aimee and Clare also made their mark in the U21 ladies event both giving eventual champion Marianna Rolikova (Surrey) plenty to think about in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively.

Up and coming stars Matthew Staines and James Goodliffe from Sudbury made their mark in the boys U14 singles both reaching the quarter-final.

James excelled with a superb win over Lee Daines (Braintree) before giving eventual champion Neil Cartwright (Dorset) the fright of his life in the quarter-final succumbing 22,-17,-16.

Matthew ousted the much higher ranked Peter Daniels (Wiltshire) before losing out to the tenacious top-spinner Paul Moore (Surrey).

Results

U21 Mens Singles: Robert Pountney (Surrey) beat Reagan Nettleingham (Essex) 9,18. U21 Womens Singles: Marianna Rolikova (Surrey) beat Ann Humble (Glosc.) 15,19.

U17 Boys Singles: Oliver Stevens (Kent) beat Steven Beerling (Kent) 20,18. U17 Girls Singles: Gemma Chapman (Bucks) beat Clare Gibbs (Somerset) 16,15.

U14 Boys Singles: Neil Cartwright (Dorset) beat Paul Moore (Surrey) -19,15, 8.

U14 Girls Singles: Gemma Chapman (Bucks) beat Amy Wright (Essex) 14, -20,15.

U12 Boys Singles: Paul Moore (Surrey) beat Liam Thomas (Wales) 7, 11.

U12 Girls Singles: Kelly Craven-Griffiths (Leics) beat Gina Rogers (Sussex) 17, 6.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.