Better in the Bahamas

Early in January, a Canadian IC team went to the Bahamas for a week of tennis organized by the Bahamian IC.  There were 6 teams entered in the doubles  event and we got to play every other team. Beside the Canadian team there were teams from Bahamas, Barbados , Great Britain, USA and an International team made up mostly of US and Bahamian players.

We were scheduled to play a different country each day made up of 5 doubles matches using no-ad games and a super-tiebreaker instead of a third set to keep the length of each match down. These matches were for a  men’s over 60 and over 65 team (or combined age over 130), a women’s over 40 and over 60 team ( or combined age over 100), a men’s over 50 and over 55 team (or combined age over 110), a mixed over 6o team (or combined age over 120) and a mixed over 50 and over 40 (or combined age over 90).  Our team members were Shaheer Mikhail, John Payne, Pam Olley, Pam Rosenbaum, Peter Neilson and Owen Pellew and luckily for us our ages gave us a some flexibility in setting up our pairings so we could give a player a break for a day.

Day 1 we got to play the International Team and were able to put 5 wins on the board. On day 2 a rainstorm came through in the morning and play was delayed until 11am. We were scheduled to play the 2^nd seeded Bahamian team. Their team included one of the current Fed Cup players who was able to play because of the combined age option. It was decided to only play matches to reach a decision...unfortunately for us we lost the first three matches but it should be noted that Owen and Peter lost their match in the super-tiebreaker third set. On day 3 we played the USA, the top seeded team. This time we got to play all five matches – however we didn’t get to win any. Day 4 we took on the Brits and squeaked out a 3-2 win.  The three matchups on day 5 worked out due to be the playoff placings thanks to the smart seeding by Mickey Williams the referee. This had USA and Bahamas playing for first and second spots, Canada playing Barbados for third spot and England playing the International team.

John Payne had scheduled a fishing trip with his sons for that morning and so Owen and Mikhail paired up using the combined age rule to win handily. The two Pams were unable to win the second set tie-breaker which would have given them a chance for a win. Then came a rain shower to delay play. After some discussions on how we should proceed, it was decided to play a full match for the younger men’s doubles. Peter and Owen came out like gangbusters winning the first set easily and then falling in the second set to the Barbadians. Fortunately they were able to pull things back together to take the super-tiebreaker.  By this time it was starting to get dark, but the USA  had beaten the Bahamas. So we played both mixed doubles at the same time and decided to play 4 game sets.  We convinced Owen, who had been the MVP for the week, to play with captain Pam as the 120 plus team. While John Payne and the other Pam took on the hard hitting youngsters.  Owen played brilliantly and Pam was sneaky steady and they were able to pull off the win to put Canada into 3^rd place overall.

The Bahamas event is fun because of the doubles play, the all inclusive site, which makes socializing among the teams easy and Kit’s insistence on having a traditional British style team entertainment evening.  You’ll be happy to know that the Canadians impressed with their team rendition of “At the net” a parody of “At the Hop”.  The Brits performed a very funny skit on the Royal family complete with photo masks and the Barbadians got into the swing of things with their presentations.  The evening was rounded out with dancing to a local band.  The piano bar was a popular spot all week, not only did the hard core end up singing along with the resort pianists most evenings. Barbadian team member, Canadian born and trained Julie Salomon, a concert pianist, played for us at cocktail hour one evening.

Thanks go to Kit Spencer and the Bahamians for being such good hosts and to the Canadian team for a great week of tennis and good sportsmanship!! 

December Newsletter

 International Lawn Tennis Club of Canada

Founded 1965

NEWSLETTER          DECEMBER 2014

Upcoming events    

       

-          Annual IC Canada  vs. Queens Club

December 26 from 1 to 5 PM Location : 568 Dupont Street, Toronto.

IC members please contact Rosti Brankovsky at  rostib@rogers.com

Queens members contact Rick Howell

The Howells will be hosting a dinner for participants and their significant others at 200 Manitoba St. Loft 419 Etobicoke M8Y3Y9 at 6:15 PM after the tennis. The phone number is 416 815 9222.,   Please RSVP with your reply. 

-          IC  Bahamas Team event

Jan 11 to 17 (doubles men’s 50, men’s 60, women’s, mixed) Captain: Pam Olley.  We have a minimal team and could include one or two extra players (over 60 man/over 40 woman)

-          IC  vs. USA in Delray Beach, Florida 1^st week of Mar 2015. TBC.

-          IC vs. USA West,  Q1 2015. TBA.

-          IC vs. USA  at Toronto , June 5-7, 2015  TBC. 

-          Match in France and/or Belgium.  TBA.  June 2015

-          IC  Event (50^th anniversary) Sept 1-4, 2015

Membership:

Welcome to the following are new members of the ILTC of Canada:

Sydney Azancot, Adam Baranowski, Phil Cox, Janice Hebert, Kathy Mueller, Terence Robinson, Pam Rosenbaum, Susanna Sekely, Derek Thomas,  James Weatherall.

If you would like to propose an individual for membership please check the process distributed with the last newsetter and available on the web site or at www.iltccanada.blogspot.ca

Scarves and Ties:  We have a supply of ties and scarves available for purchase at $25 including shipping. They are 100% silk and are a significant improvement in appearance and quality from all previous versions. 

IC Web Site: The IC web site can be found at www.ic-tennis.org – all individual country web sites can be accessed by going through the main site.

Membership Fees for 2015: Fees for 2015 remain at $75:00 and can be mailed to ILTC Treasurer   Cary Willson  at  4344 Harvard Ave, Montreal, QUE, H4A 2X1.

A limited number of life memberships are available for $750.

Board Member Contact information:

Hani Ayoub, Secretary,   haniayoub@yahoo.com

Rob Benneyworth, rob@geografx.com

Rosti Brankovsky,  rostib@rogers.com

Jim Cameron,  jimchrista@hotmail.com

Peter Clarke pjclarke@dineen.com

David Dimmer, President,    iltc@sympatico.ca

Rick Howell,  richardhowell@cfflaw.com

Dale Kozicz   dkozicz@aol.com

Anke Magnus, magnifam@sympatico.ca

Raj Nagendra,  rnagendr@gmail.com

Pam Olley,  pamolley@sympatico.ca

Keith Porter,  kjaporter@gmail.com

Graham Watt  gwatt13@rogers.com

Cary Willson, Treasurer,  cary.willson@canbus.biz

Crichton Wilson, crichton.wilson36@gmail.com

A Celebration of 50 Years of ILTC of Canada in 2015

Teams from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Uruguay and USA have confirmed they will be coming to the team competition Sept 1 to 4, 2015 to celebrate IC Canada's 50th anniversary within the IC family. It is hoped there will be opportunity for many Canadian members to participate with either a Canadian team or to help other countries complete their teams. Any IC member willing to volunteer to help at the event or to join the fund raising committee, please contact  Hani Ayoub.  If you are able to make or secure a donation for this event, please send funds to Cary Willson at 4344 Harvard Ave, Montreal, QUE, H4A 2X1 indicating they are for this event. It would be much appreciated if members over the age of 75 made a donation as they are no longer required to pay annual dues. 

Check out the post on our super senior world champions!

Our World Champion Super Seniors

SUPER SENIORS WIN GOLD IN TURKEY

The ITF Super Senior World Team and Individual Championships were held at Club Ali Bey near 
Antalya, Turkey in October. With more than 60 courts this resort can accommodate all the events 
in a first class setting and the beautiful red clay obviously suits the players from Ontario.

In team competition, the Canadian Over 80 women’s team of Muffie Grieve, Rosemary Asch (Montreal),
Joyce Cutts and Joan Bradich won the Doris Hart Cup for the fourth consecutive year, showing that 
our players, like wine, get better with age.

In the individual competition, Inge Weber (see photo) won the gold medal in Over -75 singles, with a 
win in the final over Roz King of the USA, 6-1, 3-4 ret. Muffie Grieve came home with two world 
championship titles in over 80 doubles . She won ladies doubles with Jackie Zylstra of South Africa 
and mixed doubles with Max Byrne of Australia. Muffie Grieve looked as though she might be on her 
way to a third world singles title too but was stopped in the Semi-finals in a very tight match against 
Ann Fotheringham of Australia. After losing the first set 5-7, Muffie came back to win the second set 
6-1 and then lost 10-7 in the super tiebreaker.

In men’s Over 60 doubles, Keith Porter (formerly of Toronto) and Jim Cameron of Ottawa were able to 
successfully defend their world championship title, but without the satisfaction of actually playing the 
championship match. Torrential rain hit the site on both the Friday and Saturday of individual 
competition. Even when you have that many courts, it’s no help when they are under water and you 
have a few rounds to play. They won the final in a walkover against Thomas Emmrich and Dan Nemes
of Germany, who had reached the final with a walkover against the number 1 seeds Buchenrode and 
Hellmonseder of Austria.

For more details on these events please go to www.itftennis.com/seniors

ILTC Canada members honoured at Steve Stevens Senior Outdoor Nationals

International Club members Terry Redvers, Jim Cameron and Keith Porter were recognized at the Tournament Dinner for the Steve Stevens Senior Outdoor Nationals held at the Granite Club on August.

Muffie Grieve was also recognized - she is the currect world singles and doubles champion over 80.

Lorne Main in serious conversation with Steve Stevens.  Photos by Peter Figura.

Newsletter Sept 2014

Member News

Congratulations to ILTC members  Muffie Grieve, Keith Porter, Jim Cameron and Terry Redvers for being awarded Tennis Canada Excellence Awards for 2013. 

Many members competed in the Steve Stevens Senior Nationals in August with a number of members taking nationals titles.   Congratulations to the following members who won titles.

Chrit Ritchie (MD 35), Coulter Wright (MD 35 & 40), Gary Meanchos (MS 55 & MD 50), Dale Kozicz (WD 50), Fraser MacDonald (MD 55), Erin Boynton (WS & WD 55), Diana Dimmer (WD 55), Keith Porter (MS 60), Jim Cameron (MD 60), Susan Stone (WD 60), Hani Ayoub (MD 65),Mary Ann Gaskin (WS & WD 65), Shaheer Mikhail (MD 70), Guido Weber (MD 75), Inge Weber (WS 75), Evelyn Hustwit (WD 75), Muffie Grieve (WS 80 & WD 75), Lorne Main (MS 80).

A Celebration of 50 Years of ILTC of Canada in 2015

We will be hosting  a team competition Sept 2 to 5, 2015 to celebrate IC Canada's 50th anniversary within the IC family. It is hoped there will be opportunity for many Canadian members to participate with either a Canadian team or to help other countries complete their teams. Any IC member willing to volunteer to help at the event or to join the fund raising committee, please contact  Hani Ayoub.  If you are able to make or secure a donation for this event, please send funds to Cary Willson at 4344 Harvard Ave, Montreal, QUE, H4A 2X1 indicating they are for this event. It would be much appreciated if members over the age of 75 made a donation as they are no longer required to pay annual dues. 

Match Reports

Gengler Trophy (Canada v USA) June 6 to 8 2014

It is always a pleasure to organize the ladies team to go to the Piping Rock Club, NY.  Louise Gengler Thomas as the US ladies captain makes sure the date is set as early as possible and anyone who has ever been on the trip is eager to go again, their schedules permitting.  Making the event even more of a special occasion is the opportunity to stay with Mary Lenore Blair, who will billet up to 6 ladies, provided they don’t mind sharing rooms and provided she doesn’t have any family members or others already booked in.  In fact this year she suggested we arrive on the Thursday to give us time to see a little of the local scenery.  

Normally we have left at 5:30 am on Friday to make practice time – but this year we were able to make a leisurely trip on the Thursday. Louise told us that they might have as many as 20 players there to play against our 7.  She has been using the match to help recruit more (and younger) members to the USIC. 

After a leisurely drive to Long Island and a comfortable dinner with Mary Lenore on Thursday evening, and a short hike to see Long Island Sound in the morning, we all assembled at Piping Rock on Friday afternoon for practice.  For Kathy Mueller and Janice Hebert,  it was their first time playing on grass and they appreciated the chance to practice more than those low bounces on grass.  Friday evening both teams and their supporters went to the Basil Leaf restaurant in Locusi Valley for dinner and it made a pleasant social evening.

The official Gengler Cup matches began Saturday morning. 1 singles and 3 doubles matches were played before lunch and US and Canada tied 2-3, the afternoon another singles and 3 doubles were played, three of which were decided by tie-breakers.  At the end of play the two teams were tied.  The dinner at Piping Rock Country Club was spectacular – I think we would all like the recipe for the stuffed whole salmon dish they prepared, it was certainly the best I have ever tasted.  At the dinner the Canadian IC presented Margie Cooper with membership in the Canadian IC and Janice Longhurst was honoured with membership in the USIC.

Sunday morning the US put their strongest players out and the Canadian ladies were unable to match them and so the USA claimed the tie 7 matches to 5 and therefore retained the Gengler trophy.  We then played some social mixed and ladies doubles until it was time for lunch and the drive back to Canada.  We had all enjoyed a great weekend of tennis on the grass and blessed by sunshine, but more important it had been a weekend of wonderful camaraderie.

Canadian women’s team members:  Janice Hebert, Dale Kozicz, Janice Longhurst, Kathy Mueller, Pam Olley, Sue Smylie, Susanna Sekely.  

USIC women’s team members:  Stella Ip, Leslie Wargo, Paula Myslivecek, Jackie Hoffman, Akiko Tohmatsu, Lisa Hoffstein, Sheila Chiricosta, Jeanne Swiacki, Margaret Lumia, Carolyn Grace, Connie Jones, Louise Gengler Thomas, Lisa Evans, Margie Cooper, Frances Dickenson, Judith Aydelott.

Photo: All the ladies with the flags.

Baker Bowl (Canada v USA) June 6 to 8 2014

The Baker Bowl competition between Canada and the USA teams was held at Piping Rock in Locust Valley, NY on June 7-8. Captain David Dickenson, with Bob Litwin's help in recruiting local players, coached the team to a 17-3 win. The first day began with the USA winning all six singles matches. Litwin, Kyle Permut, Gary Antenberg, Bill Bruder, Whitney Kraft and Carlos Gomez Diaz got the team off on the right foot. During the two day event, all team members scored victories. Included were first timers Howard Dorman and Whitney Kraft, who won all three of their matches. Also victorious were Paul Slayton, Rob Weissman, Bill Blodgett, Bill Caler, Pete Bostwick, David Dickenson, Bob McKenna, Mike Powers and Adam Rosen.

It was a wonderful weekend, very competitive and very friendly. The dinner was enjoyable with speeches by Dickenson and Canadian captain Doug Green. Captain Dickenson presented the USIC tie to Rosti Brankovsky making him an honorary member of the USIC. Green did the same for Bob Litwin. Both Brankovsky and Litwin have been playing in the event since 1992. Litwin has been undefeated in singles during this time.

Canadian Men’s Team: Hani Ayoub, Peter James, Doug Green, Rosti Brankovsky, Len Simard, Owen Pellew, Rick Howell, Crichton Wilson, Allard Cote, Dennis Ing, Graham Watt, Norm Hartenstein, Bob Awrey, Jack Moore.