GEOFF Hinder oversaw his final duty for the Swindon & District Badminton Association at their finals night at New College.

After more than 30 years of service as player, coach and chairman for both club and district, organiser of countless tournaments and the person largely responsible for bringing the nternational to Swindon last year, Hinder and his wife Sandie decided to hang up their rackets and retire to pastures new. They bowed out on an evening where two doubles, two mixed doubles and a club trophy were on offer for the winners from competitions that have been running throughout the season. First title of the evening went to Swindon Pinehurst’s under 17 pairing of George Dent and Harriet Ferris who won the Mixed Doubles Restricted by beating Raychem BC’s John Betts and Clare Noble.

Roussel BC’s Faye Roofe and Sarah Selby retained their ladies’ doubles title over challengers Irena Dziuban and Monica Edwards. Continuing the success for the Roussel club were Keith Pankhurst and Richard Sadler who also retained their position as the top pair in the men’s open competition against Martin Limburn and Andy Salter.

Raychem BC players did go home with at least one piece of silverware as Keir Garnham and Gary Illing won the men’s restricted event against Kennet BC’s Dave Major and John Goddard. Pair of the evening were Kennet BC’s Iain Tandy and Alison Goddard, winning both the over 40’s mixed doubles title, against Martin Limburn and Sharon Druett, and also beating Richard Sadler and Paula Wilkes, last year’s champions, in the mixed doubles open to take a brace of trophies back to the Marlborough-based club.

A resurgent Highworth BC, from Division Five, reclaimed the WH Bicknell Trophy in the points handicapped team championship against Stratton Polska. With +3 and -6 favouring the Highworth team, which would technically bring them on terms with the Division 2 side, it lead to some close run final scores in the men’s doubles. The ladies’ was a more one-sided affair with the Highworth ladies comfortably taking all three games. The crucial sets were in the men’s third doubles match where the Stratton team just couldn’t overhaul their opponents’ points handicap as they had done in their previous two games. Highworth sealed the title for the third time in four years, by winning the second and third mixed doubles.

For more information on badminton in Swindon and Wiltshire visit or www.wiltshirebadminton.co.uk