Local players doing well at Kilcullen-hosted Shuttlefest

Pictures from today's Grade 3 Women's Doubles.

Kilcullen players did well on the first day of the 6th Shuttlefest tournament organised by the South West Leinster Badminton League, hosted over this weekend at Kilcullen Community Centre, writes Brian Byrne.

The event kicks off the first competition of the SWBL season, and Kilcullen Badminton Club's Teresa McGlynn and Linda Murtagh won the Grade 5 Women's Doubles competition yesterday.

Playing today in a range of Grade 3 competitions are Louise Kearney, Lucy Cush, Rachel Downey, Vincent Coller, Enda O'Neill, John Mullen and Oisin Egan.

According to the competition organiser Lesley Cobbe, some 160-170 competitors have been taking part over the two days, ranging in ages from 13 to 70-plus — "you can play Badminton at any age" — and playing across six grades. "The competition is for all abilities, in Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles."

The event is supported by Yonex Ireland, the leading supplier of Badminton and Tennis equipment and clothing in Ireland, who place the mats and the courts equipment at the venue.

While Badminton is a minority sport, it is fairly well embedded in Ireland and there have been some recent Olympics participation including Nhat Nguyen and Scott Evans. "I think there's a lot more interest now, and there are a lot of very talented young players coming along," says Lesley Cobbe. "They are there playing in Grades 1 and 2 and winning, even some of them still teenagers. So the future looks really good."

Lesley also notes that a number of clubs which haven't been active for a number of years are starting back up again, and Badminton Ireland and other clubs are always prepared to help new and revived groups to get back in the game.

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