The 2010 Tronex Blackpool Open badminton championships took place at Ribby Hall Village on Saturday with over 50 elite players from all over Lancashire participating in the county’s premier racquet-sport event. Manchester-based Tim Vickers took the singles crown after an enthralling display against England hopeful Nick Hodgson winning 21-10 21-14. Vickers will be hoping the result against his old adversary will catapult his national rankings and attract the attention of the England selectors in time for the forthcoming 2012 Olympics in London. The ladies singles was won by Dawn Mitchell beating Blackpool’s Viv Hamilton 21-14 21-12, however she was unable to maintain her winning streak in the ladies doubles, losing out to the Lidunians pair of Rebecca Ashton and Louise Francis who took the title after a cumulative total of wins through the group stage. The men’s doubles competition ran true to form with top seeds Tim Vickers and Nick Hodgson beating Danny Dicken and Adrian Greenwood in two straight games 21-11 21-16 after the latter pair disposed veteran Blackpool favourites Andrew and David Wiseman by just three points in the semi-finals. Dicken, however, redeemed himself later in the day by taking the mixed crown for the first time with Lancashire’s Rebecca Ashton, beating the youthful pair of Michael Cross and Michelle Skinner in an enthralling display of badminton, winning 21-19 21-13 at close of play. A superb day of racquet-skills will maintain Blackpool’s position as the premier centre for badminton in the northwest and will give many local clubs a welcome boost for the season ahead. Nick Hodgson unleashes a devastating smash in the MS final with Tim Vickers
