The 2007 Giraffe Club
Cambridge Weekend

This year’s Cambridge Weekend took place on 12-13 May, and was well attended by past and present members of the club. The excellent tennis was complemented by a terrific Club Dinner, which was held on the Blue Court and attended by almost 100 people.

Dinner on court; decidedly decorous

The tennis was played as Division 1 and 2 doubles tournaments. In the Div. 2 tournament, 12 pairs fought out the round-robin stage, with Jeremy and Linda Fairbrother playing Chris Dean and Ali Hakimi in the first semi (Dean & Hakimi won 8-2), and Paul Spencer and Tom Hartley playing Robert Tasker and Michael Magnay (Spencer & Hartley won 8-5). The final was won by Dean and Hakimi, 8-2. In the Div. 1 tournament, 9 pairs competed; the first semi saw Andrew Page and Simon McLoughlin beat Nigel Brown and Duncan Colquhoun 8-3, with John Mears and George Pearson overcoming Nick Brown and Mark Howard 8-5. The final, a closely fought affair, ended with Mears and Pearson winning 8-7. Full results are given at the end of this report.

Countless canapes curried conversation on court

The Club Dinner was a spectacular affair; starting with canapes and drinks, we moved to beautifully set tables at the server’s end for a delicious meal of smoked salmon and blinis, beouf bourgignon, and fruit pavlovas, followed by port and cheese. Much wine was drunk and it was an enjoyable and sociable evening. Our congratulations and thanks go to Sue Colquhoun, the chef, and her many helpers.

It was particularly good to see so many former members of the club playing and attending the dinner, with John Mears, a winner of the Div. 1 tournament, flying in from Boston, USA. As well as the prizes for the tennis winners, another presentation was made at the dinner; Rob Fahey’s World-Championship-winning racquet was presented to Peter Raby, in praise of his fine contribution to the club as President over the past years. We wish George Pearson good luck in taking over this important role. We also wish the same luck to the new University Captains, Jamie Douglas and Julia Clarke. They were both members of the successful Varsity teams this year and we hope for more of the same in 2008!

Our thanks, as always, go to Kees, Peter, and Scott, who put in so much time and hard work to make sure that everything went smoothly over the weekend.

The two snapshots of the weekend below, from outgoing President Peter Raby and Club Captain Duncan Colquhoun, give a flavour of the activities. If you have your own snapshots to add, please send them to Sue Ecob (publicity@curtc.net).

The outgoing President’s view of the Weekend

The combination of a full programme of competitive tennis and an excellent evening of a drinks reception followed by an amazing dinner on the same site is unbeatable – though you wonder how it was done. Only in real tennis …. and by a great team. The atmosphere was warm, the venue transformed, the company superb, with many players and guests from other clubs as well as a full Cambridge representation. On a personal note, I was delighted to be handing over as President to George Pearson, himself the son of a former Cambridge President – George announced his arrival by winning the tournament in partnership with John Mears, who flew in from Boston for the occasion. I would like to thank everyone for your generous and imaginative gift, the tennis racquet – beautifully inscribed – with which Rob Fahey retained his most recent world title. I felt a better player just holding it – a Stradivarius of rackets, strung to a heroic tautness. Going back to the event, I feel it was a launching-pad for a new and exciting chapter in Cambridge tennis. We have a great team of professionals, a very supportive membership, and a privileged position as a university club with a long history as well as strong local roots.

Peter Raby

Some reflections from the Club Captain

Countless evenings with Sue making another batch of blinis or meringues. How did she manage to get it all planned so well and then to happen so smoothly? Dare I ask her again? Thanks love, and to all the helpers with the food on the day.

Trolleys piled high with crockery from Robinson College being wheeled down the road. How did nothing fall off? Thanks to the lovely staff at Robinson like Sarah and Glynis, and to ex-Robinson man Simon McLoughlin for good manoeuvring skills.

Jeremy rushing off after his starter to pick up piping hot casseroles from home. Thanks Jeremy and Linda.

So many willing volunteers within the club and their practical help and suggestions:

What an occasion it has been for me, things like meeting friends from the past like Andrew Page and Mark Howard, renewing a doubles’ partnership with Nigel Brown, proudly looking into the pros’ area during the meal to see my wife, children Jo and Dan plus Annelise framed as if in a picture.

So much is due to Gill Houston for all her efforts throughout the year in ensuring this event was going to be a success, and to Kees who is so full of ideas, who makes things happen, who helps sort out what is needed wherever he can, and who stays so positive. I am sure I speak on behalf of all the people attending the meal and all the players on the day in thanking them both for such a wonderful occasion.

Duncan Colquhoun

George Pearson + John Mears     Andrew Page + Simon McLoughlin
Division One Final

Full Results

Division 1

Semi-Finals:
A.Page & S.McLoughlin beat N.W.Brown & D.Colqhoun 8-3
J.Mears & G.Pearson beat N.L.Brown & M.Howard (best runner-up) 8-5

Division 1 Final:
J.Mears & G.Pearson beat A.Page & S.McLoughlin 8-7

Division 2

Semi-Finals:
C.Dean & A.Hakimi beat J. & L.Fairbrother 8-2
P.Spencer & T.Hartley beat R.Tasker & M.Magnay 8-5

Division 2 Final:
C.Dean & A.Hakimi beat P.Spencer & T.Hartley 8-2