Hatters well showcased through first days of Pickleball Westerns

By James Tubb on July 8, 2023.

Medicine Hat’s talent was on full display across the first two days of Pickleball Canada’s Western Regional Championship.

The locally held tournament got underway Thursday morning at the Big Marble Go Centre and the South Country Co-op Pickleball Courts and has seen men’s singles, women’s doubles and some mixed doubles action, with more to come on Saturday. Across the first two days, 25 Hatters have won and kept a medal in Medicine Hat while competing against talent from across B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Here are the Medicine Hat and area winners, their divisions and age groups from the first two days of action.

Simon Neigum won bronze in the men’s singles, aged 60-64, 3.5 and under skill level. Gerard Oosterhuis took silver in the men’s singles, aged 50-59, 3.5 only skill level. Calvin Heller took bronze in the mens singles, aged 18 and above, 4.5 and above skill level.

Beryl Miller and Sandeep Pareek won gold in the mixed doubles, aged 50-54, 3.0 and under skill level. They beat fellow Hatters, Carrie Bohnet and Tim Johnson, who took silver.

Claudia Edel and Alan Sackman won gold in the mixed doubles, aged 60-64, 3.0 and under skill level. Ruthmary Hollis and Robert C. Dickson(Calgary), finished second in the mixed doubles aged 70 and above, skill level 3.0 and under.

Bonita Ewasechko and Kirk Ewasechko took silver in the mixed doubles aged 55-59, skill level 3.5. Tracy Heller and Calvin Heller won bronze in the same division and skill level.

Ken MacPhail and Ann Klettke(Calgary) won gold in the mixed doubles aged 60-62, skill level 3.5.

Sue Edwards and Tracy Heller won the women’s doubles aged 50-54, 3.0 and under skill level division.

Carrie Bohnet and Shauna Pahl(AB) took bronze in the women’s doubles, aged 50-54, skill level 3.0 and under.

Shannon Cowan and Claudia Edel won gold in the women’s doubles aged 60-64, skill level 3.0 and under.

Ylonda Jordheim and Ruthmary Hollis took silver in the women’s doubles aged 65 and above, skill level 3.0 and under.

Jacie Brusky and Andrea Bennett won gold in the women’s doubles aged 19-49, skill level 3.5.

Saturday’s action at the Big Marble Go Centre and the South Country Co-op Pickleball Courts has been tabbed the “Marquee day” by tournament director Brenda Lea MacPhail. Those matches feature more mixed doubles teams, with players in the skill level of 4.0, 4.5 and above.

“If people want to see outstanding pickleball, they should be here by 7:30-8 a.m. on Saturday, because that’s when we have our 4.0 and higher rated players,” MacPhail said. “Some of those players will actually be players on the Canadian pickleball team.”

The tournament wraps up Sunday with men’s doubles and women’s singles. Both day’s matches get started at 7:30 a.m., all spectators are welcome and there will be food trucks parked on location.