Prince O3 Challenge Reaches Regional Finals

The clubs which will contest the four regional finals of the Prince O3 Challenge have now been identified following the completion of the second round ties.

The inter-club event is for teams of three players: one male, one female and one over-35 male. Players who have represented their country or county, at any age group, are not eligible.

Team members have been invited to use the revolutionary new Prince O3 racket, which has already won World Games and English Open titles for England's double Commonwealth Games gold medallist Peter Nicol, and British Open and World Open trophies for Malaysia's world No1 Nicol David.

This week, Nicol David added to her O3 success by winning the Asian Championship title in Taiwan - becoming the first player in history to win the biennial title five times!

The North Area final will take place between Newcastle's Northumberland LT&SC and Hallamshire SC from Sheffield. The Tyneside club defeated Durham's Bannatynes H&SC 3/0, while Hallamshire beat Yorkshire rivals Chapel Allerton, from Leeds, 2/1.

The final in the Midlands region will feature Nottingham and Edgbaston Priory. Nottingham beat East Midlands' rivals Duffield, from Derbyshire, 3/0, while Birmingham's Edgbaston Priory overcame Coventry & North Warwicks 2/1.

In the East Area, Martlesham Heath will take on Chingford's Connaught club. The Suffolk team defeated Cambridge 2/1 and Connaught shared the same scoreline against Twickenham's Amida club.

The South Area final will be a Gloucestershire v Sussex clash when Riverside face Chichester. Riverside, from Gloucester, beat Bristol LT&SC 3/0 while Chichester edged out Lee-on-Solent 2/1.

Prince O3 Challenge, 2nd round results:

Northumberland LT&SC bt Bannatynes H&SC, Durham 3-0
Hallamshire SC, Sheffield bt Chapel Allerton SC, Leeds 2-1
Nottingham SC bt Duffield SC 3-0
Edgbaston Priory SC bt Coventry & N Warwicks SC 2-1
Martlesham Heath SC bt Cambridge SC 2-1
Connaught LT&SC, Chingford bt Amida Twickenham 2-1
Chichester LT&SC bt Lee-on-Solent SC 2-1
Riverside SC, Gloucester bt Bristol LT&SC 3-0