A just-for-fun mixed pickleball doubles tournament held on Jan. 18 and organized by the Olds Pickleball Club brought in 40 players, an increase of about 12 compared to last year. Sydney Branden of Innisfail and Dryden Link of Red Deer captured the title, while the runner-up spot went to Jesse Stoddart of Olds and Suzanne Hicks of Red Deer.
Mary Wilson from the Olds Pickleball Club explained that players competed with the same partner for the duration of the one-day tournament. Teams were divided into two pools consisting of 10 teams each, with every team playing nine matches. The top four teams from each pool then advanced to cross-over games against teams from the opposite pool.
Pickleball enthusiasts won’t have to wait long for another event. Wilson said the club is set to stage its fifth annual All for One fun tournament toward the end of April at the CLC gym.
“We will be using both these tournaments this year to help fundraise for a third outdoor pickleball net,” Wilson wrote in an email. “We had some money left from a Mountain View Power Grant we received last spring and needed to make up the difference to purchase a third net.
“We did some fun fundraising events at our tournament this weekend to work towards that goal.”
