Students from Edinburgh, Durham and Newcastle joined forces last weekend for the largest university padel tournament in the UK.
The tournament took place at True Padel in Durham, the nine-court indoor facility which opened in January and is home to Durham’s university padel society.
The tournament featured men’s, women’s and mixed draws. With over 100 players and spectators in attendance, the event had a great atmosphere with a DJ and bar, creating a lively and sociable environment.
Tournament sponsors Novor provided demo 361 RG rackets for players without their own as well as prizes for winners and runners up in each category.
Among the chief event organisers were Barnaby Stephenson, Oscar Rudd, James Bonor-Morris, Hal Hornby and Newcastle University Padel Club co-founders Tom Smorczewski and Nathan Richmond.
James from Durham University said: “Three hours of padel, over nine courts with 54 players — a logistical nightmare turned into a memorable evening with the help of many.
“With Red Bull DJs and new Novor rackets adding to the fun, it was an exciting day for players and crowds alike. I would like to send a massive thanks to the Newcastle and Edinburgh teams for coming down and True Padel for hosting. It was the first of many; let’s just hope Durham wins a few more trophies next time!”
Barnaby, Novor brand ambassador from Edinburgh University, said: “For our first university padel fixture, we were over the moon with how the day went. From very competitive top seeded sides, to our ladies’ teams, to our mixed squad, it was amazing to see everyone playing with a smile on their faces (and good to come away with some wins).
“A massive thanks to Novor Padel for sponsoring the event and kindly giving prizes to the winners. It was great to have the lads along and everyone loved being able to try out their new 361 RG racket. The event set a great precedent for the UK student padel scene, and we’re excited for what’s to come in the future.”
