Eden Valley Pickleball club is encouraging more clubs to start up after golden year with success at both national and international level.
Pickleball, which is the fastest growing sport in Europe and the USA, is a racquet game played on a badminton size court where players must hit a small ball over the net until a rule infraction.
The year began when Luke Whitfield, 20, from Cumwhinton won the national under 25s tournament in Milton Keynes with a ‘’spectacular performance’’ and Maisie Wise, 22, also placed as the second highest woman in the same event.
There was also gold in Southampton for the English Open for Eden Valley Pickleball manager Richard Wise in the over 50s mixed doubles and Maisie put her Milton Keynes disappointment behind her to also win gold in the over 19s championship.
International success soon followed with manager Wise putting in a brilliant display to win gold at the International Open in the searing Spanish sun.
Last week saw an inexperienced quartet, including Maisie Wise and Carlisle’s Trevor Robinson, travel down to the national team championships in Cambridge and win a ‘fantastic’ silver medal.
Cumbria is a somewhat unexpected Pickleball Hub. Eden Valley Pickleball has well over 100 members and there are also thriving clubs in Kendal, Barrow and Workington.
Richard has been the main driver of the success and has recently helped groups start up in Hallbankgate, Heads Nook and Thursby and hopes to see new groups starting up in Brampton, Maulds Meaburn and Kirkby Stephen shortly.
Any venues in the region that are interested in setting up a new team are encouraged to contact Richard on edenvalleypickleball@gmail.com and keep in touch with the Eden Valley Pickleball team Facebook page.
Read More: 'Devastated' staff speak out after being made redundant from Women Out West
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here