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April 2018
US IC visit to Bermuda - October 2017

US IC visit to Bermuda - October 2017

In the Spring of 2017, Claudia Wardman, the president of the Bermuda IC, was approached by the IC of the USA with a view to the IC of the USA sending a team to Bermuda for a match in 2017 or 2018.  At the 2017 AGM,  held at Mount Pleasant on 30 April 2017, this idea was run by the members present and it was unanimously agreed that the Bermuda IC would be delighted to host the US IC with a provisionally suggested date the last week of October 2017, the week-end following the Bermuda Clay Court Championships.   

 

Gill Butterfield was appointed ladies captain and Robin Blackburne the men’s captain.   It was agreed that Robin would undertake the negotiations with the US IC to make this event happen.

 

Following dozens of telephone chats and perhaps a hundred email exchanges between Robin and the US Captain, Hollis Russell, the members of the US team arrived in Bermuda on Thursday the 26thOctober 2017, staying at The Coral Beach Club, on whose clay courts the matches were to be played.

 

Michael Way, the Bermuda IC men’s co-captain, assembled a strong team, several of whom were former Davis Cup players.

 

The Bermuda men’s team included:   Michael Way, Stuart Smith, Yves Doyon, Ricky Mallory, Earl Leader, Wilf Gonsalves,John Johnston,  Mark Cordeiro and David Benevides.

 

And the ladies team:  Gill Butterfield,Erika Bove,  Sarah Cook,Heidi Boyle,

Wendy Dunne, Jill Finnigan, Ann Neher and Katie Qutub

 

On the Friday evening, Michael Way hosted a lovely cocktail party for our visitors at his home in Paget overlooking the Ocean.  On Saturday there was play all day, with many competitive matches.  On Saturday evening, our visitors joined us at the Gala Dinner at The Coral Beach Club following the prize-giving cocktail party of the Clay Court Championships.  On Sunday, play continued in the morning.

 

We hosted all the visiting players and spouses for a fine buffet Luncheon at Coral Beach. In the afternoon play resumed, and included a handful of mixed doubles matches.  The Bermuda ladies and mens doubles pairs were strong and were victorious.

On Sunday evening, our visitors were guests of Claudia Wardman for another delightful cocktail party.  Robin Blackburne said a few words  -  then took off his Bermuda IC tie and presented it to Hollis Russell, the US mens captain.  Hollis, after his response, reciprocated, took off his US IC tie and presented it to Robin.

 

The US team generously gave all the Bermuda players a handsome IC canvas tote bag. And the Bermuda IC presented to Hollis an engraved Waterford Clock, commemorating the US IC’s visit.   The weather was perfect and we greatly enjoyed hosting the US players.  Many new friendships were made.

 

The visitors left Bermuda on Monday.

 

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