EURO VETERANS: FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TAKES 40+ MIXED TITLE

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS report is presented by YANG YANG BADMINTON PRODUCTS and their U.K. agents, SUNRISE SPORTS (Email: sales@SunriseCorp.demon.co.uk or Phone/Fax: 07050-182838). **

April 1, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Former men's doubles world champion Jesper Helledie of Denmark and partner Susanne Sorensen, also of Denmark, captured the mixed doubles title in the over-40 age group at the European Veterans badminton championships held in Gatehead, England this past week. Helledie won the world men's doubles crown with Steen Fladberg in the mid-80's. Sorensen, a top doubles player in Danish veterans' competitions, was a double gold medalist at the World Corporate Games in Stuttgart last year, winning in both women's and mixed doubles.

English great Dave Eddy took the men's singles crown in the over-50 age category. Other men's singles champions were Karl Sanderson of Denmark (over-40 age group), Brian Wallwork of England (over-45 age group), and Harry Shadwick (over-55 age group).

Germany exhibited strength in the women's singles event, taking three of the four titles at stake. Heidi Bender took the over-40 crown, Renata Konotzich won in the over-50 age group, and Renata Buhlmann was the over-55 champion. Liz Ratchsach of Denmark was the over-45 age group titleist.

In mixed doubles, Morten Friedlund and Anne-Marie Bagger of Denmark were the winners in the over-45 age category. Graham Billinghurst and Wendy Ascot of England took the over-50's, and the English pair of Harry Shadwick and Brenda Andrew captured the over-55 crown.

(Due to the Easter Monday holiday in England, the official results were only being processed today by the host association and the names of the official men's and women's doubles winners were not yet available for release. - Editor).