College rounded off a tremendous season of Rackets this year at the Public Schools' Doubles Championships, staged at Queen's Club in the Easter holidays. Having secured a trophy and two finalists at the National Singles competitions in December, our impressive form during the season at a number of age groups meant that we were seeded in three of the four National Doubles Competitions.

In the 'blue riband' event, the First Pairs Championship, Richard Owen (L) and Chris Stout (H) were seeded number one and did not drop a game in the journey through to the final. This was to be against Wellington College, the only school we had lost to throughout the year. Wellington's impressive captain, Hopcroft, played a fine game in countering the excellent Doubles play from College. The final went to the 7th game, and an exhausted College pair finished 10-15 down, losing the match 3-4.

Earlier in the day, our Second Pair, also seeded number one, beat Radley in the final, 4-1. Tom Barton (S) and Alfie Gilbert (Xt) played some excellent rackets – of the quality that would have graced many schools' First Pairs. To end up with the silverware was a fine way to top their College rackets career. Then, not to be outdone, our U16 Pair of Alex Duncliffe-Vines (NH) and Adrian Montagu (H) won the National Colts Doubles Competition. They beat a spirited Marlborough pair (the number one seeds) through good serving and communication.

Such successes meant that College comfortably won The Faber Cup for the best overall performances at Queen's throughout the Singles and the Doubles - forthe 3rd year in succession.All involved with the College Rackets Club can be justly proud.

Full results from the Doubles competition:

15s - Harrow beat Winchester 3-1

U16s - Cheltenham (Alex Duncliffe and Adrian Montagu) beat Marlborough (no 1 seeds) 4-1

2nd Pairs - Cheltenham (Tom Barton and Alfie Gilbert) beat Radley (unseeded) 4-2

1st Pairs - Cheltenham (Richard Owen and Chris Stout) lost to Wellington (no 2 seeds) 3-4

The Faber Cup
(Best overall performance across both Singles and Doubles)

1st: Cheltenham College 35pts
2nd: Wellington College 26pts
3rd: Eton College 19pts
4th: Harrow 11pts

Photo: College Rackets Team on tour in USA this year