Champions: Riki Houlden and Elana OsenGareth Hoskins

In a first for any university, Cambridge University Eton Fives Club (CUEFC) have completed a clean sweep of this season’s Eton Fives university competitions as Riki Houlden and Elana Osen won the Mixed University Championships in style on Sunday 15th February.

Confident from their respective victories in the Men’s and Ladies’ University Championships last October, with Houlden then partnering Tony Barker and Elana Osen playing in her usual pair with Petrean Olivia Prankerd Smith, the Cambridge Firsts looked to be firm favourites in an incredibly strong field of elite players. This included three other highly promising Cantab pairs: CUEFC captains Sophie Kelly and Saj Patel, King’s College’s Alex Rattan and Emma Sewart, and freshers Alistair Stewart and Annie Cave. 

As is customary, the tournament commenced with its group stages. Osen and Houlden emerged unscathed after commanding all of their games against the fancied Liverpool pair, Oxford Seconds and the CUEFC captains, who were unfortunately unable to navigate their way out of the heavily-seeded Group A.

The other Cambridge pairs did battle with UCL, Oxford Firsts and Nottingham. UCL dominated throughout the morning, leaving only one qualifying spot up for grabs. It was almost too close to call with one game to play, with Rattan and Sewart needing their Cambridge teammates-turned-rivals to topple Oxford in order to proceed. Despite some top-class play from all the CUEFC players, Oxford Firsts were able to clinch victory to advance to the semi-finals.

They didn’t stand a chance against Cambridge Firsts, however. Houlden and Osen both had their eyes on the final and swiftly dispatched the commendable Oxford pair in straight sets, leaving plenty of time to scrutinise the opposition teams warring on the neighbouring court. Harriet Asquith and James Tugwell of UCL had a harder time of it, overcoming Liverpool after a scare in the second game to secure their place in the final.

This then proved to be an immensely exciting game, described by the tournament organiser as “an absolute classic”. It was a glorious showpiece for mixed fives, with its quirky ‘Wiseman rule’ giving the advantage to the team with the most damaging set-piece – from the female half of the pair – and its unique atmosphere of intense competitiveness mixed with good fun.

The first game of the 3-set final was exhilarating and intriguing. Cambridge Firsts established an early lead, but their focus dwindled somewhat, leaving room for UCL to pull ahead. At 9-11, Cambridge were forced to weather a slew of match points but were nevertheless able to close the gap. With the game tied 11-11, UCL opted for sudden death, and this brave decision was rewarded when Asquith was able to return a soaring cut from Osen. 

The start of the second game, however, saw Cambridge manifest their true potential. Houlden’s exceptional ability to motivate shone through, as Cambridge Firsts ripped into their opponents, keeping the pressure ramped up. With Houlden on the attack and Osen out for blood with her sharp returns, the Light Blues stormed to victory against the struggling UCL team to even up the scoreboard. Refusing to relinquish any intensity, Cambridge took the final game of the day at lightning pace, cutting UCL out of the running and taking possession of the trophy for the first time since the tournament’s inception.

The CUEFC team: Annie Cave, Alex Rattan, Riki Houlden, Elana Osen, Emma Sewart, Sophie Kelly, Saj Patel and Alistair StewartGareth Hoskins

Elsewhere, on some of Highgate’s many other Eton Fives courts, the rest of the Cambridge team highlighted their talent. After edging past their nonetheless impressive captains Kelly and Patel, Rattan and Sewart reached the Plate final only to be thwarted at the finish line, with prodigious newcomer Emma Sewart challenging the experienced hand of Oxford’s Rosie Parr. Young guns Alistair Stewart and Annie Cave were then able to partially avenge some of their narrow earlier defeats by overcoming the Nottingham pair, leaving the Cambridge pairs clustered in the top echelons of those who had missed out on the podium.

With the Varsity Match just over a week away, the presence of all three University Cups in Cambridge – a historic achievement – and the great strength and depth in the CUEFC squad on display, Oxford must be quaking in their dark blue boots.