PembrokeshireSport.co.uk is delighted to find a new sport it has never reported on before  as we say well done to Carl Davies, who used to play cricket for Llanrhian some years ago but has helped start up ‘Pickleball’ in his home village of Trefin, which is played on an outside court there.

But it can also be played on a badminton court at Leisure Centres like Haverfordwest and Milford Haven, where youngsters who have never played any sport finds it meets their needs, as do older players like who is 51 but has taken to the sport like a duck to water!

Pickleball is a racket sport in which two or four players use a smooth-faced paddle to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a 34-inch-high (0.86 m) net – and is very much similar to tennis and table tennis!
 

Pembrokeshire Player Crowned Welsh Pickleball Champion in Wrexham

A Pembrokeshire pickleball player has returned from North Wales as a Welsh Champion, following a standout performance at the Welsh Pickleball Championships in Wrexham.

Carl Davies of Clwb Pickleball Trefin, partnering Mark Bleasdale of Taran Llandeilo Pickleball Club, claimed the title of Welsh 50+ Men’s 3.0 Doubles Champions after a dramatic and hard?fought final.

The achievement was made all the more impressive given Davies had been nursing an ankle injury in the days leading up to the tournament. Rather than risk further damage, he rested fully throughout the week and made the long 4.5?hour journey north to arrive calm, prepared, and match?ready.

“I wanted to give myself the best possible chance,” Davies said. “If I was going to play, I wanted to do it properly.”
 

Dominant Doubles Performance

Once the doubles competition got underway, Davies and Bleasdale quickly found their rhythm. A confident warm?up against higher?rated opposition set the tone, and the pair powered through the group stage with a series of convincing wins, growing stronger with every match.

In the semi?final, they produced their most dominant performance of the tournament, cruising to a 15–3 victory built on calm communication, disciplined shot selection and relentless consistency.

 

Final Goes to the Wire

The final proved a sterner test. After dropping the opening game, Davies and Bleasdale regrouped, trusted their routines and levelled the match with an emphatic response. The deciding game was tense throughout, with both teams trading points under pressure.

At 10–10, with the championship on the line, Davies and Bleasdale held their nerve, closing out the match 12–10 to secure the Welsh title.

“It was intense,” Davies said afterwards. “Both teams were playing their best pickleball. We stayed calm and trusted each other.”

A Boost for West Wales Pickleball
The victory is a major boost for pickleball in Pembrokeshire and West Wales, highlighting the growing strength of clubs such as Clwb Pickleball Trefin and Taran Llandeilo Pickleball Club competing — and succeeding — on the national stage.

Welsh 50+ Men’s 3.0 Doubles Champions — Carl Davies (Clwb Pickleball Trefin) and Mark Bleasdale (Taran Llandeilo Pickleball Club).

Runners-up: Celfyn Jones and Derwyn Owen (Angelesey)

Bronze Medallists:  Mike Walsh and Dean Adamson (Chester)