Warwick - So Near and Yet So Far!

Gwynfa finished joint first in the plate final of the National DPI Championships at Warwick but failed to collect the trophy after a nail biting tie break. As far as we know it is the best ever performance by a Welsh club in this prestigious national competition.

For those of you who don't know, 'Warwick' is the National version of our own 'Ace of Clubs' (which Gwynfa won to qualify for this event). The top two clubs in each federation throughout the British Isles compete plus the finalists from the previous year. This year there were 36 clubs in total, all of them the top clubs in their respective areas. Gwynfa has competed three times in recent years but has only made it into the top 30 once before (last year) when we finished 15th after the first two rounds and joint fifth in the plate competition.

The competition works as follows: Each club enters eight photographs for round 1 and eight different photos for round two. These are scored out of 15 (by three judges who can scored up to 5 points for each photo). After the first two rounds the top eight clubs (plus ties) proceed to the final (where they need a further 20 photos each). The remainder proceed to the Plate final (and another eight photos each).

After the first two rounds our total score of 174 left us in Joint 18th place and top placed Welsh club ahead of Bridgend (172), Mold (159) and Caernarvon (157). However, this 18th place was not an indicator of the excitement to come!

Te plate final was contested by a total of 26 clubs( as 10 had proceeded to the final due to tied scores in eighth place). Each club being required to submit a further eight photographs, four of which had to be new.

As the scores came in we began to realise we were in with a shout. Two maximums of 15 (one for Linda Beynon, one for husband Bob), a 14 for Mark Mumford plus a few '12s' gave us a total score of 100 points. To put this in to some perspective, it was only the second three figure total for eight photos in the entire competition, with only Wigan 10 having scored 104 for eight photos in round one.

The only problem was that our 'plate' score was matched by another score of 100 from Southampton leaving the two clubs tied in first place. A tie break of three new photos would be necessary to decide who took home the silverware.

After two photos each in the tie break we were two points ahead but the last photo saw a three point swing leaving us on 32 and Southampton on 33! Southampton were jubilant, Gwynfa philosophical. "It's all part of life's rich tapestry" one wag was heard to utter.

So the plate finished in this order: Southampton (100W), Gwynfa (100), Wolverhampton (98), Rolls Royce Derby (97), Dorchester (97) and Highcliffe Infinity (95). Bridgend finished with a very creditable 91 points (Joint 13th), Caernarvon with 81 and Mold with 80.

In the main final (20 photos each club) Wigan 10 (259) won easily for the fifth time from Carluke (250) and Amersham (247).

Thanks to those who travelled with Team Gwynfa: Alan & Val Shepherd, Bob & Linda Beynon, Andy and Theresa Baker, Leigh Woolford and Beddau Boy, Ken Watkins!

Congratulations to those whose photographs represented the club on the day: Alec Stewart, Alan Shepherd, Allan Squires, Leigh Woolford, Martin Thomas, Dave Jones, Mark Mumford, Bob Beynon, Linda Beynon, Mark Mumford, Jonathan Winney and Gwynfryn Jones.

Despite the eventual disappointment it was a huge achievement for the club.