Aberconway Cup Stays With The Wisemans

28/04/25: Howard & Gwydion Wiseman retained their grip on the Aberconway Cup in association with Advanta Wealth at Eton yesterday.

After a couple of years away, the Aberconway Cup - the tournament for intergenerational family pairs - returned to its traditional Eton home. There was a slightly lower entry this year with only 12 pairs making it to the start line thanks to a range of factors - illness, injury, marathon-running, padel tennis, exam revision and music rehearsals among them - but it was pleasing to see a mixture of old faces and new recruits. Tony Walters sr was back again, having played in the second ever edition of the Aberconway back in 1992, but with a new partner this time in the shape of 12 year old grandson Atticus. Tony was not the oldest competitor, however, with the evergreen David Cooper back again partnering son Rob. It was Seb Cooley's turn this year to partner father John and there were appearances from regular recent pairings Henry & Brian Steele, Adam & Jack Pemberton, Tom Leach & Jan Michalski and Mark & Ruby Halstead. They were joined by the champions of the last four editions Howard & Gwydion Wiseman and four pairs making welcome debuts - Tony & Max Millbank from Shrewsbury, Etonians James Grant-Peterkin & nephew Kit Burton, the Etonian/Salopian duo of Piers & Morgan Butler and the youngest player this year, William Toop, playing alongside dad James.

The morning group phase saw the field divided into three groups of four. The Wisemans and Pembertons qualified from their groups without too much fuss, with the other pairs finding some form, learning to work together (or not in some cases...) and fighting for the top seeded slots in the afternoon Mike Fenn plate. The Butlers in particular seemed determined to get their money's worth, winning a couple of lengthy (and  hot) battles with the Halsteads and Coopers before coming up against Howard & Gwydion. Elsewhere, the Grant-Peterkin/Burton pairing looked in pretty good fettle without being able to find a way past the Pembertons and the Millbanks also looked as though they could be potential plate contenders. 

The third group was rather more complicated; with two semi-final slots available there was an early upset as the Toops won the hotly-anticipated battle with the Cooleys 15-14 (no game management involved from anyone there, obviously). The Walters were having a great time without winning any matches as they enjoyed their grandfather/grandson transition year with father T Walters ready to step into his father's shoes next year, while the Leach/Michalskis were getting into the mix with wins over the Walters and the Toops. This left Seb & John Cooley needing to win their final group match against Tom & Jan to cause a three way tie and require the organiser's calculator to make an appearance to work out the points difference. John was as solid as ever and Seb turned on the style against the Charterhouse pair, taking the game 15-10 and meaning the Toops just missed out (with the not inconsiderable consolation of having a shot at the plate) while the Cooleys and Leach/Michaslskis headed into the semis to take on the top two seeds.

With the Walters & Coopers bowing out gracefully at lunchtime, the top four moved into the semi-finals while the other six pairs split into two groups to see who would make it into the plate final. The plate groups produced some epic matches, with two 15-14s, a 15-12 and a 15-10 among the six matches played. James & Kit continued their good form to win their group, but were beaten by the clock, ceding their place in the final to runners-up Mark & Ruby Halstead. Given the morning efforts of the Toops and Butlers, it was perhaps no surprise that their group, also containing the Millbanks, again required some nifty maths to work out what had happened. The Millbanks started with a 15-12 win over the Butlers, who then edged a titanic battle with the Toops 15-14. With William growing in confidence and James enjoying having a target for qualification, the Toops set about trying to defeat the Millbanks by a sufficient margin to top the group and qualify. This was a delightful game, with all four players simultaneously working co-operatively and trying hard to win, but it was the Toops who established an early lead which they never relinquished, winning 15-10 to take them into the final. 

Those with long memories may be able to recall the 2001 Kinnaird Cup final, a Toop v Halstead affair, although that time it was Mark's brother Jamie in action; this time round the next generation were involved with Ruby trynig to outdo her brother Louis, a runner up in the Mike Fenn plate in 2018. They got close, but the Toop momentum was unstoppable as William got his hands on a trophy in his first Fives tournament and James became the fourth person to do the prestigious Kinnaird Cup/Mike Fenn Plate double after Howard Wiseman, Seb Cooley and Tom Dunbar. A potential Dunbar v Toop Aberconway match up in a few years time is a tantalising prospect!

In the main competition, the Wisemans and Pembertons continued their serene progress to the final, overcoming the Cooleys and the Leach/Michalskis respectively in straight games, the Pembertons becoming the first Berkhamstedian finalists since the Skeltons in 2014. The final was a fine game to watch with some terrific shot-making and exciting rallies; the outcome, though, was never really in doubt as the Wisemans kept a vice-like grip on the trophy that they have held since 2021, in the process becoming the first pair to win the Aberconway Cup five years in succession.

Our thanks go to Eton for hosting the competition, to Advanta Wealth for their continued sponsorship and to everyone who came to play and watch and who made it such an enjoyable day.

Semi-Finals

H & G Wiseman beat J & S Cooley 2-0 (12-9, 12-8)

A & J Pemberton beat T Leach & J Michalski 2-0 (12-6, 12-2)

Final

H & G Wiseman beat A & J Pemberton 2-0 (12-6, 12-3)

Mike Fenn Plate

J & W Toop beat M & R Halstead 12-9