Fives, Festivals, and Flying Monkeys
Alex Knight reports:
05/05/26: The first ever Festival of Eton Fives sponsored by Advanta Wealth took place at Eton College on Sunday (3 May), attended by players and enthusiasts from around the country and across the generations, some trying the game for the first time.
Despite a start time of 9am on the Sunday morning of a bank holiday weekend, thirty people came along to enjoy high quality Fives and activities ranging from the opportunity to play on the original Eton Fives court against the Chapel, to coaching tips from Kinnaird Cup winners. Particular kudos to Gary Marshall-Rice, who drove his son Bertie in, despite attending a friend’s stag night the evening before!
The irrepressible Riki Houlden featured strongly throughout the day, arriving early for a photoshoot and interview with the Daily Telegraph, before running a public masterclass on returning the cut, and then playing in – and winning – the Singles Tournament which ran alongside the event.
An exhibition game starring Seb Cooley and Kristiana Smilovska against Ryan Perrie and Zoe Wheale featured a hobbling Seb, who explained that he had turned his ankle the previous day and would therefore be “unable to engage flying monkey-mode”. Needless to say, this barely affected the quality of his play, with onlookers having to resist the temptation to shout “Fly, my pretty, fly!”.
The EFA’s Mike Till and Natalie Lilienthal ran coaching taster sessions throughout the day for less experienced players, and it was great to see William Toop (11), whose father James got through to the final of the Singles, playing alongside the next generation of Knights, Grace and Archie (both 15).
The Festival kicks off a week of activities around World Fives Day (5 May). If you want to join in this international celebration of Fives then please contact
