The weekends UK PADEL Over-50s County Championships marked a successful debut for the competition’s new structure, with a three-day format and two-tier system delivering quality competition across all categories.
While Surrey underlined their strength with two County Championship titles, it was Cheshire Men who produced the key result that prevented a Surrey clean sweep.
Navarro (A Competition): Elite level sets the standard
The premier Navarro competition showcased the strongest counties in the country, with Surrey and Cheshire leading the way, and Yorkshire Women in second and Channel Islands Mixed team not able to defend their 2025 title losing in Championship shout out to Surrey.
Mixed Navarro
- Winners: Surrey
- Runners-up: Channel Islands
- 3rd/4th: Not played (Sussex / East Scotland)
Women’s Navarro
- Winners: Surrey
- Runners-up: Yorkshire
- 3rd Place: Dorset
Men’s Navarro
- Winners: Cheshire
- Runners-up: Surrey
- 3rd Place: Gloucestershire
Bela Competition: Promotion battle adds extra edge
The second-tier Bela competition introduced promotion opportunities, adding a new dynamic and more silverware to chase, which Middlesex did in winning both the Mixed and Women’s events.
Mixed Bela
- Winners: Middlesex
- Runners-up: Cambridgeshire
- 3rd & Promoted: Lancashire
Women’s Bela
- Winners: Middlesex
- Runners-up: Lancashire
- 3rd & Promoted: Derbyshire
Men’s Bela
- Winners: Kent
- Runners-up: Essex
- 3rd & Promoted: East Scotland
Lancashire, Derbyshire, and East Scotland all secured promotion, underlining the effectiveness of the new pathway between tiers.
New structure delivers immediate impact
This season introduces a clear competitive framework:
- Navarro (A Competition): The top tier, featuring the leading county teams competing for championship honours.
- Bela Competition: A highly competitive second tier, offering development opportunities and promotion into Navarro.
The move to a three-day format also proved popular among players. Tournament organiser Mark Ayers said:
“The move to a three-day format has made a real difference. It’s more manageable for players, and the introduction of the Navarro and Bela tiers is already creating more meaningful matches and giving counties a clear pathway to progress.”
Sponsor support strengthens Championships
The continued growth and delivery of the Over-50s County Championships is supported by a strong group of partners, including Lauralu, Hexa Padel, Bilko, HEAD and Shandy Shack.
Their backing plays a key role in enhancing the player experience, supporting event operations, and enabling the continued development of the competition.
0 Comments