Welcome to the Shelter Harbor Inn Paddle

ALBRIKES AND FRIED -- CARTIER AND MARTIN CAPTURE
SHELTER HARBOR'S SPRING SHORELINE CLASSIC TOURNAMENTS

Playing in near-perfect paddle weather, top seeds Jerry Albrikes and Mike Fried won the men's and #1 seeds Geoff Cartier and Kristie Martin won the mixed events at Shelter Harbor's "Spring Shoreline Classic" on Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28.

In the men's event, Albrikes and Fried fought off challenges from Gordon Teglas and Don Clark by a score of 6-2, 7-5 in the semis and from Steve Heath and Geoff Cartier in the final by a score of 6-0, 7-6. BJ Paret and Greg Brasher won the consolation event, with a win over Bob Salter and Walker Jones in the final. Bill Horne and Tom Griffa took the reprieve with a win over Jim Dey and George Moore in that final, and Allyn and Adam Michalek cruised to victory in the "last gasp" over Bob Burian and Rob Gay.

In mixed, top seeds Cartier and Martin moved comfortably into the final, then fought off a tough challenge from #2 seeds, Ned and Polly Handy, by a score of 6-3, 6-4 to claim the title. In the "all Shelter Harbor" consolation final, Rob Gay and Norma Taylor defeated John Spears and Leah Nero, and in the "last gasp", Shelter Harbor Inn owner Jim Dey and Deb Schmutzier were victorious over Steve Blum and Jeannie Straus of Manhattan.

Highlights of the tournament ( besides the excellent paddle play) were the hot tub on the roof of Shelter Harbor Inn, and the cocktail party Saturday night at the Dey residence, overlooking Quonachontaug Pond.

The real highlight of the Shoreline Classic was having Jerry Albrikes in our tournament. Jerry learned to play paddle 8 or 10 years ago right here at Shelter Harbor Inn. Two weeks ago, he and his partner, Johan Durandt from Massachusetts, played in the National Men's Open Paddle Tournament against 120 of the best teams in the country.

In a remarkable performance they swept through the field for victory. Albrikes's performance was particularly amazing considering that he lost half of his previous season to two surgeries and follow up radiation for a cancerous sarcoma in his neck. A great article about Jerry appeared in the New London Day on Monday, March 15th. Click here to read the article.

Unfortunately for us, Jerry is moving to South Carolina in May to take the top tennis teaching job at a large tennis facility near Charleston. We wish Jerry all the best in the world.