Alice Kaye collecting the award from Sally Bugden, Chairman, EBUThis year's young pair of the year award is awarded to Alice Kaye and James Paul.
In 2009 they cemented their university partnership with a string of successful results. In the April they were part of the team that won the Portland Bowl for Oxford University, the British University Championships that qualified their team to represent England in the European teams championship in Croatia in October.
Only a few weeks later they did tremendously well in reaching the final of the Punchbowl at the Spring Fours, coming back from a huge amount down at half time to close within only a few imps. Their opponents were a star studded team of internationals including Ralph Katz (only a few months before he won his first Bermuda Bowl). One of the current England European team commented how impressive it was that they were able to get back into the match using controlled agression in so few boards.
At the end of the Year Alice and James had their crowning achievement when they were part of the team to win the Under 25 Channel trophy for England for the first time in 14 years. Despite an unlucky start where they were actually lying 4th after a few matches they showed true English grit and won in the final set.
Michael Byrne
