Seeded at two, Ireland's Colum Slevin, cruised through the early rounds, dropping just one game, (11-9 to Scotland's Kenny Lindsay) en-route to the quarter finals. Liverpool's Kevin Dolder was his next victim, the Irishman easing through the first two games 11-3, 11-7 before the England number 33, kept the encounter alive, winning the third, 13-11. Slevin was unaffected by this and swept home 11-2 for a 3 -1 victory, before ousting third seed and holder Euan Walker in a tremendous semi final encounter. The tall Scot, who had accounted for Adam Bleakley 3-1 in the last eight, threw everything at Slevin, but he didn't succumb, his accurate shot placement inflicting the damage down the flanks, to qualify for the final.       

In the other half of the draw, top seed Ryan Jenkins, the current British Grand Prix champion and winner three times in the past four seasons, dropped the opening game 13-11 against Cleveland's Daniel Reed in the last eight, but took the next three, before overcoming Scotland's all action Gavin Rumgay, in the semi's. 

The Pontypridd man, who was the Liverpool Open men's singles runner up to Bradley Billington in 2002, drew first blood in the final, firing down a volley of fierce winners, to win 11-9. Slevin from then on though, hardly made a mistake in the next three games, forcing errors from the well travelled world ranked 227 Welshman, to win 11-5, 11-7, 11-8. The final together with the semi-finals, were contested in tremendous fashion, and were a credit to the event and the sport in general.

Helen Lower forced to pull out

Helen Lower, the England number one and national champion, was forced to withdraw just days before the event, due to injury, but second seed, Natalie Bawden from Essex, assuming the role, sailed into the final without the loss of a game. Facing her was Russian born Marina Zarzyaka, now living in Surrey, who lost the first two games to Lancashire's Lindsey Thornton Reynolds in the semi's.  The final was a tense affair, and after Miss Bawden had won the first game 11-2, she was rocked back when Ms Zarzyaka won the next two 11-7, 12-10. The tension built up when Miss Zarzyaka was warned about the validity of her service action, but, the break in play when the Referee was called didn't appear to affect the focus of the England number six, who won the next two games 11-8, 11-8, to take the title for the first time. The winner's cheque was presented to Natalie by surprise visitor, former England number one, Carl Prean. 

The 2004/05 Butterfly Grand Prix Under 21 Champion, Cheshire's Karen Shepherd, registered another Under 21 singles title beating Yorkshire's Nicola White, 11-3, 11-8, 11-8, in the final.  Miss Shepherd inflicted defeat on another Yorkshire player when she beat Joanna Roberts, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8, which earned her the Women's Band One singles title.

Bleakley the pick of the youngsters

The Under 21 men's singles event produced a number of tremendous encounters, and in particular, the semi's and the final.  Following the withdrawal of top seed Darius Knight in the week leading up to the event, Devon's Craig Bryant, the twelfth ranked senior in England and the overall Under 21 Grand Prix champion for 2004/05 champion, effectively took on the mantle.  In the top half of the draw he was favourite to take the title dismissing Mark Simpson, Durham (3-1) and Surrey's Chris Lewis in straight games to reach the last four, while Daniel Reed (ranked at 23) came up against Adam Bleakley (27) who registered a 3-1 win, Reed taking the second game.

Bleakley's last four clash with Bryant, according to those at courtside, was the best match of the competition.  The Devonian though couldn't overcome the England number 3 junior who qualified for the final with an 11-4, 14-12, 11-5 victory. With the injured Dale Barham missing, Stephen Gertsen (Wales) progressed to the semi's where he met David Meads (Durham), taking the opening game 11-9. The England number 6 junior recovered to edge a tight second game 12-10 before notching the next two to earn a crack at the in-form Bleakley.        

The final was a rip roaring affair, the Lancashire man, who turned 18 three weeks earlier, pipped Meads 13-11 in the opener and extended his lead via a 11-8 success in the next. The standard of play was exceptional and with Bleakley at match point, Meads extended the clash winning 12-10 in the third game. With a big crowd now gathered Meads continued to press but Bleakley couldn't be deflected and powered his way to victory with an impressive display, to win 11-8. 

Carthy up and running early

The Veteran singles event was devoid of the top seven ranked men, although Liverpool's Keith Williams, (5) had entered but then had to withdraw after breaking a bone in his right hand, (although, he writes, bats and bowls with his left).  Leading the charge therefore, was Liverpool's Chris Ford together with Dave Godbold (Durham), Clive Carthy (Essex), Dave Harvey (Glous), Ian Girdler Surrey plus Nottingham's Trevor Kerry. Also in the draw was ETTA Deputy Chairman Mike Johns, (ranked 27), who, in 1963 was the 'Merseyside' junior champion and the men's singles champion three years later. He took his leave at the last 16 stage, beaten by Chris Pickard, who went out in the next round to Carthy after leading by two games to one.  Ford, the highest ranked player in the draw, dismissed Wales' national veteran champion and 2002/3 Grand Prix Veteran champion Steve Hall in the last eight but then came a cropper, beaten in straight games by the tricky Carthy.  Kerry notched a straight set success over Godbold, before bowing out to Henry Medellin (Surrey), who in the previous round had beaten Harvey, 6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6.   The Surrey man dropped the first to Kerry but reached the the final via a 3-1 victory.

Carthy was involved in a lively, competitive final clash with Medellin (the runner up a year ago to Milan's Roberto Giontella) but always in command, won 11-8, 11-8, 11-5.   

Danny and Adam battle it out

The men's Band One event contained a number of useful players including  Adam Laws, who went out in straight games to Kevin Dolder in the last eight. Second seed Adam Bleakley went one round better but made his exit by 3 games to 1, to Cleveland's Daniel Reed 3-1, whose first knock out round opponent, was another D Reed (Darren). Scotland's Kenny Lindsay took the first two games from Dolder in the semi's but after losing 4-11, won 11-9 

The final kicked off in exciting fashion, Reed and Lindsay trading blows until they stood level at 13 all. The Scot though took the initiative and clinched the next two points but couldn't keep up with Reed, who proceeded to romp home, 11-8, 11-2, 11-6. 

Wing Yung Chan took the Liverpool Band One Junior Singles title in Liverpool in January and has added the Butterfly Grand Prix Liverpool Open Band 3 title, eight months later. He took five games to overcome Derbyshire's Sam Perry in the last eight and went a game behind in the semi's to top seed Lee Horton, before winning, 8, 5 and 8.  His final opponent, Andrew Wilson, dropped just one game en-route to final, that to Worcestershire's Matt Squires. Chan took the first game in the final 12-10 but then gave Wilson little chance of claiming the winner's cheque, taking the next two 5 & 2.

A disappointing entry of only seven fought out the two groups in the Veteran Women's singles event with Judy Morley (Glous), Stephanie Howard Cheshire), Val Murdoch Herts) and Kim Mudge Surrey, the semi-finalists. Judy, the 2004/05 Grand Prix Veteran champion and ranked at 15 in England, predictably eliminated Steph, who stands at 52, while Kim, at 14, beat Val, listed at 51.  Kim took the title 11-8, 11-7, 12-10.