Sunday, February 10, 2008- North Shore News -A47

Ready
tor a
duel

GUIDE TO THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

Cap birdie
blaster aims
to defend
home court

Andy Prest
aprest@nsnews.com

THE B.C. Colleges'
Athletics Association
badminton
championships will hit
the Capilano College
Sportsplex courts Feb.
16 and 17 and one of
the Blues is looking to
protect his home turf
from an old foe.
Kiran Bogavelli, a fourth
year business management
student who also serves as the
badminton team's coach, won
the provincial title last year over
Douglas's Richard Liang before
Liang got his revenge, beating
Bogavelli a few weeks later to
claim the national crown.
In the lead-up to this year's
provincials, Bogavelli says the
two will almost certainly meet
again in the provincial final.
"100 per cent, unless we
photo submitted
get injured," he says. And if
that final materializes it will CAPILANO'S Kiran Bogavelli readies for a return during tournament play ear1ier this
be intense with only one season. The BCCAA provincial championships will be held at Capilano next weekend
guaranteed spot in the national and Bogavelli hopes to repeat as B.C. champion.
championships available - the
runner-up may be able to earn a wildcard talk. Last season he was named Capilano's chance to battle for individual provincial
entry. The intensity will be cranked up even male athlete of the year, a BCCAA first titles.
•••
more by the animosity the two players feel team all-star, a Canadian Colleges' Athletics
towards each other, says Bogavelli.
Association all-Canadian, the BCCAA North Vancouver's Anna Rice won her
"Altogether I have played him 10 times player of the year and the CCAA national third senior national badminton title
in commanding fashion last week in
and I won eight and he won two times. We player of the year.
This year's provincials were originally Richmond, winning four matches without
are like big rivals, we don't like each other,"
Bogavelli says. "We fight a lot on line calls scheduled for Thompson Rivers University losing a single game.
Seeded No. 1 in the tournament, the
and the scoring and everything on court. but the facilities at the Kamloops campus
were double-booked, so Capilano stepped Handsworth grad dominated the field. In
He's kind of like a short-tempered guy."
The two play differing styles as well, says in as host with Langara College helping to the final Rice took on Calgary's Charmaine
Bogavelli. "He's a fast player and he has age organize the event.
Reid, the No. 2.seed, and dispatched her
Saturday will feature the team event 21-7, 21-10.
on his side but I have experience. He plays
That win followed victories over Grace
very fast, a very aggressive game." Bogavelli where, starting at 9 a.m. and running
until 5 p.m., each school will play matches Gao (21-3, 21-13), Elisha Liu (21-8, 21is 31 and Liang 22.
The experienced one, however, does not against all other schools to determine a team 7), and No. 3 seed Valerie St-Jacues (21-10,
lack confidence, particularly playing on his champion and provincial representative 21-17).
home floor. "I'm excited and I'm looking for nationals. Starting at 9 a.m. on Sunday
Rice, ranked No. 23, currently lives
players in men's and women's singles,
forward to winning again."
Bogavelli has the resume to back up his doubles and mixed doubles will get the
See Rice page 49