A NEW pickleball court has opened in Milford Haven — the first of its kind in Pembrokeshire.

Pickleball Milford Haven has spent the last few months preparing the play area at St Katharine’s Green on The Rath, transforming it into a dedicated space for the fast-growing sport.

The first session took place on Saturday (May 10), with a good turnout and several newcomers saying they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Pickleball, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is gaining popularity across the UK for its accessibility and fun, social nature.

Anyone interested in joining or learning more is invited to contact Mrs Queenie Scales on 07814 122443.

As the Premier League season draws to a close and most of the major outcomes have been decided, now is the perfect time to look at the season so far. 

Champions and the Champions League

This year, due to England’s performance in UEFA’s coefficient rankings, five clubs are guaranteed a place in the Champions League. 

Liverpool were recently crowned champions of the Premier League following an impressive 5-1 victory over Tottenham on April 27, with the victory also guaranteeing them a spot in the top five. 

However, four spots are still left to be decided and the battle is close between the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest. As a result, those who are looking for Premier League & Champions League betting opportunities are constantly seeing prices fluctuate on a gameweek-by-gameweek basis. With only three matches left for each team now, one minor slipup could cost a team a place in the top five. 

Arsenal have performed admirably throughout the season, only losing four out of their 35 games and securing 18 wins. Punters have considered Arsenal to be an almost guaranteed top five finisher for the past few months, but they’re stuttering to the finish line. 

Following Arsenal is Manchester City and Newcastle United, who have favourable odds at 1/50 and 1/4 respectively. The clubs are tied at 19 wins each, with Man City one point ahead of Newcastle and just three points behind Arsenal. 

Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa are all in with a chance but Chelseae are slightly ahead, leaving Forest and Villa vulnerable. 

The race for the top five is looking more competitive than ever before, so we’re certainly in for a nailbiting few weeks as the competition comes to an end. Remember, if you are betting on which team will capture one of these all-important spots, gambling legislation is continually changing. For instance, Ireland’s new gambling regulator, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) officially came into force last month. So, before you place a bet, ensure you’re gambling responsibly and know the rules in your area.

Relegations

Southampton were the first to go following their 3-1 defeat at Spurs. This was the side’s 25th defeat. Not long after, Leicester City joined the relegations when they were beaten by Liverpool 1-0. This is the second relegation in three years for the club who had a rough start, losing the first six games of their campaign. 

Finally, Ipswich Town made up the last of the three relegated teams, when they lost 3-0 to Newcastle on April 26.

An exciting season all round

There are only a few matches left to go but the season so far has certainly been one for the books, from stellar performances by Liverpool to an unfortunate outcome for Southampton. Be sure to tune in for the remaining matches to see who makes it into the top five. 

SOME of Pembrokeshire’s most talented young athletes took part in the annual Secondary School Boccia Tournament last month, showcasing impressive skills in the inclusive Paralympic sport.

Boccia, a precision ball game similar to bowls, is designed for athletes with physical disabilities and requires competitors to aim their ball as close as possible to a target ‘jack’ ball.

The tournament, sponsored by Valero, was held in the sports hall at Haverfordwest High VC School on Tuesday, April 29.

A total of 20 teams from schools across the county took part, including Haverfordwest High, Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Milford Haven School, Ysgol Bro Preseli, Ysgol Harri Tudur, and Portfield School.

Matches were overseen by volunteers from Saundersfoot Rotary’s Tenderfoot Disability Sports group, Welsh international Boccia player Sian Jones, and Young Ambassadors from Haverfordwest High.

After a day of closely contested matches and high-quality play, it was Ysgol Harri Tudur Team 1 who emerged victorious.

Dan Bellis of Sport Pembrokeshire said: “It was fantastic to see so many teams and pupils taking part in such an inclusive activity. A great time was had by all.

“Big thanks to Valero for sponsoring the event, and to all the volunteers and Young Ambassadors for umpiring and scoring the games. A big well done to everyone who took part and made the tournament such a success.”