All South Final in the 2025 Eights

History snatched from Cheltenham

The 39^th Bath Eights took place on the 6^th of September, 32 Men’s clubs and 23 Women’s clubs gathered at Odd Down Bath for a wonderful day of lacrosse.

Link to photographs on Facebook

The draw assures that every team gets at least 6 games, followed by quarter finals for the top eight teams.

The scoring system of 10pts for a win, 5 for a draw and a point per goal scored means that every game has meaning and small teams can have influence over the fate of the bigger clubs.

Eligibility criteria

Over the past few years, the tournament has been edging towards a Southern dominated cohort, and this year saw the lowest attendance from the Northern League. Even so, the mixture of Club/School/University/Alumni teams give an eclectic look to what is regarded as one of the most inclusive days in the lacrosse calendar with over 600 players attending.

The weather (as ever) was kind to Bath, sunshine but windy (3 Gazebo’s destroyed) and the organising team worked hard all day to deliver the best tournament yet.

THANK YOU

A huge thanks to the Officials, games controlled in good humour as always.

The Scorers – Tom Jacques, Nige Gates, Katie Ratnett and Laura Mizen kept the schedule running smoothly – The Men went completely electronic on three screens (John Harrops whiteboard was present in case of a power cut).

The carpark crew of Simon Roberts, Paul Bown and Lane Piva looking good in HiViz

The Retail staff of Nicola Roberts, Ashley Roberts, Tom Box, Warwick Roberts, Susie Roberts – without the bar and T shirt profits the club wouldn’t be able to put the tournament on at all. This years Nuclear Lilleys Cider proved very popular.

Ambulance 24 who dealt with several ankle and shoulder injuries on the day, and the GLL café staff and Janes Chicken for keeping everybody fed.

All the Bath LC players for set up and take down over two days, a necessary heavy lifting job that can’t be avoided.

Finally in the background thanks to Kaoru Jacques for all the booking admin and Nik Roberts for doing the logistics on the day.

Although this year was the 40^th year since the first tournament (8 clubs in 1986 on the recreation ground), covid was a barren year, so 2026 will be the 40^th Men’s Bath Eights – watch this space…

Link to past winners

WANT TO WATCH THE GAMES GO TO UTUBE LINK

In the Women’s tournament

Cheltenham Cougars Women fought off tough opposition including a spirited Bath outfit in the quarter finals to get through to the Final where the West country outfit came out on top against Wilmslow Women

Quarter Final Scores

Cheltenham Cougars 3:2 Bath LC game 4:3
Downe House Alumni 3:2 Uni of York

Wilmslow 4:2 Cirencester

Reading 1 Lancaster Uni Alumni 2

Semi Finals

Cheltenham beat Lancaster and Wilmslow defeated Downe House Alumni in a golden goal game.

The final Live streamed LINK saw Cheltenham come out on top and retain the trophy they won in 2024

Overall the tournament was played in great spirit, some goalkeepers were shared, including one Elise Mantay, who turned up to help with the scoring and volunteered to go into goals despite never having even held a lacrosse stick in her life – testament to her natural ability as Elise was involved in the golden goal Semifinal – looks like Bath may have found a gem.

Congratulations to Cheltenham Cougars Women, 2025 winners

In the Men’s tournament:

The 32 teams lined up and opened with a shock result when Bournemouth University beat Cheadle, proving prophetic as the Northern powerhouse failed to qualify for the knockout stages.

Cheltenham were bidding to be the first club in the tournaments history to win both the Women’s and Men’s tournament, only to have the rug pulled from underneath them by Reading Wildcats. History was made as this was the first ever all Southern final in a tournament dominated by Northern league clubs.