NEWEST VETERAN AIMS FOR FIVE TITLES

This year’s M & G Investments Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League Annual Closed Championships take place from Friday 2 February 2007 to Sunday 5 February 2007 at the Anglia Ruskin University Mildmay Sports Hall, Bishops Hall Lane, Rivermead Campus, Chelmsford. Admission is free and it would be great to see former players and other spectators coming to watch over the course of the weekend.

The Tournament starts on the Friday evening at 7.00pm with the Veterans Singles and Doubles events and the likelihood that the Over 60’s event will have to be completed on the Saturday afternoon. Newest veteran David Cole has been made the favourite for the Singles and scheduled to meet last year’s winner Rik James – his Colchester team mate – in the final. However much depends upon the fitness of Rik, currently not playing due to illness and injury, but hopefully fit for the weekend and also Peter Hayden who has just returned to the table after a six week injury layoff. John Holland will be looking to regain the title he lost to Rik last year and Peter Hayden, Peter Ballard, Steve Kerns, Hamish Innes and Ian Whiteside should reach the later stages.

The Doubles seems destined to be fought out between Rik/David and John Holland/George Pavitt with the partnership of Peter Ballard/Hamish Innes the biggest danger. John Holland and Peter Ballard seem destined to reach the Over 60’s final where John will be seeking to regain the title that he lost to Peter last year.

Saturday morning sees all the Junior events and with Vytas Rybakas at the Bristol Acadamy and not entered there is no odds-on favourite for the Junior Boys Singles. Greg Green has been seeded one but number two seed Bradley Hudgell will be seeking to overturn his two recent defeats in Inter League and at the Essex Closed where Greg was the runner up to Luca Mariano. Trying to stop these two players reaching the final should be Lawrence Wilcox and Dacre Pell. Greg and Bradley are also expected to reach the Under 21’s Final where Ryan Pitt, Simon Webber and Alistair Hill will be the closest challengers. In the Junior Girls event Holly Stubbings is expected to see off the challenges from Hannah Pitt and Stevie Pell, recent winners of the Under 15 and Under 18 events respectively at the Essex Closed. Sam and Adam Pitt are seeded to meet in the Under 16’s Final with the third Pitt – Hannah- is the favourite to win the Under 14 event.

MENS SINGLES

The main event of the weekend is the Mens Singles with 55 players in fourteen groups seeking to prevent David Cole making it a consecutive hat-trick of titles. Main challengers would appear to be Neil Charles, the number 2 seed, Vytas’s elder brother Arturas and Rik James. At the quarter final stage Aaron Fennell, Peter Hayden, Paul Davison and John Holland are expected to be trying to prevent the top four reaching Finals Night. Other players capable of springing surprises are Kevin Read, Peter Ballard, Matt Spero and Neil Gooday so even the early rounds will produce some good entertaining play.

With fifteen times winner Julie Vansertima not entered this year the Ladies Singles is wide open. Nikki Kennard, the winner of the 1996 Essex Closed Womens Singles has been given the honour of number one seed but she will have to survive the challenge of Melanie Bonnett in the Group matches with Jean Chasmer and Essex Junior Holly Stubbings looking to upset the form by seeking their first Ladies title.

In the Mens Doubles David Cole will be after a sixth consecutive title having won the event with four different partners. If Rik is unfit who knows – it could be a fifth different partner. Trying to stop David will be brothers-in-law Paul Davison and Neil Charles. Nearest challengers are expected to be Ian Whiteside/Kevin Read, Peter Ballard/Hamish Innes and whoever partners Aaron Fennell now that Greg Yarnell has withdrawn. 

Sunday sees the Divisional 2 Down, 4 Down and 6 Down Singles events, the first two being the graveyard of favourites over the years. This year sees Gary Ward and Gareth Joice, respective winners in 2004, carrying the mantle. With matches expected to be hotly contested expect Kevin Worthington, John Cleasby and Keith Spicer to reach the latter stages of the 2 Down and Alistair Hill, Keith Cullen and Ian Morrison achieving the same in the 4 Down. In the 6 Down Keith Cullen is probably the hottest favourite of the weekend and he should meet team mate Peter Mynard in the Final.

The final events of the weekend, the Handicap Singles and Doubles which are played 21-up depend upon the Committee’s accuracy of handicapping. Last year most singles matches either went to three sets or two settled at deuce so it is likely to be the player or players with the most stamina who will finally succeed.

Finals Night will be at Old Chelmsfordians venue on Monday 12 February 2007.

Arthur C. Clark

Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League

Tournament Organiser