The IOM Table Tennis annual Fun Doubles Tournament was played last week. The event is slightly different from the usual format in that playing partners are allocated so as to ensure that the lower division players are partnered with more experienced players from the higher divisions, and the tournament is played as best of 3 ends instead of the normal best of 5 ends. 15 pairs started in 2 groups.

 

In Group A there were some closely fought matches with Steve Curtis and Maurice Campbell doing well to beat Scott Lewis and Robin Burchill 13/11, 8/11, 13/11. Geoff Ball and Margaret Forsyth lost to Neil Ronan and Kevin Drewry 9/11, 11/6, 9/11. Maggie Mulhern and Jackie Gill picked up their first win when they beat Curtis and Campbell 4/11, 8/11, 9/11. Final placings in the group were: 1st place Scott  Lewis and Robin Burchill; 2nd place Steve Curtis and Maurice Campbell; 3rd place Marc Townsend and Bob Borland; 4th place Neil Ronan and Kevin Drewry;   5th place Malc Lewis and Megan Lord; 6^th place Geoff Ball and Margaret Forsyth; 7^th place Maggie Mulhern and Jackie Gill; and 8^th place Adrian Slater and Lisa Lord.

 

In Group B there were more close games with Ronan Thompson and Egi Niyazi beating Chris Holland and Geoff Burchill 11/8, 5/11, 11/6. Wayne Taylor and Pat Halliwell lost out to Neil Quane and Francesca Lord 7/11, 11/9, 8/11, but had a good win over David Buck and Malcolm Lambert 11/3, 11/7. Neil Quane and Francesca Lord won the group with 5 wins out of six, only losing to Matty Evans and Ryan Holland 9/11, 11/9, 8/11. In second place were Ronan Thompson and Ege Niyazi. Final placings were as follows: 1^st place Neil Quane and Francesca Lord, 2^nd place Ronan Thompson and Ege Niyazi; 3^rd place Chris Holland and Geoff Burchill; 4th place Matty Evans and Ryan Holland; 5^th place David Buck and Malcolm Lambert; 6^th place Sasha Thomas and Barry Jenkins, and 7^th place Wayne Taylor and Pat Halliwell.

 

The semi final between Steve Curtis and Maurice Campbell saw them move through to the final, beating Neil Quane and Francesca Lord  11/5, 8/11, 13/11. The second semi final between Scott Lewis and Robin Burchill, and Ronan Thompson and Ege Niyazi also went the distance, with Thompson and Niyazi taking their place in the final 11/5, 7/11, 11/7. The final was won by the magnificent Curtis and Campbell in straight sets 12/10, 13/11.