Steve Dixon dominates
The Kendal & District Table Tennis League’s annual tournament, which started at the Dallam School Sports Hall in Milnthorpe, on Sunday, March 19th was completed at the annual Finals Night, which took place at the IBIS Sports and Social Club on Tuesday, March 21st.
Following the pattern of recent years, the event was dominated by Steve Dixon, who defeated Roger Pimblett, from the Natland club, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 in a thrilling finale to the Division 1 Singles. This was the sixth year in a row that Steve Dixon has won the Division 1 Singles title. Dixon was also too good for Dalton’s Alan Turner, winning 11-9, 11-1, 11-5 in the final of the Veterans Singles. He then joined with IBIS’ teammate, James McGrath to defeat Tamas Bacsi and Louise Thompson, of Natland, 11-5, 13-11, 8-11, 11-9 in a very entertaining Open Doubles final.
Norman Philbey, from the Dallam Club, rolled back the years to reach the final of the Division 3 Singles, where he was narrowly defeated by Steve Hawley from the Dent club, 17-15, 11-8, 11-9 in a very tight contest. In the Division 2 Singles, Dallam’s John Fitzgerald was too strong for Burton’s Tony March, winning 11-7, 12-10, 11-9. The Handicap Singles was won by Tamas Bacsi who defeated Crook’s Mike Taylor, 11-5, 12-14, 11-7, 11-5 in the final.
Roger Pimblett gained some solace from his loss in the final of the singles by pairing with Louise Thompson to defeat Natland’s Rin Colombi and Sarah Tyson, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8 in the final of the mixed doubles. Louise Thompson was also victorious in the Ladies Singles, an event which was completed on the Saturday.
Performance of the night goes to 11 year old Jake Haygarth, from Kirkby Stephen, who defeated Burton’s Jack Wheelhouse, 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8 in the final of the Junior Singles. Wheelhouse did gain some consolation, however, when he teamed up with Dallam’s Stephen Gosling to beat Haygarth and Natland’s Bence Bacsi in the final of the Junior Doubles.
