SOUTH DEVON & TORBAY TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE
The Early Season tournament took place at Torbay Leisure Centre on Sunday 8th November. An excellent entry of 35 players competed in 3 events: the Collins Cup Handicap Singles, the Excell Hardbat challenge and a Handicap Doubles event.
The Collins Cup
Group winners were Kelvin Cheung, Kevin Nicholls, David Wills, Grzeg Wojtowicz, Curtis Sage, Mark Halse, Dan Barnett & Archer Snow. Handicap players at either end of the spectrum reached the final with Archer Snow off scratch defeating Herbie Sage, Sonja Ryland and Kevin Nicholls on the way to the final. In the final he would meet last year’s winner Kelvin Cheung (-50) who defeated Andy Tyrrell, David Wills & Dan Barnett to reach the final. Kelvin played a very safe, sensible game to defeat a brave and defiant Archer Snow 11-7, 11-4 in the final.
In the plate event the final was between Alan Maynard (-32) who defeated Nick Williamson, Brandon Lewis & Hannah Wooster, and Szymon Furgol (-34) who beat Jim McIvor, Sam Perkins and Dan Webster-Hall en-route to the final. The final was a very exciting, close match with Alan pipping Szymon 10-12, 12-10, 10-12, 11-8, 11-9.
Excell Hard Bat played in the old format with bats supplied, best of 3 games up to 21.
Group winners being: Dennis Gibbs, Kris Piwowar, Kelvin Cheung, Kevin Nicholls, David Wills, Grzeg Wojtowicz, Sam Perkins, Sonja Ryland, Dan Webster-Hall. Kelvin Cheung again won through to the final defeating Dan Webster-Hall, Dennis Gibbs & Sam Perkins and met Kris Piwowar in the final who beat Chris Dunn, Kevin Nicholls & Grzeg Wojtowicz. Kris defeated Kelvin in a fine hard bat final 21-7, 21-13
The Handicap Doubles threw up some interesting partnerships with good performances all round, Alan Maynard & Mark Halse and Sonja Ryland & Curtis Sage just missing out in the semi-finals. The final was played out between two in the middle of the pairings and two at either end of the pairings. Andy Tyrrell and Dave Friend losing out to a dominating Kris Piwowar well supported by his partner Archer Snow, in an entertaining final 11-3, 11-6, 11-3.
An excellent day’s table tennis was rounded off by Chairman, Geoff Read, presenting the awards.
A feature of the day was the number of very close matches, which although proving a bit of a headache for the organiser in time management, proved that the handicapping was pretty accurate.
Many thanks to organiser Nick Halse and his band of helpers, together with a number of volunteer umpires who helped the day run smoothly and efficiently with over 160 matches taking place during the day.
Doubles winners Kris Piwowar & Archer Snow
Kelvin Cheung Collins Cup Winner & Excell Hardbat Runner up
Alan Maynard Handicap Plate winner with son, manager & agent, James, who selected the trophy he wanted his dad to win!
Hardbat Winner Kris Piwowar with Runner Up Kelvin Cheung
Archer Snow Runner up in the Collins Cup receiving his award from Chairman Geoff Read
Collins Cup winner, Stover Student Kelvin Cheung, with his PE teacher (not Table Tennis Coach) Mark Halse
