This week saw the culmination of the Team Handicap Cup competition of the Burnham & District Table Tennis League.  In this event, players are given a score handicap to reflect their ranking in an attempt to set a level playing field and allow teams from every division to compete evenly. Sometimes this works better than others!  This year’s final was an all-Cold Norton affair as their B and C teams battled through several rounds to earn the right for their night of destiny, and the glory that is bestowed upon the victors.  The teams line up before the final Holders and ..read more

Coaches, tutors and assessors have the chance to input into our coaching strategy review at one of two online sessions. The coaching system is currently under review and we are completing a series of listening exercises to identify the key issues, challenges, potential solutions and what coaches need from the coaching system. The future direction will be formulated following completion of this first stage and further details and responses will be regularly communicated, and feedback sought, as we identify the way forward. Jonathan Roberts, an independent consultant who is leading on the coach ..read more

There was a welcome spread of achievements in the results at the recent annual Isle of Wight tournament Finals, with both experienced and young players winning the various events – handicapped, open and age-related in both singles and doubles. It was also good to see an increased attendance to watch some really close and exciting matches. Pat Thorley remains the Ladies’ champion with victory over Nicky Dando. Pat Thorley and Nicky Nando There was a new winner of the Men’s championship island newcomer Steve Mills overcoming Mark Taylor. In the semi-finals, Mark beat last year’s winner, Hugh Id ..read more

Connor and Anna Green appropriately notched a twin victory within minutes of each other to take the Junior Boys’ Singles and Junior Girls’ Singles titles to end the Mark Bates Ltd Cadet, U17 & Junior Nationals on a memorable note. But beaten finalists Ben Piggott and Tianer Yu, amidst their undoubted disappointment, can be proud of the parts they played in two superb finals which both went to the wire. Bronze medals went to Scarlett Anders and Ella Pashley in the Girls’ event and to Larry Trumpauskas and Jakub Piwowar in the Boys’. Click here to see all the results Photos by Michael Loved ..read more

Scarlett Anders is a double doubles champion after day two of the Mark Bates Ltd Cadet, U17 & Junior National Championships. She won the Junior Girls’ title alongside Tianer Yu, and then combined with James Hamblett to defeat Yu & Joseph Hunter in the Mixed. Felix Thomis & Toby Ellis ended their Junior careers by picking up maiden National titles, winning the Junior Boys’ Doubles Click here to see all the results Photos by Michael Loveder Junior Mixed Doubles Scarlett Anders & James Hamblett James Hamblett & Scarlett Anders deposed top seed Joseph Hunter & Tianer Yu in ..read more

Liam Pitchford and Paul Drinkhall both exited the Saudi Smash in the round of 64. Pitchford (WR 25), who has not played for a few weeks because of injury, was up against Germany’s Ruwen Filus and made a slow start, losing the first 11-3 and going down 7-1 in the second. He fought back to 7-6 and eventually lost that one 11-7, but there were signs the ring-rust was dropping away as he was neck-and-neck all the way in the third, leading at several points. But Filus (WR 74) won two points in a row at 9-9 to go through to face Lin Shidong of China (WR 15) in the last 32. Earlier, Drinkhall (WR 12 ..read more

Abraham Sellado, Sienna Jetha and Ralph Pattison all won double gold on the first day of the Mark Bates Ltd Cadet, U17 & Junior National Championships. All three added singles titles to the doubles titles they had won earlier in the day at the David Ross Sports Village in Nottingham. Photos by Michael Loveder Click here to view all the results Cadet Boys’ Singles Abraham Sellado Abraham Sellado fought off a determined top seed Max Radiven as the fifth seed won a pulsating final 3-2 (8-11, 11-4, 1-6, 10-12, 11-9). Sellado led 6-3 and 8-4 but saw his opponent fight back to 9-9 in the decide ..read more

Mabel Shute & Ella Pashley successfully defended their Under-17 Girls’ Doubles title on day one of the Mark Bates Ltd Cadet, U17 & Junior National Championships. Ralph Pattison & Isaac Kingham won the corresponding boys’ title, while the Cadet titles went to Sienna Jetha & Mauli Shah in the girls’ event and Kacper Piwowar & Abraham Sellado in the boys’. Click here to view all the results Pictures by Michael Loveder Under-17 Boys’ Doubles Ralph Pattison & Isaac Kingham Ralph Pattison & Isaac Kingham saved a match point as they won 12-10 in the fifth over Larry Trump ..read more

The election of one volunteer Elected Director to serve on the Table Tennis England Board will be held on 19 June 2024, and nominations are now open.  Don Parker’s tenure as an Elected Director finishes in June and the role is now open for those interested in applying. Don is eligible to reapply for one further term. Nominations are invited from Company Members for one volunteer Elected Director to serve a four-year term.  Nominations close on Sunday 20 May 2023 at 11.59pm, as outlined in the election calendar.  The election will be carried out electronically by email and more ..read more

There were no singles medals for a young and largely inexperienced British squad at the ITTF Montenegro Para Open in Podgorica today but there were some promising performances from the Confirmation, Pathway and Futures athletes against strong opposition, with good wins against higher ranked opponents for Ryan Henry (men’s class 8) and Chris Ryan (men’s class 2) and a first win for Devon teenager Bailey Page on his international debut. Men’s class 8 Ryan Henry (pictured above) was a 3-0 winner against the unranked Uros Gugolj from Montenegro and then recovered from losing the first set against ..read more