There will be plenty of new champions at the English Schools Table Tennis Association team finals in Hinckley on Saturday.
Boys’ and girls’ teams will compete in four age groups, but only in two of the eight classes will the defending champions have the chance to defend their titles.
They are both girls’ events – in the Under-16s, where Lancaster Girls’ Grammar return, and the Under-19s, where Harefield Academy are competing again.
Harefield boast two top-10 players in the Table Tennis England Junior Girls’ rankings in the shape of Zahna Hall and Sarah Menghistab, and will therefore take some beating, but the situation is perhaps less clear-cut for Lancaster. They are sure to face a big challenge from the Ackworth School line-up, which boasts three players who have represented England – Mollie Patterson, Jasmin Wong and Ruby Chan.
Ackworth also have on paper the strongest line-up in the Under-16 boys’ competition, with Shayan Siraj, Jamie Liu, Sam Chesterman and Reece Chamdal, who have all played for England in international tournaments, in their ranks.
As well as Ackworth, Harefield will also be targeting a double triumph, as their boys’ team is in the Under-19 competition. London schools Ernest Bevin Academy and Burlington Danes Academy are also in two competitions apiece.
The teams competing are:
Under-11 Boys
Ashburnham Primary (Chelsea), Barnes Primary (Richmond), Great Wood Primary (Morecambe), St Peter’s CofE Primary Academy (East Bridgford)
Under-11 Girls
Cliffedale Primary (Grantham), Old Clee Primary Academy (Grimsby), The Pilgrim School (Rochester), St Andrew’s CofE Primary (Plymouth)
Under-13 Boys
Ernest Bevin College (Tooting Bec), Longfield Academy of Sport (Darlington), St Mary’s College (Hull), University College School (Camden)
Under-13 Girls
Burlington Danes Academy (Hammersmith), The Pingle School (Swadlincote), Wade Deacon High School (Widnes), Wood Green Academy (Wednesbury)
Under-16 Boys
Ackworth School (Pontefract), Budmouth College (Weymouth), Ernest Bevin College (Tooting Bec), Range High School (Formby)
Under-16 Girls
Ackworth School (Pontefract), Burlington Danes Academy (Hammersmith), Lancaster Girls’ Grammar, Okehampton Community College
Under-19 Boys
Beckfoot School (Bingley), Cardinal Newman College (Preston), Harefield Academy (Uxbridge), Whitgift School (Croydon)
Under-19 Girls
Bradford Grammar, Harefield Academy (Uxbridge), Horsforth School (Leeds), Tudor Grange Academy (Solihull)