AETTU COMPETITION 2012

The 2012 competition for the Association of English Table Tennis Umpires (AETTU) took place at the Draycott and Long Eaton TTC over the weekend of 23-24^th June 2012.  This is the 5^th year of the competition with the numbers of competitors increasing and the standard of play also improving.  This year there were 30 competitors and 40 players and guests sat down to the evening meal at the Hallmark Hotel in Derby.

A number of new umpires joined the AETTU competition for the first time and their standard of play was unknown. It soon became apparent that they were good players with Harry Jutle’s unusual style and determination from Danny Sullivan, Brian Freer and Bruce Lowther.   John Lawton from Cleveland has recently been in poor health but at this year’s competition he won the O70 event, was losing finalist in the O60 event and reached the later rounds of the Hardbat and Open competitions. At the 2011 Liverpool GP an unusual occurrence took place when three ladies in one of the events tied for first and second place in a group.  The number of wins, games and points were all identical and the positions were chosen by lot with one unlucky player losing out.  We were told this situation rarely happens.  It happened at this year’s AETTU competition with three players, in one group, identical on wins, games and points for second place in a group. The decision was made by lot and Lyndon Griffiths moved through to the next round of the competition.

The 2011 Open competition was won by Ray Jackson (Lancs) after a closely fought final with Dave Griffith (Lancs).  This year both players again reached the Open final but Dave Griffith won the event 3-0 and became the holder of the Ken Armson Open trophy for twelve months.

Many thanks must also go to the friends and partners of the players who supported the competition and Joyce and Margaret who provided the refreshments during the competition.  Thanks also to Draycott and Long Eaton TTC and Brian Savage for arranging a very good venue for the competition.

AETTU COMPETION – DRAYCOTT 2012

EVENT	WINNER	RUNNER – UP
UNDER 50’s	DAVE GRIFFITH (Lancs)	STEVE SMITH (Bucs)
OVER 50’s	RAY JACKSON (Lancs)	TOM PURCELL(Lancs)
OVER 60’s	RAY JACKSON(Lancs)	JOHN LAWTON (Cv)
OVER 70’s	JOHN LAWTON (Cv)	DAVE EVANS (Yorks)
OVER 80’s	GEOFF TAYLOR (War)	RON DOUGLAS (Dur)
OPEN	DAVE GRIFFITH (Lancs)	RAY JACKSON (Lancs)
DOUBLES	DAVE GRIFFITH (Lancs) STEVE WELCH (Lincs)	BRUCE LOWTHER (Cv) GRAHAM ROLLINSON (Lancs)
HARDBAT	DAVE GRIFFITH (Lancs)	GRAHAM ROLLINSON (Lancs)

Tom Purcell

Secretary AETTU