Sunday the 19th Saw Bishop Auckland Table Tennis Club run, its 1st National Table Tennis Tournament. With Entries from Leeds Nottingham Hull and Scotland to name a few places as well as more local entries.
The day started well with Luca Pontone from Bishop Auckland Table Tennis Club reaching the final of the under 11’s boys having beaten his younger brother Leo in the semis. However Luca found top seed Naphong Boonyapapa from Nottingham to strong losing 3-0..
Top Seed and England number 5 Alex Ward from Middlesbrough, took home two titles making easy work to reach Cadet boys final only dropping one set on his way, In the Final he met England number 1 under 13, Harry Dai from Hull, who had an epic battle with Shayan Siraj from Leeds in his semi-final, Saving match points in the 5th to win the match. In the final Alec showed why he is higher raked taking a 3-1 victory. Alec also took home the junior boy’s title beating Bishop Auckland’s Robert Renton in his Quarter and Arran Kent in the semi to meet Nottingham’s Naphat Boonyaparpa in the final. Alec showed his talent to secure a 3-0 win and his second title of the day.
Not to be out done Holly Williams from Swerve table tennis club in Middlesbrough also took home two title, In the Cadet Girls she beat Charlotte McCarty from Cleveland in the final after disposing of Ruby Chan form Yorkshire in her semi with Charlotte Weatherby from Durham being the other losing semi-finalist and in the Junior Girls final she beat Erin Harrison from Durham. Not to be out done Charlotte McCarty from Northfield TTC also took home 2 titles winning the Junior Girls Plate and the Under 13’s Girls beating Charlotte Weatherby in both finals. The under 13’s girls plate was Won by Holly’s sister Lilly Williams beating Darlington’s Georgina Peart in the Final. Georgina also reached the Final of the Cadet Girls plate but this time found Kelsey Bradley to strong going down in 4 games.
The Under 13’s boys saw a repeat of the cadet boy’s semi-final, Siraj vs Dai again another cracking game saw Harry Dai again come out on top with a 3-1 victory. The one set being the only set Harry dropped in the event. Losing semi-finalists were Scotland’s Dylan Curry losing to Dai and Tong Wah Chan from Yorkshire who was voted player of the weekend for his attitude and sportsmanship
The Under 13’s Plate was Won by Tom Morris from Yorkshire beating Lanchester’s Sam Hume 3-1. With Bishop Players Aaron Willoughby, Conor Elston and Luca Pontone all reaching the quarter finals.
The Cadet Boys Plate event was taken home by Northfield table tennis club’s Robert Forrest beating Thaaquid Saleem from Lanchester in the final. The event saw some fantastic performances from the Bishop Auckland youngsters many who have only been playing 12 months with both Matthew Oldfield and Jack Jacomb reaching quarter finals and Jacomb just losing in the 5th to the losing finalist. Dan Collinson and Harry Atkinson were also unlucky not to reach the quarter finals both suffering close 5th end defeats.
Juniors boys plate saw a strong Bishop Auckland turn out with both Bishop Auckland players Jack Jacomb and Carl Draper meeting in the first semi, with draper getting a 3-1 victory. The other semi saw Lanchester’s Joe Hume meet Bishops Tom Whittaker. A Struggling Tom Whittaker needed all 5 games and everything he had, to scrap past an inspired Joe. The all Bishop final saw Carl get a 2-0 lead before Tom fought back to 2-2 before Carl moved up a gear to take the 5th Set and his first title.
The day went fantastically well with some great table tennis on display. Along with the tweeting of pictures all though out the day and the separate practice hall made for value for money of the players.
For more pictures check out the clubs website www.bishopaucklandttc.co.uk
The event couldn’t have happened without the team of volunteers at Bishop Auckland Table Tennis club and the Sponsors for the event Bishop Auckland Tyres and tests, Coulthards Motor Factors, Ingram’s Removals and Bribar Table Tennis and the support of Bishop Barrington School