The 2016 competition for the Association of English Table Tennis Umpires (AETTU) took place at the Draycott and Long Eaton TTC over the weekend.
This is the ninth year of the competition and attracted 28 competitors, while 37 players and guests sat down to the evening meal at the Hallmark Hotel in Derby.
Dave Griffiths, the 2015 Open Champion, was unable to attend this year’s competition but there were six female competitors for the first time and a number of new umpires taking part.
Jan Crompton (Oxf) was the Ladies’ Champion and also won the O70s’ competition. Rory Scott (Sussex) won the bard bat competition and the U50s and was also the losing finalist in the Open event.
Harry Jutle (Herts) was the winner of the O60s and Bruce Lowther (Clev) was successful in the Plate event. Brian Freer (Cambs) was the winner of the O80s competition beating Derek Sherratt, the winner from 2015.
Steve Green (Ches) entered the competition for the first time and had a very successful weekend, winning the Doubles competition with Tom Purcell (Lancs) and also the O50s’ competition. Steve played Rory Scott in the final of the Open event and was losing in all three games but managed to fight back and beat Rory 3-0 in a closely fought competition.
President of the AETTU, Tony Chatwin, presented the trophies to the successful competitors. Many thanks must also go to the friends and partners of the players who supported the competition and Joyce and Brenda who provided the refreshments during the weekend and not forgetting George Tyler who was the Referee and Margaret Welch who acted as Referee’s Assistant. Thanks also to Draycott and Long Eaton TTC and Brian Savage for arranging a very good venue for the competition.
Results
Hard bat: Winner Rory Scott, runner-up Tony Dixon
U50: Winner Rory Scott, runner-up Kevin Bird
O50: Winner Steve Green, runner-up Tony Dixon
O60: Winner Harry Jutle, runner-up Bob Evans
O70: Winner Jan Crompton, runner-up Lynda Reid
O80: Winner Brian Freer, runner-up Derek Sherratt
Plate: Winner Bruce Lowther, runner-up Lyndon Griffiths
Doubles: Winners Tom Purcell & Steve Green, runners-up Richard Hudson & John Lawton
Ladies: Winner Jan Crompton, runner-up Jo Outhwaite
Open: Winner Steve Green, runner-up Rory Scott