DOUBLE CELEBRATION
FOR JAMES

Rik James celebrated his 40th birthday over the weekend by claiming his eighth Colchester Men’s singles title at the Rowhedge table tennis club. James aspirations were undoubtedly helped by the sensational exit of Rowhedge team-mate and reigning champion Dave Cole in the quarter-final, beaten 13-11 in the fifth set by Rayne’s Steve Pennell. This was the first time Cole had not reached the semi-final stages in ten years and all credit must go to Pennell who had got the better of Cole earlier this season in the Chelmsford league. In the first semi-final Pennell however, was no match for fellow Rayne player Steve Kerns who blasted his way to the final in three straight sets. James also had few problems against Bury St Edmunds champion Ian Brown in the other semi-final, his powerful loops proving too strong.

In the final both players opened cautiously with James rolling loops from the back of the court countered by twice Braintree champion Kern’s touch play off the bounce. James took the first end 11-7 but the second set was much closer as Kern’s played more expansively with better shot selection. However James still won 12-10 and started to dominate more in the third running out a worthy winner after three well-crafted sets 11-9 in the final set.

Sue Welham retained her Ladies Single title beating both Hazel Hume and Holly Stubbings in a ‘round-robin’. This gave her a record breaking eighteenth success an achievement that will be hard to beat especially as she is playing as well as ever!

In the Mixed Doubles Welham teamed-up with James to defend their title against scratch pairing of Dave Cole and Hazel Hume. This proved the most entertaining match of the night that went the full five set distance. In the final set Cole and Hume went from 7-4 up to 7-10 down and looked dead and buried but fought back to win 13-11 in a match they seemed destined to win following Cole’s miraculous lobbing and drop shots that used every part of the table and net!

Rik James partnered by Steve Edmonds won the Men’s Doubles a title they last won four years ago. They beat Steve Kern’s and Alan Burgess, both playing in their third final of the weekend, in three close sets.

The Ladies Doubles paired two senior players from St Mary’s that had won over fifty Colchester titles between them; the popular Marlene Smith playing in her fifty-third season and Sue Welham and they duly won in another very tight final that surprisingly was won in only three ends against the more youthful Hazel Hume and Holly Stubbings.

Michael Andrews completed his first Junior Singles title having been hard pressed by rapidly improving Cadet Mike Shore who had earlier beaten number two seed Greg Green 16-14 in the fifth set in the semi-final. In the Final he lost out in five to Andrews whose composure and clever tactics eventually saw him home 11-7, 10-12, 6-11, 11-4, 11-6.

Shore enjoyed an excellent weekend as he once again accounted for Greg Green this time in the Cadet Final (Under 15) in three straight sets. His attacking style has given his game a new dimension and with a record entry for this event the future looks good for our young players.

Greg Green and John Li playing together for the first time following the withdrawal of Michael Andrews won the Junior Boys Doubles against National Sixth-Form finalists Dave Hitchen and Dan Pigeon once again in three tight sets. This was fourth time lucky for Green who had lost on the last three occasions!

Holly Stubbings, ranked sixteen in England won her first Junior Girls Final beating Gt Horkesley’s Jemima Killick for a much deserved medal!

Steve Kerns capped his best Colchester tournament by winning the Veterans (40+) against Ipswich’s Ken Lewis who went on to win the Over 50’s with Fred Button taking the Over 60’s.