The Woodward Cup individual handicap competition was held last week at Hastings Academy, the new venue for several of the Hastings & District Table Tennis Association’s table tennis clubs.

The first session on Tuesday produced the following group winners:- Konrad Pieterse and Dominic Goodson (Bexhillians), Sue Clarke (Willett & Phillips), Paul Barry (Hollington Academy), Kevin McEwan (Tackleway), Roger Smith (Tigers), and Bradley Britt (Hollington).  These players then competed in another group which resulted in Paul Barry and Dominic Goodson being the two winners to advance to the semi-finals of this event.

The second and final group session on Friday resulted in these group winners:-

Chris Woods and Chris Floyd (Tigers), Andy Syrett and Paulette Clarke (Saints), Danny Kildea, Keith Lindsay and Peter Wilson (Tackleway) (last season’s Woodward Handicap Cup winner), and Peter Harding (Monarchs).  The next group stage produced winning performances by Chris Floyd and Danny Kildea so they proceeded to the semi-finals.

The first semi-final between Dominic Goodson and Chris Floyd resulted in a win for Dominic by 21-19, 13-21, 21-16, Chris having received a 6 point start in each game.

In the second semi-final Paul Barry had an even closer match against Danny Kildea before coming through by 21-19, 13-21, 21-18.  He gave a 12 point start in each game to Danny.

The final of this competition saw Paul fail to convert a first game point when leading 20-19 and then losing 20-22.  However, he recovered to win the second game by 21-17 and then found himself 16-20 down in the final game.  He retrieved three points but then lost the next one, so making Dominic the winner, who had received a 15 point start in each game.  Thus Paul failed to clinch his third victory in this event, having previously won in 1981 and 1995.  By contrast this was only the second time that Dominic had entered the Woodward Handicap Cup.

The presentations were made by Andre Keen, the H&DTTA’s President.