Hastings League players, almost exclusively from the Bexhill club, were well represented at the Eastbourne & District Table Tennis League Veterans Closed Championships, played on Saturday at Shinewater Community Centre. This was the first time in recent years that the Veterans competition has been held as a stand-alone event, allowing the inclusion of extra age-group events.
Martin Kellaway (Bexhill), seeded No. 1, won the blue riband Over 40 Singles for the first time, beating second seed Tony Rowell (Laughton) in an epic final 11-8, 10-12, 11-8,7-11, 13-11. Rowell had earlier beaten clubmate Faldie Adams in the semi-final.
Top seed Brian Busbridge (Bexhill) won the Over 70 Singles, played as a group in which he was undefeated. The other contestants all won once, leaving John Silverton (Ministeries) in second place on countback.
The Drawn Doubles was won by Pam Winter (Bexhill) and Deanne Vvedensky (Ministries) in five games over Andy Summers (Bexhill) and Antje Nater (Polegate).
Third seed Adams won the Over 50 Singles when he beat Kellaway in straight games in the final after beating Summers in the semi. Kellaway had beaten Tony Anderson (Bishopstone) in his semi-final. Winter had an excellent win at the group stage to eliminate Scott Bills (Hollington Academy).
Unseeded Sheila King (Hollington Academy) had a fine run in the Over 60 Singles beating third seed Anderson and second seed Bob Lowe (Laughton) to reach the final before losing to Rowell 3-1. Rowell had disposed of fourth seed Busbridge in the semi-final.
In the Doubles, top seeds Adams and Rowell took the title with a 3-1 final win over Summers and Busbridge, who had scraped their semi final against Kellaway and Anderson 12-10 in the decider. The winners had beaten Lowe and Alison Jordan (Monarchs) in the other semi-final.
As usual, the Handicap Singles provided some interesting games and the opportunity to play to 21. Drawn Doubles partners Summers and Nater met in the final, with Nater, receiving +13, winning 21-18, 21-17. Jordan and Adrian Spencer (Ministeries) were the losing semi-finalists.
The event was organised by Martin Kellaway and Pam Winter with assistance from Malcolm Barber.
