ANNUAL CLOSED TOURNAMENT 2024
Torbay Leisure Centre, Clennon Valley, Paignton
Sunday 14th April 2024, 9am-5pm
END OF SEASON CLOSED TOURNAMENT
There was another excellent entry for the end of season tournament held at the Torbay Leisure centre on Sunday 14th April. 66 players took part in 12 different events stretching throughout the day.
It all kicked off with the men’s singles which involved 36 of our league’s players. Group winners were Simon James, Jim McIvor, Curtis Sage, Ross Saxby, Kevin Nicholls, Dennis Gibbs, Rhys Lush, Dan Webster-Hall and Shaun Gibbs. Shaun Gibbs went on to meet his father, Dennis, in one semi final while Ross Saxby played Simon James in the other. Dennis won the first game against Shaun but then Shaun took charge winning the next three to progress to the final 9-11, 11-9,11-4, 11-9. Shaun Gibbs, current holder of the Burton Cup, will meet Ross Saxby in the final who dominated his match with Simon James, winning 11-4, 11-6, 11-6. The Final will be one of several being played at Stover School on Tuesday night.
In the ladies singles event the group winners were Naomi Jackson and Sonja Ryland who will battle it out for the Knight Cup at Finals night on Tuesday.
Next up was the Veterans with an entry of 24. Group winners were Simon James, Jeremy Broad, Allen Pack, Jim McIvor, Kevin Nicholls, Chris Dunn, Chris Harper and Dennis Gibbs. The current holder of the Veterans trophy, Dennis Gibbs, lost out to club mate Kevin Nicholls in one semi-final, while Simon James defeated Jim McIvor in the other semi-final. NA Buzzards’ teammates Kevin Nicholls and Simon James will confront each other on Tuesday night in the Veterans final.
Next up were the doubles competitions, again the finals will all take place at Stover School on Tuesday night. In the ladies doubles final Sonja Ryland and Jackie Whitehorn will take on Naomi Jackson and Issy Brown who both reached the final with fairly comfortable wins. Both Sonja and Naomi will also feature in the mixed doubles final, Sonja with Kevin Nicholls and Naomi with Shaun Gibbs. The men’s doubles saw some excellent encounters as Simon James and Kevin Nicholls had to save match points before just edging out Martin Dilkes and Jim McIvor in one semi-final. While two excellent father and son teams battled it out in the other semi. Dennis & Shaun Gibbs beating Ross and Ian Saxby in four.
The Super Veterans competition was played to a conclusion with the current holder Dennis Gibbs again prevailing. Dennis’s opponent in this year’s final was Clive Banham who was unable to prevent another Dennis Gibbs win 11-6, 11-4, 11-9. Dennis remains unbeaten since he was eligible to enter the super-vets in 2014!
The divisional competitions were next. There were some very close matches in the fourth division competition, although the final between Lewis Lavery and Eve James was not so close as Lewis took control winning 11-6, 11-4, 11-6. The top two in the third division averages fought their way to the final. Chris Garner took the first game but then Martin Dilkes took charge winning the next three to win the Division three crown 11-13, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7. There were some excellent battles taking place in the second division competition, with many very close matches in the group stages. Joseph Edwards and David Davies eventually coming through to meet in the final which will be played next Tuesday.
FINALS TO BE PLAYED AT STOVER SCHOOL ON TUESDAY 16TH APRIL 7PM
MENS FINAL – SHAUN GIBBS v ROSS SAXBY
LADIES FINAL – SONJA RYLAND v NAOMI JACKSON
VETERANS FINAL – SIMON JAMES v KEVIN NICHOLLS
MENS DOUBLES FINAL – DENNIS & SHAUN GIBBS v SIMON JAMES & KEVIN NICHOLLS
LADIES DOUBLES FINAL – NAOMI JACKSON & ISSY BROWN v JACKIE WHITEHORN & SONJA RYLAND
MIXED DOUBLES FINAL – SHAUN GIBBS & NAOMI JACKSON v KEVIN NICHOLLS & SONJA RYLAND
DIVISION 2 FINAL – DAVID DAVIES v JOSEPH EDWARDS
All the awards for the whole of the season will also be presented at finals night along with the awards played to a conclusion at the tournament.
SUPER VETERANS, WINNER - DENNIS GIBBS, RUNNER UP – CLIVE BANHAM 11-6, 11-4, 11-9.
DIVISION 3, WINNER – MARTIN DILKES, RUNNER UP – CHRIS GARNER 11-13, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7.
DIVISION 4, WINNER – LEWIS LAVERY, RUNNER UP – EVE JAMES 11-6, 11-4, 11-6.
UNDER 13 AND UNDER 11
17 youngsters took part in our Under 13 and Under 11 events, free to enter and open to all.
Many thanks to Jo and Kris Piwowar, along with Mitch Bellham and Mick Atkinson, for running this event and to all the children who took part.
Congratulations to U13 winners:
Well done to Raphael, Casper, Noah, Jake, Gracjan, Casey
FINALS AND AWARDS NIGHT 2023-24 SEASON - STOVER SCHOOL 16th April 2024
The South Devon and Torbay Table Tennis League showpiece event was staged tonight, Tuesday 16th April, at Stover School, Newton Abbot. Not only do we play off the finals from the weekend’s Closed Tournament, the awards for the whole season are presented, making it a fitting finale to the table tennis season.
Seven finals took place tonight starting with an excellent Veterans final. A real contrast of styles led to a game of smash and retrieve as the defence of Kevin Nicholls eventually wore down the attack of Simon James, Kevin winning 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7.
Event 2 was a very entertaining ladies doubles, included in finals night for the first time, it didn’t disappoint as the new pairing of Naomi Jackson & Issy Brown defeated the existing holders of the trophy Sonja Ryland & Jackie Whitehorn 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 11-7.
Youngster Joseph Edwards showed all his attacking ability with a fine straight sets victory over David Davies in the division two final, 13-11, 11-5, 11-7, the only three straight win of the night.
The mixed doubles was up next, the first of three NA Batmen v NA Buzzards encounters. The Batmen took the honours in this one as Naomi Jackson & Shaun Gibbs defeated Sonja Ryland & Kevin Nicholls 12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10.
Revenge for the Buzzards came in the next event, the men’s doubles, Kevin Nicholls & Simon James just getting the better of Dennis & Shaun Gibbs in a brilliant doubles match. 12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8.
A superb ladies singles encounter followed between Sonja Ryland and Naomi Jackson. Sonja took the first two games before Naomi recovered with the next two. It was neck and neck throughout the fifth set Naomi eventually prevailing 12-10 in the fifth. 9-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10.
Finally, the men’s singles for the Burton Cup. Holder of the Burton Cup, Shaun Gibbs, was up against Ross Saxby playing his first South Devon and Torbay Tournament. In an excellent open attacking game Shaun got off to the better start winning the first game, but gradually Ross took control and the match winning the next three games. 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9.
An excellent night’s table tennis was rounded off with a special award to our retiring treasurer who first joined the league committee as an 18 year old. Maurece Travis has served our league for an incredible 65 years. A massive thank you to Maurece for his dedication to our sport both as a player and committee man, will shall miss you!
Our league sponsor, Sonja Ryland (Albany Florists) presents awards to all recipients at Finals & Awards Night.
More pics from Finals and Awards night can be found in the Gallery under ‘Finals Night 2024’
