Ryedale Table Tennis League

2007 Closed Tournament

[The 2008 RTTL Closed Tournament will be held in Feb or March. Report on last season's tournament below:]

Amazing youngsters' weekend

The Annual Ryedale Closed Table Tennis Tournament took place over the last weekend, organised with methodical brilliance by newly qualified table tennis tournament organiser, Gerald Cosens . The League must be proud of the way that Gerald and his helpers, Paul and James Stansfield, managed the event that catered for nearly 60 players this year.

The blue ribbon event, the Division 1 Singles, was won by the youngest player in the draw, Edward Fambely, age 14. In a fantastic final, he beat fellow teenager, Joel Wright to become the youngest player ever to take this title. He completed his winning spree with his Coach, Cliff Edens as they took the Doubles title, beating Fred Yeung and Ed Wardman in the final.

Division 2 had a small number of entries by comparison and was won by newcomer to the League, Thomas Harrington from Scarborough . Thomas, also under 16, won using his flat hitting backhand to great effect. He beat hard bat defender, Ken Darby to make it a ‘youngsters weekend’ of winners because in the Division 3 final, 15 year-old Ryan Hood of Slingsby beat Helmsley’s 11 year-old, James Mayne to take the Division 3 title.

Ryan avenged an earlier defeat when he met James in the final of the handicap singles - this win for James made it a great nine days for him, having won the Under 11s and Under 14s last weekend. Running alongside the main events were the Consolation plate finals. This is a competition made up from the players who came third and fourth in their initial group stages. In Division 1, Danny Foxton beat Neil Raine; in Division 2, Jill Adams beat Richard Brown and in Division 3, Kris Waluk beat Joe Newton. The final event of the weekend was the selected doubles where a member of Division 1 is paired, by a draw, with a player from Division 2 or 3. Winners were Steve Oldfield and Richard Church who had a narrow victory over Finn Needham and Andy Seed .

Malton school was the venue for the tournament and is also one of the schools lucky to have the Malton and Norton Coaching Group take table tennis coaching. Ryedale has a growing population of table tennis players and with clubs like Helmsley, Gillamoor, Ryedale Sports Club, Malton, Hutton Le Hole, Amotherby and Hovingham holding regular practice or coaching sessions, the people of the area have never had so many opportunities to play one of the most popular indoor sports in the world.

Edward Fambely travels to Bristol next weekend to represent Yorkshire in a National Tournament. The Ryedale Junior team play in the Yorkshire League final weekend in Hull too, with a chance of becoming champions. Ryedale is riding the crest of the wave of Table tennis development. The League Committee meeting is Sunday the 25th March, 7pm at Ryedale Sports Club. Teams are reminded that a representative from each Club should attend this meeting so please ensure your Club has a chance to help in one of the most developing Leagues in the country.

Cliff Edens

Tournament results:

Div 1 Singles: winner Ed Fambely; runner up Joel Wright

Div 1 Plate: winner Danny Foxton; runner up Neil Raine

Div 2 Singles: winner Tom Harrington; runner up Ken Darby

Div 2 Plate: winner Jill Adams; runner up Richard Brown

Div 3 Singles: winner Ryan Hood; runner up James Mayne

Div 3 Plate: winner Kris Waluk; runner up Joe Newton

Handicap (Div 2/3): winner James Mayne; runner up Ryan Hood

Doubles: winners: Cliff Edens/Ed Fambely; runners up Fred Yeung/Ed Wardman

Selected doubles: winners: Steve Oldfield/Richard Church; runners up Andy Seed/Finn Needham

Photos from Saturday

Div 2 Singles winner Tom Harrington with runner up Ken Darby

(thanks to Carole Harrington for this picture)

Div 3 singles finalists James Mayne and Ryan Hood (Ryan did open his eyes, briefly, for the match)

Kris Waluk takes on Joe Newton in the Div 3 plate final

Adam Ridley, clearly disappointed (and confused) after losing to Ryan 21-11.

Photos from Sunday

Eddie is gradually filling up his house with trophies

Joel Wright - a bit glum after losing the Div 1 singles final

Danny Foxton is delighted to receive the Div 1 Plate from Mick Burnett

Neil Raine, Div 1 plate runner up, tries not to look too disappointed

Doubles winners Ed Fambely and Cliff Edens, awarded the trophy by the mighty Tim Adams (centre)

Doubles runners up Fred Yeung and Ed Wardman after ensuring there were two Eds and a Fred in the final.

Selected doubles winners Richard Church and Steve Oldfield show off the Howard Trophy, awarded by Jill Adams

Selected Doubles runners up Andy Seed and Finn Needham, put on a brave face after chucking away a 2-0 lead in the final.

Tournament organiser Gerald 'Geraldo' Cosens goes through his gas bill.

At least Ian clapped Gerald's speech...

Neil Raine goes for a big serve against Danny Foxton

Malcolm Haswell gets ready for a big backhand, unaware that the ball is stuck on Jean's top

Vintage masters John Stokes and Ray Mitchell get ready for another 26 minute rally.

Barry Todd prepares another fiendish serve, with partner Danny Foxton

The Selected Doubles final: red-hot favourites Steve Oldfield and Richard Church struggling at 2 games down and 8-8 before going on to beat Finn Needham and Andy Seed. Drat!

Many thanks to Cliff Edens for these photos.

If you would like copies of these or prints then please contact Cliff Edens - email cliffandclare@onetel.net or tel 01653 628385

If you have any tournament photos to add to the site, especially from Saturday - please email them to me at the address below, thanks.

Archive:

2006 Closed Tournament

Results

League tables

Averages

Teams

Press reports

Events

Newsletters