Southed Table Tennis Championships were played in two venues this year - Rayleigh Leisure Centre for the group qualifiers, quarterfinals & all restricted and the Hullbridge Sports Club for the other major finals - an excellent idea this from the AGM meeting earlier last year. There was not a single final or semi-final missed this year as we had a chance to see them all in one night.
The Closed Championships this year produced some of the most exiting matches we've seen so far in the recent Championships as the Southend League were boosted by many new strong players like Minda Sinkus and Marco Jovic also by the great comeback to the game of Kevin Caldon and Cris Sladden.
Two excellent matches in the Semifinals between C. Sladden & D. Taylor and S. Gibbs & K. Caldon brought Cris and Stuart to the final. Cris Sladden beat Stuart Gibbs 3-1 to win the Men's Singles trophy.
Cris Sladden during the finals
Cris & Stuart in the Men's Singles Final
Cris Sladden, Men's Singles Champion & Ken Field the SDTTL Chairman
Linda Attridge won the Ladies Singles by beating Sarah Mapes 3-0 in the final and the Ladies Doubles with Mel Jones against Pam Swan and Sarah Mapes.
Finalists: Sarah, Pam, Linda & Mel with the umpire Dave Calleja
Kevin Read and Duncan Taylor beat Dave Bowls and Kevin Caldon in the Men's Doubles Final.
K, Read, D. Taylor and S. Gibbs the President of SDTTL
Terry Guymer beat Kevin Caldon in an exciting five setter in the Vets Singles Final
K. Caldon & T. Guymer, Vets Singles Finalists
The Juniors Semifinals produced some good matches between Sam Langton and Sam Chechire and Leon Smart & Owen Warren where Owen beat Sam Langton in the final 3-1 to lift the Juniors Singles trophy.
Owen and Sam, juniors finalists
The fans had a good night at the finals, watching plenty of great table tennis matches and a few drinks from the bar.
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