2009 Tibhar Waikato Table Tennis Open Tournament

The Tibhar Waikato Table Tennis Open Tournament held September the 19th and 20th was another marker for the continuation of a long term growth in the Waikato tournaments, with an incredible number of entries resulting from a strong reputation building for our social and enjoyable tournaments and after match barbeques, always a drawing point for many. The tournament was a highlight for many Waikato players with a strong domination from the Waikato High Performance players; this is a great reflection of the work put in to create an excellent development squad over the year and of the large improvements made by each player over the year. It was also a great opportunity to see some of our junior and intermediate players have a chance to compete at an open tournament level, there were a good number of entries from Waikato junior players and most of them looked to enjoy the competition and be able to experience a new level of table tennis.

The tournament operated in a timely manner and generally we had great feedback from all the players although of course Craig had to have an excuse for his play and so the floor did receive some criticism, but with upgrades soon to be made the Waikato are moving onwards and upwards. Standout performances were Myles Collins winning the under 18 and under 21 men’s singles, Jessica MacAskill winning the under 21 women’s singles, Sarah Her-Lee making the final of the open women’s singles and Simon Hoey-Burns winning the B Grade Men’s also in the mix John Ho winning the over 50 men’s singles and John Page taking out the over 40 men’s. These are just a few of the great wins experienced by Waikato players at the tournament.

Once again the canteen operated efficiently with a tidy range of things to eat and drink to provide for all the players and also offer a small revenue stream for us. As usual it proved to be a popular attraction between games, and an easy place for Marc to find missing players when they hide to catch a bite. The after match barbeque also its usual success story, a great opportunity for Waikato to thank players for attending the tournament and to build stronger relationships between the players and bring a social element to our tournaments at the end of a tiring day of competition. Thanks must be extended to Tanya Page for operating the canteen and barbeque, a wonderful job as always, and also to our favourite tournament organisers Marc Nichol and Lynnette Bellamy who operate incredibly well under pressure and have continued to make the Waikato Open the excellent tournament that it is.

The timing of the open could not have been better with the NZ Open Championships just around the corner, a perfect opportunity for players to experience so fierce competition close to home. A lot of tight matches and challenges between Waikato players which proved for an interesting watch, Simon's win over James in the B Grade Semis proving to be the perfect warm-up for the Waikato Closed later in the year. The open also gave the players a final chance to prove themselves to the Waikato Selection Panel for the selection of NZ Open teams, having a tournament so close to home proved to be ideal for this process and many players had the chance to give it their best.

If we can continue to build on the growth the Waikato Open is experiencing then we should expect tournament entries to keep on increasing as the friendly crowd at Waikato draw more and more competitors each year. The Waikato Open for 2009 can definitely be included in a long list of
highlights for the Waikato Table Tennis Association's year.

By Matthew Hetherington

Posted 07.01.2010