IEditorial Seasonal Greetings I WOULD like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a happy 1990 from all the Management Committee, Office Staff and yours truly. We are now entering into a new era for table tennis with many very promising young players bursting onto the international scene in addition to our established stars. Our Chairman and Chief Executive together with the Leeds Building Society have worked wonders to put the sport in the television spotlight - it has not been an easy task but they are succeeding. 'Success for the Open - Success for the Leeds' The Leeds English Open this month shows just how far the sport has progressed in the past few years. An imagin­ ative new schedule, the entry of the World Champion, top quality teams from China and Sweden all leading to better spectator appeal, press reportage and television coverage. To adapt an adage 'What's good for the sport is good for the sponsor'; the Leeds have certainly had tremendous value from their investment in table tennis. Who will benefit now? With the Leeds exit from the scene the hunt is on for a suitable replacement. Ted Wallbutton is co-ordinating the search and his article on progress to date appears on page 15. As he rightly states it is often a case of who you know, and not what you know and among the 50,000 league players in the country there must be at least one who knows the right contact, in the right company who can reap full benefit from our newly revitalised sport. Why not ring Ted if you have any ideas. ALAN PICKARD In this issue Page ETTA Chairman, John Prean 3 The official magazine of Alan Cooke - a Man for all Seasons 4 the English Table Tennis European Scene 5 Association. Published 7 eight times a year. Austrian Open Hungarian Open 9 Editor ALAN PICKARD The Leeds British League 11, 12 Advertisements: England v France in Norwich 14 JIM BECKLEY The Chief Executive on Sponsorship 15 Sports PR, PO Box 8, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Willmott Cup and Rose Bowl 16 Cheshire SK8 7RG Tel: 061 488 4002 Cleveland Junior Open 17 Subscriptions and The Leeds County Championships 18, 19 distribution: Police International 21 Bethan Davies, ETTA, Third Floor, Basic Coaching 23 Queensbury House, Havelock Rd, Hastings TN34 IHF. News from the Counties 24-30 Tel: 0424 72252: Regional News 32, 33 COPY DATE Jan I Mailbox 34,35 Issue 188, February 1990 Table Tennis News accepts advertisements in good faith, but cannot accept respon­ sibility for the goods or services described in advertisements. If you have any queries, these should be made directly 10 the CARL PREAN has made dramatic steps in recent months culminating advertiser. COVER recently in his entry to the European top 12. His exploits in the Hungar­ Printed by: * PICTURE ian Open are reported on page 9 and with his dedication and application * BIDNALLS PRINTERS to the sport it won't be too long before he wins a major event abroad. Unit 28a Peddars Lane Beccles, Suffolk IE.T.T.A. Chairman John Prean comments Eleven days to Shake the World WE SHALL see 1990 in with a bang. I cannot imagine a more dynamic start. If all our plans work out, the LEEDS English Open will be a red letter day for the sport. Bowlers in Old Trafford, Manchester will be a unique venue. We are supported by the Manchester Olympic Bid Committee, which is working so actively to bring the 1996 Olympic Games to Manchester. A strong 'English Open' will support their cas~ and show the world what Manchester can do. Never was it so important that we enjoy a big success. Waldner will be in A unique schedule... Sunday climax with the later Manchester stages, semi-finals and finals. We shall break new ground When it is all over, those who The World Champion has with a schedule which has come will have seen four full accepted our invitation and he excited and stimulated the days of wonderful table tennis. alone will be worth the price of Table Tennis World. No longer a ticket as he does battle with will the TEAM EVENT be The players... the Chinese and all others who tucked away on the opening We have lined up most of the will try to knock him off his day. It will reach its climax on World's great players. The pedestal. In the right mood, he the final Sunday (January 7) competition for this accolade in Chinese will begin on the hard remains a genius. His un­ which in the past we never future years. The Cleveland has road towards the supremacy doubted unpredictability adds utilised at all. Yet it is then that always worked hard to attract which the Swedes so convinc­ to his charm. His presence will most of our members are free top international players, often ingly took from them in ensure that the world's greatest from work. It is important in with success. This time the jack­ Dortmund. They remain player will be at what we hope other respects as well that the pot has been hit. It should be a supreme in the Women's game, to make the world's greatest TEAM EVENT is a success. terrific event. Make a note of but the setbacks received by tournament of the year. The ITTF, led by President the dates: January 13 and 14. their men really hurt. They have Many other stars will be in Ogimura, is making the most That will conclude II sent us their Dortmund semi­ action, including our own strenuous efforts to have a team remarkable days for English finalist Yu Shentong. He went players. Perhaps one will have a event for Table Tennis included Table Tennis. If you don't live is real breakthrough to set the in the Olympic Games. This further than the rest. He close enough, why not make ita joined by Chen Longcan and media alight with victories would give the sport the most short holiday? Inexpensive Wei Quingguang. These two are against the world's elite. tremendous boost. It is vital accommodation in good hotels the OLYMPIC Doubles Cham­ that we have a stunning team Three Test Matches... is available for both the OPEN pions and were World Cham­ event. The three Chinese Super­ and the CLEVELAND. It may pions in New Delhi (1987). In It is no secret that the Stars will playa 3 match Test be a long time before we are Dortmund their title was taken scheduling of the Table Tennis Series against England able to bring you Table Tennis from them by the German pair events left much to be desired in (January 9 at Peterborough, on of such outstanding quality. Rosskopf and Fetzner. Will the Seoul Olympics, the one the 10th at Bridlington and the I wish all our Readers a there be a repeat of that meeting blot on an otherwise remark­ 11th at Gateshead). Those who happy and progressive New in Manchester? Ifso, it is as near able debut as an Olympic sport. were lucky enough to see some Year. as we can get to a 'title fight'! of our previous matches against China's best player?.. China will know that they will Loveder BBC Grandstand see Table Tennis at its very best. Ball Spotting in will be there... As far as I know, China issues The only 'friendship' will be off Once again the Finals of the no ranking lists. Their National the table. In 20 or so matches Readers's Digest Individual Events will be shown Squad includes at least 20 recently we have won just once. FOLLOWING the joke that one of live with early highlights on players ofauthentic world class. I was privileged to be there the few thinp that the Prime Saturday afternoon (January Not all can play abroad and so when Alan Cooke won after Minister baa CaiIed to achieve in her 6). As usual, they will be we do not know how good they being 18-12 down in the third to decade at N'o.IO ill to cancel her really are. I smile when I hear a give England a 4-2 winning subscription to "Reader's concluded by mid-afternoon. In Digest..... the evening the Team Events Chen Zhibin introduced as margin. That was SOME will begin, building up to a No.33 in the World. Yet he is a evening. It will remain with me Mike Loveder is featured as one potential world champion. I for the rest of my life. May there of the players in a Spot the Ball view with similar amusement be more on this tour. contest in the current edition ofthat the world ranking of Chen wonhy publication. I am told that Longcan at No.8. When I spoke The first 5 Star... the picture was taken at the 1988 Middlesex Open and has taken a to the Chinese players on our The Chinese will conclude year to materialise. last tour, all, without exception their visit in the Cleveland 5 Mike tells me he has no idea saw Chen Longcan as China's Star which thus becomes the where the ball might be io the best player. That is the esteem first of our tournaments to be picture, in any case be would not be in which he is held by his awarded this distinction. It will eligible to eoter. He says that the fellows. Chen will be in Man­ not be the last. All indications picture is Dot very flattering as his chester.