IEditorial Four "gems" to remember • • • ENGLISH table tennis players, administrators, fans will not easily forget this campaign now drawing to a close. It was the season when we entered the Olympic Games in Seoul, England finally bounced back into the Super Division of the European League, when Sweden slayed the Chinese dragon, (at least in the men's game) by winning the Swaythling Cup and Jan-ave Waldner became the new world champion. A year ago we failed to win promotion again and then found that Hungary were a new barrier. As it happened, Belgium and Austria were the two nations we had to beat and this we did principally by the strength of our two young men Alan Cooke and Carl Prean. Both have had a season they can lookback on with pride - Alan captured the Commonwealth title in Cardiff and it was Carl who raised his game in Dortmund in the memorable match with Waldner when he reached 19-19 in all four games against the exquisite talent of the man who two days later, became the new champion of the world. Don Parker summed it all up in Dortmund when he said, "We are now in all the competitions amongst the top nations including the new men's world team cup as we finished ninth here in Germany. I am more than pleased with the group of teenagers now bidding for a place in the England squad headed by Michael O'Driscoll, Bradley Billington and Matthew Syed. They demonstrated in Cardiff that they are improving all the time. Win of the year for the women's squad was by Alison Gordon over Olga Nemes, the European Top-12 champion" he said. Over 200 British fans in Dortmund personally witnessed how well the sport is supported there - thousands there - hundreds here; the roar of the German crowd - polite clapping or even silence here, at least, most of the time. Leadership challenge still receding As the magnificent sponsorship by the Leeds Permanent Building Society continues to expand into the Women's British League, John Prean remains the undisputed chairman of the ETTA. The prospect of any serious challenge to his leadership seems to have receded even further into the background. Political upheavals as we have seen over the past three years might sell newspapers but they do not help the sport in the long run. Looking ahead I see three objectives, although there are other targets as well ... first to establish ourselves as a power that could win the Super Division rather than survive, secondly to reach the final of the team event at the European Championships in Gothenburg and to improve communications by getting even more publicity on television and in the newspapers and to produce a professional magazine. As "Table Tennis News" went to press, it became known that the ETTA have decided that next season this magazine will be edited by the staff at Hastings ... to which I can only add my best wishes! JOHN WOODFORD In this issue Page IJ Courtside 1 European League, George Yates 3 9th Commonwealth Championships 4-5 The official magazine of the The 40th World Championships 6-9 English Tabl,e Tennis The Leeds National Championships Association. Published 10 eight times a year. Richard Eaton 11 John Prean in Dortmund 12-13 Editor The Leeds County Championships, Doug Moss 14-15 JOHN WOODFORD VETIS go West, Mike Watts 17 Essex 2-star junior open, Ron Mackenzie 18 Advertisements: The Leeds British League, Mike Loveder 20-21 JIM BECKLEY Sports PR, PO Box 8, News from 23 Counties 22-28 Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Mailbox 29,31 Cheshire SK8 7RG The English senior ranking list 32 Tel: 061 488 4002 The first East Sussex schools event, David Lomas 33 Presentations in Cardiff 34 Subscriptions and distribution: Women's Leeds British League launch, Jose Ransome 35 Beth Davies, Picture Parade 36 ETTA, Third Floor, Tamasu and Butterfly fly on 37 Queensbury House, Havelock Jose in Dortmund 38 Rd, Hastings TN34 1HE Tel: 0424 722525 Natwest Derbyshire 2-star Open, Mike Payne 40 News from the regions 41 COPY DATE National Cadet Events, Bernard Rowley 42 Sept 1 . Bradley Billington story, John Woodford 43 Issue 184, October 1989 A new tournament system, Brian Burn 44 Printed by: JAN-OVE WALDNER of Sweden is the most talented player in the world. It BELMONT PRESS LTD COVER is therefore fitting that his genius has been rewarded with the world singles 409 Harlestone Road crown in Dortmund. Aspiring youngsters will have noted that he is the * Northampton * PICTURE coolest player around when the heat is on and his victory marks the end of NN56PB the domination of the men's game by China. Well done, Sweden. Tel: 0604 56511 1 The rush for food in the early Scholer after the whole tourna­ End of the French bid is stages of the party had to be seen ment had ended confirmed what to be believed. Over a thousand we were thinking - on the line in withdrawn popIe, apparently starving, strength of the television stormed to the serving tables coverage of the mens doubles Dusseldorf! THE French seem to be occupying amid scenes of chaos. final, table tennis in Germany has a low profile in European table A number of people left the been elevated to the middle range RICHARD EATON ("The Times") tennis at this time. Their bid to mass catering mayhem to seek of sports. It is no longer a minor and Morley Myers (United Press run the 1993 world champion­ more peaceful surroundings at sport in that country. International) came to a shudder­ ships in several cities ending in the adjacent Park Hotel restaurant 1111II111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 ing halt on a dark and rainy night Paris was withdrawn in Dort­ including our Leeds executive in Dusseldorf during the world mund without coming under Mrs Wendy Cunningham and championships. starter's orders. It will be Mexico APA account executive Betty The new Approaching a huge junction City instead. Maitland. in his Escort Ghia, Richard fol­ Another French bid, by Didier IImixed" zone lowed the silver arrows ahead Mommessin to 'get into the A NEW arrangement at Dort­ into an area where work had French squad in Dortmund did mund that was appreciated by the taken place on the tramlines. not materialise, although Didier 500 journalists was the provision Holes dug around the lines (later did turn up in time for the last of a "mixed zone" in the main to be replaced with tarmac) had night party to meet his friend in 10,000 seater stadium where been left exposed. the English squad Fiona Elliot, the newsmen were free to talk to the Travelling at only 10 m.p.h the new English No. 2 from players as they left the arena. English duo hit the obstruction Staffordshire. It is accepted that for TV pur­ splitting a front axle and knock­ poses alone, journalists cannot be ing off a wheel! Ace one-line joker allowed access to the floor at all Morley commented dryly "We times, the spectators and the TV seem to have come to the end of Wendy Cunningham, the Leeds cameras would not be able to see the line Richard!" executive, was in Dortmund for the the play for people. Happily, neither journalist was final week-end. This was extremely successful injured. Unhappily, the car was as we were able to talk with the taken away on a transporter and Both ladies enjoyed the short England captains and the players the battle with the insurance stay in Dortmund and were per­ regularly, an essential ingredient began. Meanwhile, after a £50 taxi haps envious of the enormous fol­ to producing good copy for ride back to Dortmund, the bad lowing that the sport has in West newspapers. news was that the car would take Germany. It is hoped that the same a long time to repair so the 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 "mixed" zone arrangements will English newsmen had to return to be created on Gothenburg and at England by air instead of ferry. Andrei Mazunav, USSR all future world events. Before we left Dusseldorf I took A television photos of the accident junction, A friendship seems to be 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 where of course the obstruction blossoming between our modest triumph for been rapidly repaired, but the young England No.5 Andrea Holt Olympic road signs were still arrowed at and the Russian superstar Andrei the Germans the point of the collision. Mazunov. The couple were spot­ involvement • Footnote: Immediately after the ted by newsmen having quiet THE organising committees of incident the police put barriers chats away from the chaos at the the world championships gave round the accident area. last night shindig. absolute priority to television and for Morley it paid off. LONDON based Morley Myers is German viewers imd many a journalist seldom seen at UK abroad on worldwide Sky satellite events but is becoming TV saw German patriotism in increasingly involved in the EVENTS COMING UP ... sport raised to new heights as Jorg sport. 20 May Grove Cadets 2-star Rosskopf and Stefan Fetzner At present UK Sports Editor for 27-28 May VETIS Nationals, Bracknell emerged victorious from the mens UPI, he was with Reuter for seven 26-28 May Tunbridge Wells Junior 2-star doubles final. years and is a very experienced 3-4 June The Leeds English Junior Open, Bridlington. I have never witnessed a scene journalist in many sports, with quite like that in person. We have lawn tennis a speciality sport. NEXT SEASON all seen it at the Wembley Cup He is a co-opted member in an 27 Aug The Leeds British League (1) Final, not this time perhaps, but advisory capacity of the ITIF 2-3 Sept City of London 2-star always previously.