“CHAMPIONSHIPS OF CHANGE AT CLACTON CLOSED”
It may have been the warmest weekend of the year outside but there was
some red-hot table tennis action inside the Clacton Coastal Academy’s
Sports Hall when the Clacton and District Table Tennis League held their
2010 Closed Championships.
And after two day’s of intense competitive play – 72 players and 243
individual matches - only one of the twelve holders managed to retain
their title.
Twenty-year old Greg Green is the new Mens Singles champion, taking
the crown with an 11-8, 11-1, 11-9 victory over Martin Hogg, three times a
winner in 1997, 2000 and 2002.

The margin of victory indicated the final was a match too far for Hogg
after a superlative 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6 semi-final win over
doubles-partner and reigning champion Colin Stallwood – without doubt, one
of the matches of the weekend.
And though the final was something of an anti-climax, take nothing
away from Green, an elegant player with an admirable temperament, who had
produced early-round wins over dad Martyn Green, Neil Crook and, in the
quarter-final, David Hall.
And Green had followed this with a superbly-controlled 13-11, 3-11,
13-11, 11-9 semi-final victory over 2004 champion Gary Young. It was their
sixth meeting in major competitions in North Essex over the past twelve
months – and the score is now level at 3-all.
It was a first Mens Singles title for Green - possibly the first of
many.
The Mens Doubles event was turned upside-down when the unfancied duo
of Kevin James and Gary Stallwood came from nowhere to oust reigning
champions and top seeds, Martin Hogg and Colin Stallwood, 12-10, 11-13,
11-9, 7-11, 11-9 in the semis.
But though they battled hard, they were always second-best in the
final to the competent and composed pairing of Greg Green and Gary Young -
who had sailed through the earlier rounds - Green and Young winning the
final 11-5, 10-12, 12-10, 11-4.
It was nevertheless a fine performance from Gary Stallwood who was
able to steal the limelight from his brother Colin in the Mens Doubles, as
well as unexpectedly reaching the quarter-finals of the Mens Singles by
defeating seeded player Alan Burgess.
Jenny Binns moved up to second-place in the all-time list of Clacton’s
women players when she took the Ladies Singles trophy
by defeating
Annabelle Rodriguez 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8 in a repeat of the 2008 final.
In a match of contrasts, Jenny’s defence proved steadier than the
Annabelle’s attack. It was a fifth Ladies Singles title for Jenny but a
third consecutive final defeat for Annabelle.
The Ladies Singles and Doubles had been thrown into some confusion
when Sheila Howe had fallen badly during practice and had to withdraw from
all events - happily the injury turned out to be nothing more than bad
bruising.
Sheila’s absence opened up the Ladies Doubles where Hazel Blanche was
conscripted as a substitute partner for Jenny Binns.
And although Hazel proved she is a better player than she thinks, it
was Isabel Barton and Sandie Isaac who took the title 11-4, 11-7, 12-10 -
a first-ever Closed title for Sandie.
There was further disappointment for both Colin Stallwood and
Annabelle Rodriguez in the Mixed Doubles where, seeded number one, they
lost with surprising ease, 11-4, 11-9, 11-9, to second seeds Alan Burgess
and Jenny Binns.
The event proved highly competitive with Round One producing two
lively matches, David Hall and Janet Beech beating Tony and Pauline
Edmonds 11-7 in the fifth, James Denyer and Sue Watson edging out Ferdy
Rodriguez and Iris Howlett 11-9 in the decider.
The final of the Junior Singles was a high-quality encounter between
the League’s top-two youngsters but, for a second year running, Mark Smith
ended up as runner-up, losing 6-11,

13-11, 11-9, 11-7 to his Windsor team-mate James Denyer.
It was a high-class performance from thirteen-year old Denyer who had
also shown prodigious talent in the Mens Singles, defeating Martyn Green,
Phil Smith and John Pattrick before losing to Colin Stallwood in the
quarters.
And to cap a marvellous weekend, James was also presented with the
Brian Hogg Trophy, an award made annually to a junior player of whom the
League is proud to have among its members.
There was a measure of revenge for Mark Smith in the Junior Doubles
where, with partner Adam Wilkin, they beat Denyer and Ian Porter 11-9,
7-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-3, another hard-fought match played in excellent
spirit by all four players.
It was a second Junior Doubles’ success for Smith but a first-ever
Championship trophy for Wilkin.
Martin Hogg was the only player in the Championships to retain his
title when he beat David Hall 11-5, 11-3, 11-8 in the Veterans Singles.
Hall - in his first Championships’ final since 1989 - had enjoyed a
good run with victories over Alan Burgess and Neil Crook but Hogg it was
who cemented his position as the League’s top veteran.
The top seeds made it to the final of the Super-Veterans Singles
where, in the closest of the twelve finals, 2008 champion Alan Burgess
came from 5-2 down in the fifth set, to beat reigning champion John Rice
7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-9.
The most heart-warming story came in the Division Two Singles where
the seemingly-ageless Terry Kirby rolled back the years to beat Frank
Burbidge, Chris Petrou, Matt Wright and, in the final, Bob Sawyer.
It was a completely unexpected triumph for the unseeded Kirby whose
amazing resurgence of form sees him become the oldest winner in Clacton
Closed history.
The Division Three Singles went to form where hot favourite Colin
Beaumont took the title in three-straight against Jack Bruce - although he
nearly stumbled in his semi-final where he beat Mike Hillier 11-5 in the
fifth after being two sets and 9-5 down!
But credit to the unseeded fifteen-year old Bruce - also a surprise
semi-finalist in the Junior Singles - who had beaten Sandie Isaac, Gerald
Batt and James Swabey on his way to the final.
Finally, the Restricted Singles went to John Pattrick who won his
trophy the hard way by defeating Division One players Jason Gale, John
Rankin, John Barton and, in the final, John Rice, a worthy victory for an
often under-rated player.
Paul Newbould Planning and Building Design Services once again
sponsored the Championships, efficiently organised as usual by Peter
White, Brian Rowlen and the Tournament Committee.
* Holders of raffle tickets blue 521 and blue 611 should contact Viv
Rodriguez to collect their prizes.
CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
Mens Singles : G Green beat M Hogg 11-8, 11-1, 11-9.
Ladies Singles : J Binns beat A Rodriguez 11-8, 10-12, 11-9,
11-8.
Mens Doubles : G Green/G Young beat K James/G Stallwood
11-5, 10-12, 12-10, 11-4.
Ladies Doubles : I Barton/S Isaac beat J Binns/H Blanche
11-4, 11-7, 12-10.
Mixed Doubles : A Burgess/J Binns beat C Stallwood/A Rodriguez
11-4, 11-9, 11-9.
Veterans Singles : M Hogg beat D Hall 11-5, 11-3, 11-8.
Super-Veterans Singles : A Burgess beat J Rice 7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-4,
11-9.
Junior Singles : J Denyer beat M Smith 6-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-7.
Junior Doubles : M Smith/A Wilkin beat J Denyer/I Porter 11-7,
7-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-3.
Division Two Singles : T Kirby beat B Sawyer 11-9, 11-9, 14-12.
Division Three Singles : C Beaumont beat J Bruce 11-5, 11-8, 11-8.
Restricted Singles : J Pattrick beat J Rice 11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7
LEAGUE RESULTS
Division 1
Brotherhood A 8 Windsor Condors 2;
Red Triangle 3 Walton B 7;
Windsor Hawks 10 Brotherhood D 0;
Windsor Eagles 7 Nomads Jaguars 3;
Brotherhood B 5 Nomads Panthers 5;
Walton A 9 Windsor Falcons 1;
Walton B 7 Brotherhood D 3;
Nomads Panthers v Walton B (void).
Division 2
Windsor Kestrels 9 Brotherhood E 1;
Windsor Magpies 2 Walton C 8;
Nomads Cougars 8 Windsor Harriers 2;
Lawford 5 Brotherhood C 5;
Nomads Lions 0 Brotherhood F 10.
Division 3
Nomads Wildcats 3 Brotherhood J 7;
Nomads Pumas 10 Windsor Penguins 0;
Brotherhood I 3 Nomads Lynx 7;
Brotherhood L 3 Nomads Tigers 7;
Windsor Swallows 1 Nomads Bobcats 9.
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