Winchester Table Tennis League Finals Report, 2006


Garth Kinlocke

A


Steve White

 night of first-class table tennis entertainment at the Civil Service Club, Littleton, on Saturday 8th April, concluded with what we anticipated would be a close contest between Garth Kinlocke and Steve White in the Open Singles. Garth, the Number 6 Seed, of Westgate School, Winchester, is only 14 but he has built a formidable reputation for his speed and agility around the table, and he soon had the Number 1 Seed on the back foot. Steve is a highly experienced player who knows how to handle the spins, deceptions and speed of the best players in the area, but he became tentative against his young opponent's serves and was soon pushing the ball into the net and finding himself generally unable to develop many points on his own terms. Garth meanwhile was attacking everything in sight, hitting a good number of lightning-fast winners. The rallies were short and furious, with Garth winning in 3 straight games in rapid time. Garth, who lives in Teg Down, is thought to be the youngest player to win the Winchester Open Singles, over at least the last 70 years. He is currently ranked 13th in England in his age-group. Garth was also awarded the Juniors title, as his intended opponent Hideo Ogawa was away in Japan.


Martyn Reeves






John Vinnell

Earlier, we had seen two extremely competitive matches between John Vinnell and Martyn Reeves. In the Handicap event Martyn was allowed a 1 point start per game, and won narrowly after losing the first game. As if to show he thought the Handicappers had underestimated him, he then beat John in 5 games for the Division 2 title (off scratch, of course). Both matches showed table tennis at its best: fearless hitting even in the longest rallies, brilliant recoveries, good-humoured acceptance when a point-winning position was spoiled by an unlucky net or edge. (Within reason!) Both players clearly thought they could and should win. Martyn was perhaps marginally the more aggressive, but John's defence held up admirably against whatever Martyn could throw at him in terms of spin and speed. Martyn is a former Junior winner (2004). John may be thought of by some as a newcomer to the League, but he was also a Junior winner, in 1983, before spending many of the next 20 years as a Regional-level lawn tennis player.



Paul May





Steve Robinson




The Veterans (over 40s) provided another enthralling struggle. Paul May likes to attack, but Steve Robinson is one of the wiliest defenders in the League; little gets past him, and his unconventional bat-rubber often reverses the opponent's spin, with disastrous results for the attacker. Patience is the only way; rushes of blood to the head can only undo you. Paul played with great coolness and got close, as the 4 game scores show, but Steve somehow hung in for just that little bit longer on the critical points.



Stuart Williams & Steve White




Stuart Williams and Steve White proved to be a little too strong for Steve Robinson and Nigel Lodder in the Doubles. It was Nigel's birthday, and the appropriate song was sung, but the sentiment stopped there – there was to be no winner's medal birthday present for Nigel.


The event was smoothly organised and run by Antony Moore and Adrian Reeves, and Beryl Bransgrove presented the cups.


Beryl Bransgrove, Garth Kinlocke




Results

Handicap: Martyn Reeves (+1) beat John Vinnell (scratch)12-21, 21-18, 21-18

Doubles: Stuart Williams & Steve White beat Nigel Lodder & Steve Robinson 11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 11-2

Division 2: Martyn Reeves beat John Vinnell 11-9, 9-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7 

Veterans: Steve Robinson beat Paul May13-11, 11-6, 9-11, 13-11

Singles: Garth Kinlocke beat Steve  White 11-7,  11-9,  11-5

Juniors: Garth Kinlocke walked over Hideo Ogawa


By Martin Healey