4 junior players – Zak Holbrook, Jye Lock, Joe Chapman and Lewis Johnstone – have battled their way through to the semi-finals of table tennis’ Island Echo Centenary Cup, which celebrates 100 years of table tennis on the Isle of Wight.
Altogether 35 players – aged from 12 to 91 – competed late into the evening on Friday (27th January) in what organisers described as “a successful event that was enjoyed by everyone”.
As well as the young guns, the event also attracted plenty of veterans. The oldest competitor was Bert Paice at 91 years old. His granddaughter Rebecca – 63 years his junior – also took part in the Centenary Cup, which this year is sponsored for the 1st time by Island Echo.
Bert – who plays for Ryde Rustics and 1st picked up a table tennis paddle back in 1968 – told Island Echo:
“Around 1970 there were 7 divisions in the Isle of Wight Table Tennis League. Table tennis was being played all over the place. We had teams from as far away as Freshwater. Now we’re down to just 3.
“I started playing at Vectis Hall in Melville Street in Ryde. When we played there sometimes the electricity would suddenly go so you had to put a shilling in the meter. Even now premises can be hard to come by for small groups. Numbers have declined, but now we are on the up again.
“The strangest place I’ve played in was Cowes Liberal Club where we had to play in a cellar, which was accessed by a ladder.”
The player with the longest record of playing competitive table tennis is Isle of Wight Ladies’ Champion Pat Thorley, who started in 1964.
Pat, who also put together a nice spread for those attending last Friday, said:
“Unfortunately, the sport lacks girls. However, we have more women playing on the Island than in any other league it seems”.
The youngest player in the competition was 12-year-old Jye Lock from Ryde Retailers. He has previously twice played the oldest competitor Bert – 79 years his senior. The pair have a keen rivalry, with Jye and Bert having taken a game each against one another, with both matches being won on the final point.
There was also a pair of twins taking part – 16-year-olds Joe and Ethan Millward – who have been introduced to the sport of table tennis by their grandfather Martin Dove, who is the treasurer of the Isle of Wight Table Tennis Association.
The semi-final and final of the Island Echo Centenary Cup will be held on finals night on Wednesday 26th April at 19:00.
The headquarters of the Isle of Wight Table Tennis Association are located in Smallbrook Stadium on the outskirts of Ryde, which is open 5 days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Players of all ages and both sexes are welcome.
The Isle of Wight league comprises 3 divisions, allowing players of different abilities to play competitive games against opponents of appropriate levels of skill.
