Juniors reclaim shield
The Marlborough junior table tennis rep team regained the Angell Shield from Nelson in Blenheim on Sunday.
The local team won by three games on count back after matches were drawn 20-20.
Marlborough took the boys’ singles 9-7 with the doubles being drawn 2-2. Alex Kennedy, Marlborough’s No 1, didn’t drop a set in his four singles matches. Kennedy was able to move the ball around the table to set up his forehand and backhand shots.
Josh Sim, Marlborough No 2, also won his four singles. He beat Nelson’s top player Henry Bowden by 11-9, 11-6, 12-14, 7-11, 11-5, showing some good touch on the forehand. Rory Osborne did well to beat the Nelson No 4 in four sets and to take a set from Bowden. Paul Slovak didn’t win a single but came close against the Nelson Nos 3 and 4, taking vital sets in both those matches.
Kennedy and Sim won both their doubles, including an 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 win over the top Nelson pair.
Despite only having three players, Nelson took the girls singles 11-9 with the doubles drawn 2-2. Vanessa Wood-Lin was the best of the local players, winning three singles including an 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 win over Nelson No 2 Alanah Op Den Buysch. Hannah Smit picked up two wins and matched Nelson’s top two players in the rallies. Stacey Williams and Abbey Brown are inexperienced at this level but both gained a vital set against Nelson No 3 Grace Astle. Marlborough won six matches by default.
Next year Marlborough will travel to Nelson, with the contest held in Blenheim every two years. Closed championships Alex Kennedy and Hannah Smit are the Marlborough under18 boys’ and girls’ champions.
At the Marlborough Closed championships on Tuesday Kennedy beat Josh Sim in the boys’ final, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5. Sim had a close 8-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-5 semifinal win over Rory Osborne who went on to take third place following a five-set win over Nick Hogg.
The two singles finalists combined for an 11-3, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9 win in the doubles final over Osborne and Hogg. Kennedy made it three titles when he partnered Abbey Brown to an 11-7, 9-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-7 win over Osborne and Smit in the mixed doubles final.
Smit beat fellow Marlborough senior rep player Vanessa WoodLin in the girls’ final, 11-4, 11-9, 10-12, 14-12. Smit managed to find the angles to win a very tight contest. She then partnered Hannah Wilson for an 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 win over Harmony Astwood and Samantha Butts in the girls’ doubles decider. The losing finalists had earlier put out the top seeds, Stacey Williams and Abbey Brown, in the semis.
Second seed, Peyton Ritchie, beat top-seeded Alec Dodson 13-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4 to win the under-13 boys’ singles crown. These players combined for a 5-11, 11-2, 14-12, 11-4 win in the boys doubles over Osborne and Francis Potts. Vanessa Wood-Lin won the equivalent girls’ title from Harmony Astwood. Other titles decided were: Under-13 Special Plate - Joseph Ruwhiu beat Francis Potts 11-9, 9-11, 11-9. Under13 Plate - Ian Arthur beat Jacob Clark 11-9, 4-11, 11-9. Under-13 Consolation Plate - Ryan Clark beat Adam Beattie 11-9, 11-4.
The under-15 and under-21 events will be held this week.