Table tennis festival in the park in new year
A festival celebrating all things table tennis will be held in New Plymouth next month.
Spread over three days, the Ray White Festival of Table Tennis will include coaching sessions, a tournament, and an exhibition in Pukekura Park, where people will be able to join in.
‘‘We’re just trying to relaunch table tennis in the local community and introduce the game,’’ organising committee member Paul Kyle said.
As a fun extra, the International Table Tennis Federation has donated plastic bats and bigger balls, branded TTX, that can be used to play outside, he said.
‘‘We’re introducing it at Pukekura Park.’’
Table Tennis is not played outside anywhere in the southern hemisphere, but three outdoor events have been run in Europe, Kyle said.
The tournament will be held at Devon Intermediate, but depending on numbers, could overflow to Highlands Intermediate, so sponsors Ray White New Plymouth and The Good Home are donating table tennis equipment to encourage the sport at both schools.
There will be least 30 players from Taranaki and a similar number expected from outside the region, but they need to know numbers as soon as possible, he said.
‘‘We want people to register. It’s during the school holidays and is a onetime opportunity to get some coaching, learn about our sport, and it’s free.’’
Ray White New Plymouth managing principal Carey Simonson played table
tennis at Vogeltown Highlands Intermediate.
The festival will be a good community event to get involved with, he said.
‘‘It’s a fun sport. Anyone can play it.’’ The festival will run from January 14-16.
Registrations close January 8. More information is at Table Tennis NZ or Ray White New Plymouth.
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