Wilko is again aiming to be a table-topper
TABLE TENNIS
NEWCASTLE and Tyneside Orienteers are staging an event at Druridge Bay Country Park in Northumberland on Sunday.
It is suitable for all ages and levels of fitness, with courses ranging in length from under two kilometres to a maximum of seven kilometres.
For more details go to www. newcastleorienteering.org.uk. ■■NEWCASTLE Fencing Centre hosts the BYC Regional Qualifers on Saturday, February 24.
The age group youth competition is open to foil, epee and sabre fencers with a British Fencing licence.
The top four in each section will go through to the BYC Finals in Sheffield. ■■SOUTH Shields Bangaldeshi CC and Roseworth Bulls have been accepted into the North East Midweek Cricket League for 2018.
The clubs were voted in at the league’s annual meeting at Blue Flames CC. ■■TEAMS are wanted for a new six-a-side football league kicking off at Chester-le-Street’s Park View School.
The league runs on Mondays (7.00-9.00) by Soccersixes and is open to players aged over 15.
To enrol, go to www. soccersixes.net or ring 07930 266 193. ■■DURHAM cricketer Will Smith visited St Cuthbert’s Primary School in Chester-le-Street to officially open their new gym.
St Cuthbert’s - situated less than a mile away from Durham’s Emirates Riverside - have funded the gym with a £10,000 Lottery Award and £5,000 raised by their parent teacher group. ■■SUNDERLAND teenager Nathan Kew has been appointed a coach at Sunderland’s Academy of Light - less than four years after signing up for the SAFC Foundation of Light’s Coaches Academy. ■■THE SAFC Foundation of Light is staging half-term football coaching courses for three to 14 year-olds from February 12-15.
Venues include the Stadium of Light, Chester-le-Street Town FC, Washington Millennium Centre and Stanley Community Football Centre.
Courses cost from £6 to £40 and for more details, or to enrol, go to the Foundation of Light website. ■■A COURSE for fencing referees is being staged at Durham’s Maiden Castle next month.
The course is in two parts - a knowledge seminar on March 23 (6.00-9.00) and then practical assessments (foil, March 24 9.004.00, epee March 25 9.00-3.00 and sabre March 25 11.30-4.00).
Cost is £12 - to book ring Beth Davidson on 07834 884 194. THE Northumberland Table Tennis Association hosts its annual Closed Tournament at the Sporting Club in Cramlington on Saturday.
The tournament consists of a number of events including open, women’s, veterans and handicap singles competitions.
The biggest entry is in the open singles, in which nine groups of players will battle it out.
The top seed is last year’s winner Andrew Wilkinson.
Cramlington Casuals’ star player has lost just one match this season, to Chun Yin Yu of NECA A - but the Chinese University student failed to put his entry in by the deadline despite being given a second opportunity to do so.
The second seed is last year’s open singles runner-up Graeme Barella, who lost 3-0 to Wilkinson in the final.
Players looking to break into this match-up are third, fourth and fifth seeds Eddie Smith, Jim Stamas and Steve Penman.
Other players who could reach the semi-finals include veteran Jimmy Scope as well as NESLC’s recently-returned Martin Shapira and Paul Baines.
The turnout for the women’s singles is not good this year and just three entrants will compete for the coveted Philomena Clark Memorial trophy.
Lynsey Storey, Linda Pinkham and Lynne Herrington have been stalwarts of the competition for a number of years.
Last year’s winner was Herrington, who is the highest-rated player of the three and is currently playing in Northumberland’s Division One for the Old England Jacks.
The veteran’s singles sees its toughest level of competition for a number of years as Wilkinson is now eligible to compete.
The handicap singles event is hugely popular every year.
Played over old rules of up to 21 points and three ends, it gives every player the opportunity to compete on a level playing field.
More able players will have lower handicaps - meaning they will give a number of points as head-starts against weaker opponents.
There will also be five banded singles competitions.