DaveR
02-03-2008, 07:40 PM
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Doncaster Open Butterfly Grand Prix – Day 1
Whilst just across the Bawtree road the thunder of hooves and loud cheers could be heard coming from the famous Doncaster racecourse, Table Tennis was holding its own “banded stakes”. The first of the 2008 Butterfly Grand Prix series was well under starter’s orders on Saturday 2nd February, at the all weather complex of the Doncaster Dome. The popularity of these open events continues to flourish, attracting a full house of entries, with players flying in from Ireland and as far a field as Norway!
The main event on day one, was the men’s and women’s band 1 competitions.
A virtually unknown young man from Norway was the “dark horse” of the entire event, that of Lui Wanze, who was never of the bridle, brushing aside the likes of Matt Ware, Shaun Marples, Craig Howieson, and finally Garth Kinlocke to take the men’s band 1 crown, and proved to be simply in a class of his own. Kinlocke had exceptional victories over Damien Nicholls, then in the qtrs beat Tom Maynard (who had earlier taken out Chris Doran) followed by another great win over Alim Hirji, to then face the unstoppable 17 year old Lui Wanze in a one sided final.
The women’s band 1 final was an all Irish thoroughbred affair between Claire Nelson and Amanda Mogey. Claire’s route to the final was far from easy with a gritty performance to outplay Stephanie Donnelly in the semi, whilst Amanda also had to finish strongly, to take out Hannah Hicks in the other semi. The all Irish final was a great see-saw match with Claire Nelson running out the winner in the final furlong.
As is the case often in racing when the odds-on favourites were being turned over, certainly this pattern was emerging with one after another title going to the youngsters, as outsiders! Yet another junior, Emran Hussein was hacking up in men’s band 2, whilst 14 year old Natalie Slater was finding the going easy in women’s band two. Mary Fuller, fresh from her successful trip to Sweden, was taken right to the wire by the rapidly improving Kirsty Wilson, in the women’s band 3 final, with Mary asserting in the final strides. Momentarily, 40 year old Chris Clinton seeded at two, broke the pattern by taking men’s band 3, before the bookies were once again rubbing their hands as they were filling their satchels with losing bets as more long shots were coming into the winners enclosure. Sunderland’s Graham Barella got over the final hurdle to take men’s band 4, whilst John Mcbeath was quickly out of the stalls to outstay all his opponents in men’s class 5.
Fifteen year old Irish International Sam Hanley cruised his way to take the men’s band six title, from Kai Lu, from the Keyworth club in Nottingham, with some strong offensive play, winning in the 4th end.
Day one finished with exceptional results for our young stars of the future all exceeding expectations, with more “great racing” to follow in tomorrow’s classics, that of the “St Leger” (Men’s Open) and the Fillies Stakes (Women’s Open).
Full results from Saturday’s play:
Men’s Band 1
Lui Wanze(Nor) beat Garth Kinlocke(Ha)
11-5, 11-3, 11-8.
Men’s Band 2.
Emran Hussein(E) beat Matt Pernett(Sy)
11-8, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9.
Men’s Band 3
Chris Clinton(Y) beat Scott Crawford(Cu)
8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-8.
Men’s Band 4
Graham Barella(Du) beat Joe Higgs(Wo)
8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 12-10.
Men’s Band 5
John Mcbeath(Ha) beat Michael Hahn(Du)
11-6, 11-8, 11-6.
Women’s Band 1
Claire Nelson(Irl) beat Amanda Mogey(Irl)
8-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-5.
Women’s Band 2
Natalie Slater(St) beat Malgorzata Muda(Mi)
11-6, 11-8, 11-8.
Women’s Band 3
Mary Fuller(Y) beat Kirsty Wilson(K)
11-5, 4-11, 11-9, 13-11.
ETTA Report
Doncaster Open Butterfly Grand Prix – Day 1
Whilst just across the Bawtree road the thunder of hooves and loud cheers could be heard coming from the famous Doncaster racecourse, Table Tennis was holding its own “banded stakes”. The first of the 2008 Butterfly Grand Prix series was well under starter’s orders on Saturday 2nd February, at the all weather complex of the Doncaster Dome. The popularity of these open events continues to flourish, attracting a full house of entries, with players flying in from Ireland and as far a field as Norway!
The main event on day one, was the men’s and women’s band 1 competitions.
A virtually unknown young man from Norway was the “dark horse” of the entire event, that of Lui Wanze, who was never of the bridle, brushing aside the likes of Matt Ware, Shaun Marples, Craig Howieson, and finally Garth Kinlocke to take the men’s band 1 crown, and proved to be simply in a class of his own. Kinlocke had exceptional victories over Damien Nicholls, then in the qtrs beat Tom Maynard (who had earlier taken out Chris Doran) followed by another great win over Alim Hirji, to then face the unstoppable 17 year old Lui Wanze in a one sided final.
The women’s band 1 final was an all Irish thoroughbred affair between Claire Nelson and Amanda Mogey. Claire’s route to the final was far from easy with a gritty performance to outplay Stephanie Donnelly in the semi, whilst Amanda also had to finish strongly, to take out Hannah Hicks in the other semi. The all Irish final was a great see-saw match with Claire Nelson running out the winner in the final furlong.
As is the case often in racing when the odds-on favourites were being turned over, certainly this pattern was emerging with one after another title going to the youngsters, as outsiders! Yet another junior, Emran Hussein was hacking up in men’s band 2, whilst 14 year old Natalie Slater was finding the going easy in women’s band two. Mary Fuller, fresh from her successful trip to Sweden, was taken right to the wire by the rapidly improving Kirsty Wilson, in the women’s band 3 final, with Mary asserting in the final strides. Momentarily, 40 year old Chris Clinton seeded at two, broke the pattern by taking men’s band 3, before the bookies were once again rubbing their hands as they were filling their satchels with losing bets as more long shots were coming into the winners enclosure. Sunderland’s Graham Barella got over the final hurdle to take men’s band 4, whilst John Mcbeath was quickly out of the stalls to outstay all his opponents in men’s class 5.
Fifteen year old Irish International Sam Hanley cruised his way to take the men’s band six title, from Kai Lu, from the Keyworth club in Nottingham, with some strong offensive play, winning in the 4th end.
Day one finished with exceptional results for our young stars of the future all exceeding expectations, with more “great racing” to follow in tomorrow’s classics, that of the “St Leger” (Men’s Open) and the Fillies Stakes (Women’s Open).
Full results from Saturday’s play:
Men’s Band 1
Lui Wanze(Nor) beat Garth Kinlocke(Ha)
11-5, 11-3, 11-8.
Men’s Band 2.
Emran Hussein(E) beat Matt Pernett(Sy)
11-8, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9.
Men’s Band 3
Chris Clinton(Y) beat Scott Crawford(Cu)
8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-8.
Men’s Band 4
Graham Barella(Du) beat Joe Higgs(Wo)
8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 12-10.
Men’s Band 5
John Mcbeath(Ha) beat Michael Hahn(Du)
11-6, 11-8, 11-6.
Women’s Band 1
Claire Nelson(Irl) beat Amanda Mogey(Irl)
8-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-5.
Women’s Band 2
Natalie Slater(St) beat Malgorzata Muda(Mi)
11-6, 11-8, 11-8.
Women’s Band 3
Mary Fuller(Y) beat Kirsty Wilson(K)
11-5, 4-11, 11-9, 13-11.
ETTA Report