Entries are being finalised for the annual Rockhampton Open Table Tennis
Championships that are being staged at the Leichhardt Park playing centre at 157
Campbell Street over the weekend. Players from across the state have plenty of choices of
tournaments to participate in from the state’s very busy tournament calendar and
organisers of the local carnival are still hoping for a solid entry when play hits-off this
Saturday morning. So far entries from clubs at Mackay, Bundaberg and south-east
Queensland as well as locals and one entry from the Australian Capital Territory.
The Chauvel Industrial Services open events promise to provide plenty of action with
Rockhampton’s Matthew Pettett and Rayden Smith among the front-runners in the men’s
open singles. It is hoped that brothers Dane and Joel Coughlan will be available for this
competition but earlier in the week this was in question due to other commitments. Some
of the visitors are relatively unknown to locals so some challenges to the usual front-
running contenders could be on the cards.
The leading local ladies in Ann-Louise Stewart and Erica Nolan as well as veterans with
competitive games in Pam Clarke and Monica Deeth will be trying to impress in the
women’s events, however Brisbane’s Clare Owen and Lorraine Fourro of Bundaberg as
well as Jeraine Sebastian from SEQ could quite well have other things to say about that
situation. Reports are that Sebastian played very well at the recent Bundy open titles and
she could quite well find herself placed in a key part of the main draw upon acceptances
just prior to the draws being conducted later in the week.
The Bolsover Radiology ratings events that are spread across four divisions based on
individual players performances at tournaments should produce many fine clashes
between participants of similar standard in each section. Local players should enjoy the
opportunity of taking on players from other clubs in the singles and doubles events in this
category.
Local youngsters and veterans should enjoy the various competitions in the Lawless-Pyne
Electrical section for age-events. Juniors including Nolan Hao, Cooper Bulow, Judd Carr
and Levi Sarin will be hoping to impress while at the other end of the scale local veteran
stagers will be up against the likes of the impressive Warren and Clare Owen who hail
from the Brisbane club and evergreens John and Lorraine Fourro of Bundaberg who
along with the Owens are always present at the business end of any event they contest.
A new season of top-grade fixtures hit-off this week and is being staged across the second
school term and a traditional two-a-side comp across two divisions has been set down.
Meanwhile, players of all standard can continue to hone their skills at the social session
from 7.30pm on Mondays as well as the practice sessions between 9.00am and 11.30 on
Wednesdays and between 2.30pm and 4.30pm on Saturdays. The top-table competition
on Thursdays from 7.00pm is keeping its popularity among players of varying standard
and commitment to the sport. Youngsters can continue to pick up the basics of the game
at the club’s junior coaching classes from 4.30pm on Thursdays and qualified coaches are
always on hand to provide advice to the next line of champions of the sport in the city.