2009 New Zealand National Open Veterans Championships

Every year these Championships are held over the Easter weekend, beginning on Good Friday with the Teams’ events and the finals on Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon and evening the Individual events commence and these are continued through Sunday and are concluded on Easter Monday.

Monday evening is set aside for the popular dinner-dance, which gives players from both nations the opportunity to socialise and say good bye to each other for another year.

As has been customary since 2001, the Championships proper are preceded by the annual Test Match between Australia and New Zealand on Easter Thursday evening.

Initially the Test match was to be held bi-annually, when instituted in 1999 at North Harbour Auckland.

However it was decided at Christchurch in 2001 that both nations make this exciting event an annual affair. Some 50 odd Aussies travel across “the ditch” every year anyway, to participate in this popular tournament.

This more than adequately provides for sufficient players to choose from, as Australia has far more depth than New Zealand has when it comes to Veteran table tennis players.

That is the reason why to date no Veterans’ Test matches have been played on Australian soil.

This year’s event, once again held in the magnificent Christchurch Table Tennis Stadium on Blenheim Rd, was the tenth anniversary of the clash between the two nations.

The format consists of two-player teams, both Men and Women, in the 40, 50, 60 and 70 year age groups.

Four singles and one doubles rubber decide the match on each of the eight tables in use.

Victoria, as the premier veteran table tennis State, contributed exactly half of the sixteen players selected to represent Australia.

The Australian Women selected were Belgin Bennett (Vic) & Marie Pinkewich (NSW, nee Langridge from Vic) on the 40s table. Lynne McKeough (NSW) & Jeanne Strong (Vic) on the 50s table. Joan Munn & Margaret Mulcahy ( Vic) on the 50s and Lois McConnell (Vic) & Armida Croccolo-Brugnoli (NSW) on the 70s table. This was Jeanne’s first selection to represent her country and congratulations are in order.

The Australian Men were Brian Berry (Vic) & Stephen Mitchell (Qld) 40s. Bill Robson & Paul Pinkewich (NSW) 50s. Mick Wright (Vic) & Thomas Samuelsson (Qld) 60’s. Case de Bondt (Vic) & Tony Herbert (Qld) 70s.

It must also be noted that Brian Berry played in a lower age group as did Margaret Mulcahy.

Case de Bondt played in his seventh Test since 1999, missing out on the years ’04, ’05and ’06.

In all ten Test matches held thus far Australia was victorious.

This year’s result being a 26 to 14 rubbers win to us. The Aussie Women scored 6/13 and the Men 19/1, making up the total of 40 rubbers played.

In the Teams’ matches NSW won the 50 Men’s. The many capped Paul Pinkewich, together with Bill Robson, were far too good for everybody else in that age group.

Queensland with Thomas Samuelsson, Werner Borkhardt and Col Gradwell won the 60s Teams, defeating Mick Wright & Michael Ede from Victoria in the final.

The Women’s 65 Team’s turned out an exciting win for Victoria’s Margaret Mulcahy & Joan Munn. Joan was handicapped by asthma attacks, was far from her best form yet struggled on valiantly.

Jeanne Strong followed up her ’08 Perth 50s Team victory with an outstanding win in the 50s Team final with her New Zealand partner Tetyana Sulimova.

The Victorian 65 & 70 Men’s Teams, consisting of Case de Bondt & Geoff Nesbitt, surprised everyone by taking out both Gold medals once again, as they did on the North Island in Palmerston North the year before.

Considering that Geoff Nesbitt is turning 75 years of age on 21 May, it is a most remarkable performance for him to be playing in both these age groups below him. It also speaks volumes for his grit, zeal and stamina especially bearing in mind he wasn’t at all well before leaving Australia. He too suffers from the dreaded asthma.

Victorians Women to stand out in the 2009 Order of Merit rankings were Belgin Bennett (2nd in 40s); Jeanne Strong (3rd in 50s); Averil Roberts (2nd) & Joan Munn (3rd in 60s); Margaret Mulcahy (2nd) & Joan Munn (3rd in 65s); Lois Mcconnell (2nd in 70s).

Of the Men Brian Berry (2nd in 40s & 1st in 50s); Mick Wright (2nd in 60s), Michael Ede (4th in 60s) and Case de Bondt (1st in both 65s & 70s) all had a good tournament.

The full results of the individuals can be found on http://www.ausvet.wordpress.com

However the most noteworthy of the Victorians was Mick Wright, winner of the 65 Singles over Ken Cole (NSW); Wright/Lee(WA) winner of the 65 Doubles and Wright/Snedden(NZ) winner of 65 XDoubles.

Mick however was overpowered by Thomas Samuelsson in the 60 Singles final in three straight games, but made full amends in he next age group up, as seen above.

Brian Berry was victorious in the 50s Singles and outplayed Craig Campbell of WA.

Next year’s New Zealand Championships are to be held at the North Shore Table Tennis Centre, Auckland for only the second occasion since 1999, at Easter time of course.

For those considering going for the first time, a good tip is to leave a week or so earlier before the tournament to see some of the beautiful country side.

The school holidays always begin at Easter and the narrow, winding roads are then clogged with traffic.

My wife Joan and I have now enjoyed our eleventh consecutive trip to New Zealand and intend to keep going as long as our health permits.

The country is most scenic, the people are lovely and it is well worthwhile to plan ahead for one of the cheapest trips of your life.

The cost is affordable with car hire and accommodation very cheap by Australian standards. Currently we get one NZ dollar for 80 Oz cents and one can buy most things much cheaper there than here.

Have a happy holiday!