Cardiff retain Veterans Team Championships title

The Veterans Team Championships reached a thrilling conclusion at Bangor University last month, building on the strong start from the opening round in Cardiff back in January.

With three divisions in action and one of the largest veteran turnouts in recent years, the event showcased both depth and quality across the veteran age category for Welsh table tennis.

In the Premier Division, Cardiff once again demonstrated their class by retaining the title they claimed last year. The experienced linkup of John Hook, Bryan Fernandes, Gavin Jones, Owen Clutterbuck, and Terry Lee proved consistent throughout both weekends. Gavin Jones was particularly outstanding, completing a perfect season with 18 wins from 18 matches – an exceptional feat in such a competitive division.

Gwent C finished as worthy runners-up after a strong campaign. Meanwhile, the battle to avoid relegation went right down to the wire. Trehafod, who started the weekend at the bottom, produced a superb turnaround including a crucial 5-1 victory over Gwent B in the final round of matches to climb to fourth place and secure their Premier status for next season.

Division 1 was dominated by Swansea A, who delivered a flawless performance by winning every match 6-0 across both weekends. Their team of Tim Waller, Neil Wright, Lee Horton, and Catherine Jones remained unbeaten throughout, scaling a well- deserved return to the Premier Division.

Gwent D claimed second place with seven wins, showing strong consistency. At the other end, Swansea B and Gwent I finished fifth and sixth respectively and will move down to Division 2 next season.

In Division 2, Cardiff B emerged as champions following an impressive and disciplined performance over both weekends. Paul Holliday, Peter Gordon, John Jones, and James Fenton formed a formidable unit, with Fenton standing out as the league’s top performer, finishing with a perfect 16 wins from 16. They were closely followed by Amwlch B, who gained the silver medal and Fishguard, who gained the bronze medal.

The championships not only delivered high-level competition but also a fantastic atmosphere, with players, officials, and supporters contributing to a memorable event.

Thank you to all of the staff and volunteers involved in delivering another great Welsh event.

Thank you as well to the Amlwch and Wrexham clubs for their support in providing equipment, which helped ensure the smooth running of the competition.

Well done to all of the teams and players across all divisions for competing to such a high standard and making the championships such a success.