Play concludes in Helsingborg

Cécile Ozer (left) the women’s singles over 40 winner is congratulated by (right) Ronald Kramer, President of the European Table Tennis Union (Photo: courtesy of Organising Committee)

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Editor

Titles to their name in previous years, Germany’s Marianne Blasberg and the Czech Republic’s Miroslav Cecava, alongside Denmark’s Claus Pedersen added to their collection of titles on Saturday 1st July.

On the concluding day of play at the 2017 European Veteran Championships in Helsingborg, Sweden, all enjoyed success.

Marianne Blasberg won the women’s singles over 80 years category, whilst also partnering colleague Erika Brüggen to runners up spot in the over 80 women’s doubles.

The success means that she is the owner of no less than nine women’s singles titles at the European Veteran Championships and is the most successful player ever in the history of the tournament first held in 1995.

Likewise, Claus Pedersen by winning men’s singles over 65 years increases his such titles to four in number, whilst the Czech Republic’s Miroslav Cecava is now just one number behind. In Helsingborg he won the men’s singles over 50 event.

However, the most successful male player in the Swedish west coast city was Germany’s Siegfried Lemke; he won men’s singles Over 75 years, whilst also partnering compatriot Uwe Weinprecht to men’s doubles success in the same age group category.

Two titles for Siegfried Lemke but he was the only male player to achieve the feat; conversely no less than six women departed with two titles apiece.

In the over 40 years category Belgium’s Cécile Ozer emerged as the Women’s Singles champion whilst partnering colleague Magali Charlier to Women’s Doubles success.

Similarly, in the over 50 years class, there was success for Sweden; Barbro Wiktorsson won the women’s singles event and the women’s doubles in partnership with Ulrika Hansson. Also, there was success for Germany. Ursula Kreuger won women’s singles over 70, whilst also partnering Marianne Kerwat to women’s doubles over 70 gold.

Meanwhile, in the over 60 year category, Russia’s Larisa Andreeva clinched the women’s singles event and partnered Denmark’s Susanne Pedersen to women’s doubles gold; in the over 85 events, Finland’s Eeva Eriksson secured the women’s singles top prize, whilst joining forces with the host nation’s Ragnhild Lundberg to claim women’s doubles gold.

Overall 32 events took place with more than 2,100 players competing.