Men's Doubles 70 Years: Herbert Neubauer / Jochen Leiss (Germany) versus Richard Sorger / Roger Sundqvist (Austria / Sweden) (Photo: Reto Bazzi) nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn On Friday 30th June, the main draw in the men's doubles and women's doubles events commenced; members of the Swaythling Club were in action. A helping hand from Claude Bergeret for Jochen Leiss (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Doubles 70 Years: Matti Lappalainen / Jouko Manni (Finland) v Leszek Jodanjewski / Jerzy Tokarski (Poland) (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Women's Doubles 60 Years: Claude Bergeret / Corinne Come (France) versus Maria Gaftea / Isik Ertufan (Romania / Turkey) (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Doubles 85 Years: Hans Westling / Keith Powell (Sweden / England) v Wolf-Dieter Nistel / Adam Schmalz (Germany) (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Women’s Doubles 50 Years:
Month: June 2023
2023 European Veteran Championships – Thursday 29th June
Women's Singles 65 Years, Italy's Sonia Milic faces Brigitte Briday of France (Photo: Reto Bazzi) The main draw in the men's singles and women's singles events commenced on Thursday 29th June; once again Swaythling Club members were in action. Women's Singles 65 Years: Croatia's Branka Batinic opposes Ratchaneewarn Kraska from France (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles 65 Years: Italy's Giovanni Bisi (ITA) confronts Austria's Horst Trefalt (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles 75 Years: Hungary's Istvan Szalai confronts Germany's Manfred Schlicht (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles 55 Years: Denmark's Carsten Egeholt versus Sweden's Michael Kullberg (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Women's Singles 65 Years: Estonia's Kai Thornbech opposes Slovenia's Dragica Lapanja (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles 75 Years: Denmark's Nils Ramberg confronts Sweden's Sven Inge Jonsson (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles
English members meet for lunch
2023 European Veteran Championships – Tuesday 27th June
A total of 25 members attended the Swaythling Club reception at the sky bar of the Oslofjord hotel in Sandefjord. The reception opens (left to right) Karen Tong (Swaythling Club auditor), Claude Bergeret (Swaythling Club President), Ina Jozepsone (ETTU Vice-President), Petra Sörling (ITTF President), Mrs Inberfeld and Christian Inbenfeld (President of the Norwegian Table Tennis Association) (Photo: courtesy of Claude Bergeret) Claude Bergeret, Swaythling Club President, welcomed members to the reception. Present was Ina Jozepsone (ETTU Vice-President) alongside Petra Sörling (ITTF President) Claude Bergeret presented Øivind Eriksen with an award for his work as member of the Swaythling Club Executive Committee, Reto Bazzi and Ina Jozepsone look on (Photo: courtesy of Reto Bazzi) A convivial atmosphere (Photo: Nils Ramberg) An enjoyable dinner (Photo: Nils Ramberg) Chopsticks
2023 European Veteran Championships – Monday 26th June
A total of 116 table in use in Sandefjord (Photo: Reto Bazzi) hhhhhhhhhhhhh Swaythling Club members in action at the 2023 European Veteran Championships in Sandefjord, Norway on Monday 26th June. Women's Singles 65 Years: Claude Bergeret (France) v Yolanda Garcia (ESP) - the match played on table 77, in 1977 Claude Bergeret won the mixed doubles title at the World Championships (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Women's Singles 75 Years, Gizella Zacher (Hungary) faces Roswitha Wiencke (Germany) (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles 80 Years, Svetoslav Gerdjikov (Bulgaria) opposes Ole Kristiansson (Norway) (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles 65 Years, Pal Guttormsen (Norway) plays Philippe Guiheu (France) (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles 70 Years: Jochen Leiss (Germany) opposes Michael Belfield (England) (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Women’s Singles 60 Years: Mette Knudsen (Norway)
Diane Schöler (1933 – 2023)
Diane Schöler at the 2019 Swaythling Club Annual General Meeting (Photo: Richard Kalocsai) It is with great sadness that the passing of Diane Schöler is announced; diagnosed with pancreatic cancer some 14 months ago, she died on Monday 19th June. Honorary President of the Swaythling Club International, recently on Friday 14th April, she had celebrated her 90th birthday, at the time the oldest living world champion. Claude Bergeret, the current President of the Swaythling Club International, likewise a World champion, held Diane Schöler in great esteem. “I am extremely saddened by the news; everyone looked up to Diane whether as a player or an administrator. Always, she set the perfect example and delighted in presenting the Richard Bergmann Fair Play Trophy alongside her husband,
Ping Pong Diplomacy Remembered
Alan Hydes, Bi Haibo and Harvey Webb at the meeting in London (Photo: Swaythling Club) In 2021 the Chinese Embassy in London planned a celebration to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the historic visit to China by England’s table tennis team. The Covid pandemic meant that the celebration was postponed. Now, some two years later the occasion has been remembered. Alan Hydes, one of the original England team members, was invited to the Embassy to meet Bi Haibo, Minister Counsellor, and Wang Ping, Press and Public Affairs Attaché. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons other members of the 1971 England Team were unavailable for the gathering but Alan accompanied by Harvey Webb, representing the Swaythling Club International, attended. The meeting was most convivial, Bi Haibo