Secretary of the Swiss branch of the Swaythling Club International and Honorary Life Member of the Swiss Table Tennis Federation, Anton Lehman passed away on Sunday 3rd September. Born on Friday 15th March 1946, he was 77 years only, one year earlier he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Alongside his younger brother, Walter, who died several years ago, and his sister Vreni, table tennis started at Elite Berne, the same club as where Reto Bazzi, Deputy President of the Swaythling Club, began his career in 1972. Anton competed in the highest league in Switzerland, Vreni progressed to represent the national team. However, there was much more to Anton than being a high-class player. He gained the highest Swiss coaching diploma, became the first
Year: 2023
Zdenko Kríž elected ITTF Honorary Life Member
Slovakia's Zdenko Kríž, a member of the Swaythling Club International Executive Committee, was elected Honorary Life Member of the International Table Tennis Federation at the ITTF Board of Directors meeting in Bangkok on Wednesday 23rd August. The commendation recognises long-term service to the sport of table tennis both nationally and locally. Honorary President of the Slovak Table Tennis Association President of the Slovak Table Tennis Association for 38 years Elected President of the Slovak Table Tennis Association 13 times Guided table tennis to become the second most popular sport in Slovakia Member of the ITTF Board of Directors for 18 years Member of the ITTF Media Committee for 10 years Chair of the ETTU Veteran Committee for 23 years Attended 28 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Attended 10 Olympic Games Received
Guest Places Increased, Now Ten Available in Rome
Ten guest places now offered at World Masters' Championships 2024 Thanks to the generous efforts of the International Table Tennis Federation in co-operation with the Italian Table Tennis Federation, the number of guest places for members of the Swaythling Club International has been increased. Ten places are now available. Staged in Rome from Saturday 6th to Sunday 14th July, the package includes hotel accommodation, meals, local transport, collection and return to the local airport or relevant point of arrival. All players are responsible for their own transport to Rome and for entry fees. A large entry is anticipated in Rome, the guest player places will be in high demand. Deadline: Applications must be received before Friday 1st September 2023. Contact: Harvey Webb, Swaythling Club International Secretary. Email: harveywebb17@gmail.com .
Six guest places offered at World Masters’ Championships
The International Table Tennis Federation in conjunction with the Italian Table Tennis Federation and the Local Organising Committee kindly offer six guest player places for Swaythling Club members at the World Masters’ Championships 2024. Staged in Rome from Saturday 6th to Sunday 14th July, the package includes hotel accommodation, meals, local transport, collection and return to the local airport or relevant point of arrival. All players are responsible for their own transport to Rome and for entry fees. Notably, the tournament follows a successful European Veteran Championships in Norway. A large entry is anticipated in Rome, the guest player places will be in high demand. Deadline: Applications must be received before Friday 1st September 2023. Contact: Harvey Webb, Swaythling Club International Secretary. Email: harveywebb17@gmail.com https://youtu.be/dE5U2So7PRw
ITTF United States Para Open 2023
Will Bayley, the good form continues (Photo: Alber Pacheo) Title favourites dominated at the ITTF Para United States Open, play concluding in the factor 20 tournament after three days of action on Wednesday 5th July. The player to set the standard was Great Britain’s Will Bayley in men's singles class 7, he won his sixth consecutive title. ITTF-United-States-Para-Open-2023Download United States Para Open 2023 - Full Results
2023 European Veteran Championships – Saturday 1st July
Zdenko Kriz and Reto Bazzi, members of the Swaythling Club International Executive Committee, were members of the presentation party (Photo: Organising Committee) n Play at the 2023 European Veteran Championships concluded on Saturday 1st July after six days of action. h Swaythling Club International Medallists at 2023 European Veteran Championships m Men's Singles 75 Years: (left to right): Niels Ramberg, Wilfried Lieck, Niels Poulson (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Two titles for Jing Tian-Zörner (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Doubles 85 Years: Keith Powell and Hans Westling alongside Peter Achenbach and Clement Vanstraelan (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles 60 Years: Tadeusz Piotrowski, Lars Hauth, Giovanni Bisi and Matthias Bluhm (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Women's Singles 70 Years Suzanne Pedersen (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Two titles for Thierry Miller (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Women's Singles 65 Years: Petra Rubin,
2023 European Veteran Championships – Friday 30th June
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:
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