by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Notable participants were the East China University of Science and Technology Table Tennis Club and the Ouyu Sport Club Zhongshan China Wu Bin. It was an ideal opportunity for local players to test their skills against those of a higher level.
Overall, the East China University emerged as the most successful club on duty; in the final order of merit, they finished ahead of Germany’s Braunschweig Club with Poland’s Lubuske in third place. Next in line came Betuws Glorie from the Netherlands, followed by the Belgium clubs of Namur and Limburg-Kempen.
Notably Lu Xinyi and Xu Yuhan, both from the East China University Club, secured the respective Junior Girls’ Singles and Cadet Girls’ Singles titles in competition that witnessed events for players of a vast range of standards.
Success China and it was the same in the Junior Boys’ Singles event where Geng Shichun, a defensive player with a lethal forehand topspin, emerged victorious. At the final hurdle he beat Belgium’s Louis Laffineur, a young man who had impressed. Earlier he had beat East China University opponents Wang Yun and Zhang Yu en route to the final.
Three titles for China; however there was one for Europe. Switzerland’s Pelz Pekka from Neuheusen won the Cadet Boys’ Singles title.
Impressively at the semi-final stage, he accounted for Pim van Schaik of the Netherlands, before preventing a clean sweep of titles by East China University; in the final he accounted for Xu Renui.
A memorable experience in Hassalt
25th International Youth Cup: Roll of Honour