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Red Cliffs Doubles:
Even though we play at Irymple; Red Cliffs is seen as the spiritual home of Sunraysia Table Tennis. This year’s Red Cliffs doubles saw 24 entrants in this competition – this was down from 44 the previous year. Each player during the evening contests 8 matches with their partners being decided by a random draw. This is a great way of meeting players from different grades and is seen as a fun evening – although one or two may have been taking things a little too seriously. I would like to welcome STTA Life Member David Leng to present the winners with their trophies.
Pennant 4.
Three-way tie: With three wins each are: Maria Starikov, Jenny Leach and Curtis Crabtree.
Pennant 3.
Ryan Peterson with a very impressive six wins from eight matches.
Pennant 2.
Two-way tie: With six wins each are: Quentin Clark (2016 P3 winner) and Josh Arnold
Pennant 1.
Paul Kealley with seven out of eight wins (previous win in 2022 in P2)
We would like to thank STTA Life Member Christine Carmichael for her efforts in producing the draw and collating the results on the evening. Well done, Chris.
Marilyn Brastrup Perpetual Trophy
Since 1998 the Marilyn Brastrup award is presented to the most improved female player. Marilyn was a player in our association who was unfortunately dealt a cruel health diagnosis at a relatively young age. Marilyn fought a brave fight but unfortunately passed away. In her memory an outstanding female player is selected each year by the Committee to receive this award. Some of these past winners of this award include Denise Henderson, Kim Hawkes, Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Bernadette Fitzpatrick 3 times, Claire Ljubic, Therese Fitzpatrick, Lee Leeson twice and last year’s winner Marita Grace.
Winner: Kate Carmichael
Doubles Aggregate
Doubles are seen as an essential ingredient to any team success. This year it took on even more significance with the running of a round (7) just dedicated to doubles for premiership points. Well done to Peter Fitzpatrick for the great concept of this round.
Pennant 4:
Runners Up: Curtis Crabtree and Raj Gujral with 8 wins (62%)
Winners: Tom Gilmour and Deegan Kerslake with 11 wins (79%)
Pennant 3:
This pennant saw an incredible 46 different doubles pairings over the season. This is incredible given there were only 5 teams in this pennant!
Runners Up: James Jarvis and Nhat Dat with 7 wins (78%)
Winners: Undefeated 10 from 10 (100%). Well done to Ryan Peterson and Karly Leach.
Pennant 2:
This result didn’t seem possible at the start of the season. A change in team structure has led to an unbelievable result.
Runners Up: Ash Morrison had a great doubles campaign teaming with both Rasin Bhuiyan and David Sergi for seven wins each at 64%.
Winners: However, this was not enough for the win as in round 8 Tom Morrison and Marcus Cimino forged a strong partnership and peeled off 8 wins in the remaining 9 rounds at (89%) to take this out.
Pennant 1:
Runners Up: Jackson Tung and Lee Leeson won 9 matches at 64% but the official runners up with 9 wins at 69% were Joel Thomas and Daniel Jansen.
Winners: Joel Thomas and Liam Wood with 13 wins at 87%.
Super 8’s
Super 8’s is the brainchild of Sony Sefer where the top 8 ranked players from each pennant play a double knockout tournament the Monday evening before finals start on the Wednesday. This is an ideal opportunity for participants to tune up their game in readiness for the pressure of finals. Winners will receive a playing shirt with their name on the back. Only those who have won the triple threat – Aggregate winner, Super 8’s Champion and Grand Final Winner will proudly wear their shirt with their name forever etched in gold.
2023 Summer Shirts were presented first and then the following awards for 2024 Winter.
Pennant 4: R/U Curtis Crabtree
Pennant 3: R/U James Jarvis
Pennant 2: R/U Tom Morrison
Pennant 1: R/U Jackson Tung
Pennant 4 Winner: Tom Gilmour – please ask Tom about his preparation for super 8’s.
Pennant 3 Winner: Ryan Peterson
Pennant 2 Winner: Jamie Kealley
Pennant 1 Winner: Joel Thomas in a tight five setter. Joel joins his mother Lee as the proud owner of a gold shirt. Well done, Joel.
Thank you to Liam Wood who assisted with running this event.
Singles Aggregate
The singles aggregate is awarded to the best performed number 1,2 and 3 players in a pennant. I would like to call forward a player who is no stranger to winning an aggregate – STTA Life Member Wayne Carmichael.
Number 3 player awards.
P4: Raj Gujral (19)
P3: Samantha Cambell (16)
P2: John Fitzpatrick (25)
P1: Paul Kealley(21)
Number 2 player awards.
P4: Deegan Kerslake (35)
P3: Karly Leach (21)
P2: Marcus Cimino (31)
P1: Rohan Reimers (22)
Number 1 player awards.
P4: Maria Starikov (37) wins (From Deegan Kerslake 35)
P3: James Jarvis (34) (Ryan Peterson 27)
P2: Tom Morrison (35) (Jason Gifkins 32)
The recipient of the Pennant One Aggregate will have their names etched on the late Life Member Trevor Gebert Pennant One Singles Aggregate Shield. Trevor was a long time President and played a huge role in building this club into what it is today. Wayne Carmichael has his name on this shield an incredible 23 times.
P1: Joel Thomas (45) (Kate Carmichael 38) (This is Joel’s 9th Aggregate Win)
Densie Henderson Best Club Person Award
Denise was an integral part of Sunraysia Table Tennis over 25 years. She played many roles in our club over the years. Denise started out as an enthusiastic table tennis player and was the first female player to win a pennant one flag. Her involvement in the club grew quickly and was an important member when it came to getting ‘your night’ at table tennis off to a smooth start. Denise was always to first to greet players at the door as she collected ball fees and then the familiar cry, “Dollar a ball – Dollar a ball” was to bring to one’s attention to a purchase in the nightly raffle. Little did most realise that her duties had started much earlier in the night as she would also organise the chocolates and drinks for purchase. The money raised from the sale of these items going into the junior development fund. Denise had a heavy involvement with Junior Table Tennis and would be out every Monday night collecting money, helping organise players and encouraging players and parents in the sport that she loved. Denise always wanted every player to have a great night out whether you had won or lost. If it wasn’t right, then she would tell you – “Where Is Your Playing Shirt Tonight?” would be a question you could expect if you were not as well organised as you should have been. Denise was always at her best when organising people and was the unofficial Queen of the Mildura Bunnings Barbeque. These barbeque appearances raising much needed funds for our club.
Denise was awarded life membership in 2017 for her outstanding contribution to the Sunraysia Table Tennis Association. In addition to her dedication to our club Denise also did a power of volunteer work for the broader Sunraysia Community. Again, Denise’s efforts did not go unnoticed and was awarded Life Membership of the Sun Assist organisation. Denise hated being in the spotlight and was never one to look for personal reward or acknowledgement – she was always the ultimate team player. Denise passed away too soon but we are all the richer for knowing her and what a profound contribution an individual can make.
I would like to call forward Chris Carmichael to present the Denise Henderson Best Club Person award for 2024.
Recipient: Mark Ljubic
P4: Wayne and Chris Carmichael Perpetual Shield
Dunkley Scales V Weightmans Packaging
There was high drama in this match with the first match going all the way with Deegan out-lasting Raj in a thrilling five setter 12-10 in the last to get Dunkley’s off to the perfect start. Weightman’s captain Curtis played well in winning two singles but it was Deegan’s night winning his three singles and teaming with his Captain Tom in the doubles that sealed the deal. Even though the odds were against him an injured Gary Leech tried his best in the 10th game of the evening, but it would be Dunkley’s Scales night 6 – 4 (21-17)
Runners Up: Weightman’s Packaging
Curtis Crabtree, Gary Leach and Raj Gujral
Winners: Dunkley Scales
Tom Gilmour, Deegan Kerslake and Andrew Jeffries (filling in for Selma Mayne)
P3: KJ Dorman Perpetual Shield (Mark and Sue Dorman)
Weightman’s Kobe Grace continued his red-hot form and along with Ryan Peterson proved too strong for Sammy’s Slammers. Early in the evening the Slammers held a 2-1 lead however it was their inability to win a doubles match that proved decisive in this one. Slammer’s Captain James Jarvis tried every tactic in the book by placing himself to play the last match of the evening. Unfortunately, the match didn’t go that far and Weightman’s were victorious 6-3 (24-14)
Runners Up: Sammy’s Slammers
James Jarvis, Nhat Dat and Hayden Wilson
Winners: Weightmans Packaging
Ryan Peterson, Karly Leach, Kobe Grace
Karly’s last premiership was in 2012. Her teammates were Emily Carmichael and Matt Ljubic.
P2: W. Rowe Perpetual Shield. Bill Rowe was our first Life Member Inducted in our club.
What a final. The first three singles matches of the evening were upsets and the rest of the night just kept on producing surprises. With the match slipping away from Choices Flooring (4-1) down it was Harry Gujral who produced a stirring fightback against Marcus Cimino to clinch a pulsating five set win to keep his team in the hunt. His Captain Jason Gifkins was so impressed with this win he exclaimed that “We’re going to win this thing!” And with this the momentum had clearly shifted as Jason and Harry went on to win their next match in the doubles and then Jason defeated Tom is straight sets to take the ascendency 5-4. Next up was Marcus and Kevin. Both players had their opportunities, but it would be Marcus that took his in the fifth set to send this match to the decider. The last match of the evening featured long rallies with neither Josh nor Harry giving an inch (which ironically is the way Bill Rowe played the game). Josh took the lead two sets to love but Harry wasn’t done yet and saved match point in the third set to take this to a
fourth set. Harry started attacking and Josh was wilting under this attack as Harry took the fourth and was leading 7-1 in the decider. Well before you knew it Josh hit a few good attacking shots and the score levelled up at 7 all. Then it was point for point with both players saving multiple match points (8 saved from Harry in total and 4 from Josh). The result – a last gasp 17-15 win to Josh in a classic final.
Runners Up: Choices Flooring Mildura
Jason Gifkins, Kevin Johns and Harry Gujral
Winners:
Tom Morrison, Marcus Cimino and Josh Arnold (Tom Morrison back-to-back)
P1: The Red Cliffs Shield – Presented by David Leng (12 times winner)
Doubles was always going to be pivotal in this final and so it proved. In the first game of the evening Leon Brown survived a scare from Daniel Jansen to get out of jail to win 11-7 in the fifth to get Choices Flooring off to a fast start. When Wayne Carmichael defeated Liam Wood in a tough five setter Choices were in the box seat leading 2-1. The first doubles was a cracker with some great rallies in which Joel and Liam won 12-10 in the fifth to level up the match. From there the only way back for Choices was to win the second doubles. This too was a great contest with Joel and Daniel winning 16-14 in the fourth set. With the match score now at 5-3 Wayne would have to beat Joel to keep the match alive. Joel took the first two sets comfortably and looked set to do the same in the third before a stirring comeback from Wayne pinched the third 12-10 and it was game on. The fourth set had many highlights with quality rallies from two of the best in the business, but it would be Joel who would prevail. Mallee Bearings deserved winners 6-3 (22-14).
Runners Up: Choices Flooring Mildura
Wayne Carmichael, Leon Brown, Ed Hung
Winners: Mallee Bearings
Joel Thomas (win 5 – first since 2018), Liam Wood and Daniel Jansen.
