Sunderland and District Table Tennis Club have, for the second year in succession, qualified for the final of a national competition following their series of victories at the Northfield School TTC Billingham.

Their success was coming second out of eight teams playing in the Northern Regional Final of the ETTA Schildkrot National Cadet League, with the other teams coming from Ormesby (Middlesbrough) A, B and C, Northfield A, B and C and Northumbria which is open to players under the age of 14.

The other regional finals took place as far apart as, Widnes, Enfield, Milton Keynes, Halifax, Barking/Dagenham, Litchfield, Southwark and Brent, and consists of each team playing the other towns in their group twice over the three days this competition takes place throughout the season.

In the case of Sunderland they therefore played 14 matches in this stage of the competition, and now proceed to a central location (probably Nottingham), where all the qualifiers will play in further groups before the final part that develops into a pure knockout competition.

The young Sunderland team consisted of Anthony Barella (Redby CA), Christopher Dixon (St John TTC), and Philip Dixon (St John TTC), and the side have consistently improved throughout the season, and had an excellent day playing five and winning all five matches to finish second behind the good Ormesby 'B' side. The

Individual results: Sunderland 6 Northumbria 0; Sunderland 6 Ormesby C 0; Sunderland 6 Northfield 'B' 0; Sunderland 4 Ormesby 'A' 2 (Anthony and Chris each lost one set); Sunderland 6 Northfield 'C' 0.

Philip therefore won ten out of ten and both Chris and Anthony nine out of ten. All of these players because they are so relatively young, each will qualify as a cadet for a minimum two further seasons and possibly longer as the qualifying date is likely to change for next season.

Individual Handicap

After two years when David Robson (Silksworth CC 'B') has been unbeatable in this competition finally came to an end when Philip Dixon (St John TTC 'C') (plus 16) beat David Robson (scratch). 21/6, 21/12, 21/4.

Annual General Meetings

The Sunderland and District Table Tennis Club will hold their meeting at St John House 12, Grange Crescent starting at 7pm on Monday, May 13, to receive the Management and Financial Reports for the year and the election of officers etc.

The Sunderland and District Table Tennis Association will also hold their meeting at approximately 7.30pm at the same venue and date and will follow on as soon as the Club meeting has completed their business. Again there will be the usual reports from the various officers and the election of officers etc for the 2002/2003 season.

Amongst a number of proposed rule changes (all of which will require the usual two thirds majority) is the very important decision on whether we continue playing 21 up best of three games, or change to the current 11 up best of five games format as used in ETTA and county competitions. This is likely to develop into a healthy debate so all players officials and supporters as usual are welcome to take part.