Fun was the name of the game in back-and-forth action Saturday at CNC.
And there was some seriousness too, with the training of officials for the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
An informal table tennis tournament had everyone raising their racquets and going for the lines in a Winter Games test event.
"This was a celebration of table tennis," said organizer Wayne Yule, who serves on the sport organizing committee for the 2015 Games. "This was useful as a test tournament to see how organized we were and to train minor officials. It went very well."
Four competition tables, including two that will be used at the 2015 Games, were in play.
Eighteen people of all ages and abilities competed in the tournament and 17 volunteer minor officials were trained. The minor officials will assist the major officials during the 2015 Games in February.
Held at the Duchess Park gym, the Games tournament will feature under-18 players from every province and territory competing in singles, doubles, mixed doubles and a team event on 12 tables.
In competition, the first athlete to 11 points wins the game in a best-of-five-series.
The attraction?
"It's played inside," said Yule, adding the venue at Duchess Park will be only five minutes away from the athletes' village downtown. "It's a very fast game. It's the kind of competition that's never been seen before. It's very athletic. The training is just as intense. Table tennis is the number two sport in the world behind soccer. You can play at a beginner level and not have a lot of training, or at the Olympic level and have a lot of training."
Yule, who teaches English at Kelly Road secondary, has held drop-in table tennis sessions at lunchtime every day for years.
And he's launching a table tennis club where novice and experienced players can learn the game every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at KRSS.
The club will have eight competition tables and four practice tables.
For info, email Brad Turner, 2015tabletennismor@gmail.com.
Yule said more minor officials are welcome to volunteer at the 2015 Games. They can receive their training at the club.
For info, email Yule at 2015tabletennissl@gmail.com.
