This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones

Diogo Chen from Portugal on his way to first place in the Guernsey Mini Champs Challenge. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0537508)

DEREK WEBB wants to make the EuroKids Training Camp and Guernsey Mini Champs Challenge an annual event.

For the first time last week the Guernsey Table Tennis Centre hosted the training camp for the best under-13 players from around Europe.

Then, at the end of the camp, the inaugural Guernsey Mini Champs Challenge took place.

Both events have been hailed as a great success, so much so that Guernsey Table Tennis Association president Webb wants to do it all again in 2009.

If the GTTA cannot secure the EuroKids, they will look to organise their own training camp.

‘We’re definitely running the Mini Champs next year and what I’d like to do is have a training camp in Guernsey every year,’ he said.

‘The feedback that I’ve had is that people loved the week. All the people who came over for the EuroKids said it was the best they’ve ever been to.’

A total of 28 junior players from 13 different countries attended the camp.

It usually takes place two or three times a year at a different location in the continent.

Top international junior coach Jarek Kolodziejcjk ran the Guernsey camp.

The Pole is based in Austria as one of their national coaches.

‘The camp went very, very well,’ said Guernsey development coach Becks O’Keefe, who along with the other countries’ coaches assisted Kolodziejcjk during the week.

‘The kids responded to the coach very well. He’s got so much control over them.

‘All the kids wanted to learn and all the kids benefited in one way or another.’

After the camp had run from Sunday to Thursday, the challenge took place.

The top girl was Israel’s Nicole Trussman while Diogo Chen of Portugal was crowned the top boy.

The leading Guernsey player in the girls’ competition was Laura Harm, who finished ninth while Kate Stubbington came 10th and Rachel Harm 13th.

In the boys, the top Sarnian was Joshua Stacey in 22nd spot while Lawrence Stacey, Luke Le Tissier and Joshua Butler came 28th, 29th and 30th respectively in a very strong field.

‘I think our children have benefited greatly from playing against players from other countries,’ said O’Keefe.

‘They have improved their game by about five points now.’