Dawn of a new table tennis season in South Devon

The new South Devon and Torbay Table Tennis League, sponsored by Albany Florists, gets underway next week with an additional three teams from last season, now with 35 teams competing in four divisions.

Division One again has eight teams, while Divisions Two, Three and Four now feature nine teams.

In the First Division, NA Buzzards, champions last time out, are unchanged and will be the team to beat, their likely challengers coming from within the Newton Abbot club.

The new look NA Batmen and a strengthened NA Eagles are both possible contenders. With Torbay Academy 1 not entering this season, it will be down to Brixham, with two teams, the Sharks and the Trawlers, and Halwell A to try and prevent the Newton Abbot club from taking the title again. Two other Newton Abbot sides, NA Condors and NA Owls, complete the mix in the top division.

Division Two looks more open this time around. Dawlish Aces, who just missed out on the title last season, will be there or thereabouts again, Halwell B look strong, as do the Brixham Pirates and Grove Guerrillas, who will surely do better this time around.

Torbay Academy 2 and Division Three champions last season, Taverners, along with Newton Abbot’s three teams in this Division, NA Raptors, NA Falcons and NA Ravens will all be hoping to make their mark.

Torre Vikings, who only just missed out on promotion last season, will be the favourites in the Third Division, their closest challenge could well come from Brixham Gulls. Torbay Academy 3, 4 and 5 all feature here, as do three Newton Abbot sides NA Kestrels, NA Kites and NA Harriers. Dawlish Renegades complete the teams competing in the third division.

The Fourth Division is again split in half with a good number of players/teams with folk new to league table tennis, alongside a number of very experienced older players. The champions could well come from the youngsters that make up Torbay Academy 6 or the Torre Spartans and Grove Tigers who both have a mixture of new blood and experience.

The three Newton Abbot teams will be hoping to make an impact, the experienced NA Merlins and NA Ospreys towards the top of the table, while NA Vultures, with a team of newcomers, will be looking to win the odd match! Brixham Seals, Dawlish Delinquents and Torbay Academy 7, all with new players involved, will want to establish themselves in the League.

So another excellent league season is anticipated. Alongside the league matches, there will also be the team singles and team doubles handicap cup competitions. The League’s Early Season Tournament is again taking place at the Torbay Leisure Centre on Sunday, November 3

Looking well ahead, the Closed Tournament is scheduled for Sunday, April 20, also at the Torbay Leisure Centre.

If anyone is interested in getting involved in the local table tennis scene, please check out the League’s website, where you can find details of the clubs in the area who would give you a warm welcome. www.tabletennis365.com/SouthDevonAndTorbay