World-class desk tennis will arrive in Manchester when England levels its first ever WTT occasion from 1 – 4 February 2024.
The WTT Feeder Collection occasion will probably be held on the Nationwide Biking Centre (inset in above photograph) in a partnership with Manchester Metropolis Council which represents a major step in the direction of England as soon as once more turning into an everyday host of worldwide occasions.
The information follows scorching on the heels of London being awarded the centenary World Group Championships to be staged on the OVO Area, Wembley in 2026.
Adrian Christy, Chief Govt at Desk Tennis England, stated: “We’re thrilled, and really excited, that Desk Tennis England is taking its first steps to internet hosting a WTT occasion and we’re delighted to have acquired such power and enthusiasm from our companions at Manchester Metropolis Council.
“WTT Feeder Manchester is greater than our entry into the worldwide calendar – it supplies the platform from which we are going to construct our long-term technique of staging annual world-class desk tennis on this nation, enabling us to extend the visibility of desk tennis to the hundreds of thousands of people that play our great sport in England and the world over.
“WTT Feeder Manchester may even be the catalyst for social influence because the occasion will facilitate the chance for extra individuals, from each group, to play and get entangled in desk tennis – in faculties, group programmes, golf equipment, native leagues and competitions – whether or not that be as gamers, coaches or by way of volunteering.
We’re extremely excited and stay up for welcoming the desk tennis group to the Manchester Velodrome early in 2024.”
Councillor John Hacking, Govt Member for Abilities, Employment and Leisure, Manchester Metropolis Council stated: “Right here in Manchester we’ve a wealthy historical past supporting sports activities and internet hosting giant sporting occasions. We’re a globally recognised metropolis of sport and can’t wait to increase that welcome to the easiest younger gifted desk tennis gamers subsequent yr.
“We’re obsessed with making sport extra accessible to our residents and hope that by internet hosting the desk tennis championships extra individuals of all ages and talents will be inspired to attend the occasion and check out desk tennis.”
The WTT Feeder Collection launched in 2022 to create a enjoying floor for future WTT Stars has seen greater than 40 totally different males’s and ladies’s singles Champions.
Jonny Cowan, WTT Common Supervisor Europe, stated: “Manchester is a globally recognised metropolis for sport and we’ve all the time had optimistic discussions with authorities round desk tennis and the way it can join with native communities.
“It has been a pleasure for the workforce to form WTT Feeder Manchester with Adrian Christy, Desk Tennis England CEO, in addition to Yarv Abbas and Chris Fitzgerald in Manchester.
“We stay up for beginning the WTT journey in England as a part of a wider occasion technique that can present an incredible platform to develop desk tennis from grassroots to elite stage.”
Particulars about tickets, dwell streaming, volunteering and far more will probably be introduced within the coming weeks – keep watch over our web site and social media channels!
ITTF Group CEO Steve Dainton visited the Desk Tennis England places of work on Thursday and had this to say concerning the WTT Feeder Manchester:
Concerning the WTT Feeder Collection
The WTT Feeder Collection is the enjoying floor for future WTT stars. Performed throughout all continents, the WTT Feeder collection supplies the stepping-stone into the skilled collection of desk tennis for gamers, permits youth gamers to proceed their enjoying pathway, or gamers restarting their careers to return.
Gamers throughout this collection compete for priceless rankings factors and prizemoney as they hone their abilities and expertise towards their international friends. Catch year-round WTT Feeder Collection motion through WTT YouTube channel or at worldtabletennis.com
England as a number nation
England was an everyday host of occasions on the worldwide circuit within the twentieth century and an English Open featured on the calendar from 1922 virtually yearly of peacetime till 1980, when Des Douglas and Jill Parker received the lads’s and ladies’s singles titles for the hosts.
England was nonetheless an everyday on the circuit by way of the Eighties and 90s, however solely three English Opens have been held this century, in 2001, 2009 and 2011.
Other than the Group World Cup in London in 2018 and two occasions both aspect of the London Olympics (the Grand Finals in London in 2011 and the Males’s World Cup in Liverpool in 2012), that 2011 Open was the final time England hosted an ITTF or WTT occasion.
