Basingstoke win their twinning tournament (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Basingstoke win their twinning tournament

1:00pm Wednesday 16th June 2010 in

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BASINGSTOKE Table Tennis welcomed the Alencon Table tennis Club L’Etoile Alenconaisse for the 42nd year of a sporting twinning with the club representing Basingstoke’s French twin town.

The exchange is in the legacy of the Festival of Sports that was in its heyday throughout the 1970s and 80s.

In 1978 the French sent over 180 sportsmen and women and in 1983 nearly 300 competitors ventured over to Alencon in a competition covering 13 events.

The two Table Tennis teams from Alencon arrived to a champagne welcome ready to compete against Basingstoke.

The home teams winning both matches with the A team enjoying a 7-3 victory and the B team winning 10-0.

Basingstoke’s Alan Palaczky had a nail-biting crucial third set against Arnaud Riviere winning 19-17 before the Frenchman hit back only for Palaczky to take the decider. Despite the win the star of the match was Jeremy, the Alencon club player ranked number five in his club, won both his singles matches including a straight sets win over Basingstoke Open champion Sean Pickin.

Jeremy did not have it all his own way with Palaczky and Pickin winning the doubles in a five set thriller.

Exchange debutant, Tony Amies enjoyed an unbeaten display and young Louis Webb recorded a notable win over the experienced Phillipe Devaux The B team represented by Steve Armstrong, Sarah Whithorn, Celia Hooker and Terri Allison were taken to three times to five sets by the French opposition fighting to avoid the whitewash. Laurent Gautier came close against Allison.

Alencon’s visit was not all about defeat as they beat Basingstoke in an Archery competition courtesy of the Overton Blacks Arrows.

The French team also beat their hosts in an outdoor lawn bowls competition in Arundel. Basingstoke now look forward to travelling to Alencon in May 2011 to continue the sporting exchange and maintain the friendship.