Angers’ president Gérard SARAZIN comments TTCLM quarter-finals draw It is not usual case having both sides satisfied after one draw but recent 2018/19 TTCLM quarter-final draw saw both Angers and Walter Wels in that mood. These two teams will play their first leg in Austria on January 25th (19:30 CET) while the second one is scheduled for February 8th (19:30 CET). They are happy to get a chance to play one against another. “I think this is a good draw for the both teams! I really believe it is 50/50. We didn’t want to play against Pontoise because it is a French team. So all is possible and we were very happy to finish first in group stage (first time in TTCLM). Our goal is to reach the TTCLM semi-final with the necessity to make a good result in Austria and provide a good atmosphere for our people in the second leg” stated Gérard SARAZIN president of Vaillante Sports Angers.
Bogoria is looking forward to playing against Borussia
“After TTCLM draw ceremony many our fans were happy to be able see Timo BOLL live” stated team manager of Poland’s club Dominik WIECZOREK Poland’s club Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki is looking forward to having another TTCLM showdown against 11-time champion Borussia Dusseldorf. Recent draw for the 2018/19 quarter-final put them on the same table again and first leg is scheduled for January 24th in Poland. “Borussia Dusseldorf is always tough opponent it’s probably the most titled team in the 21st century” stated Bogoria’s team manager Dominik WIECZOREK. “From the other side we are really glad that Timo BOLL again back to our hall. After draw ceremony many our fans were happy to be able see Timo BOLL live. Very import will be first match in Grodzisk Mazowiecki if we win in our hall everything will be possible.” Regarding his team’s goals in the 2019 WIECZOREK emphasized the following: “In the coming year main goal will be victory in Polish LOTTO Superliga. We also want to be still present in European Cups. Promotion to the quarter-finals of the Champions League is a big success of our club but in every season we want to be in the best eight clubs in Europe.”
MIKESKA: We aren’t without chance!
Hodonin’s coach believes that the ECLW quarter-finals against Berlin can be very close matches Czech Republic’s club SKST Hodonín – STAVOIMPEX is looking forward to its very first ECLW quarter-finals against four-time champion TTC Berlin Eastside from Germany. Hodonin finished second in Group D with 3-1 win-loss record being tied in points with two-time ECLW runner-up KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg actual no. 2 seed. “At this stage of the competition it is hard to choose a team to play against especially if you go from the second place and there are 4 very strong teams that won the group in the first stage” stated Hodonin’s coach Jaroslav MIKESKA. “We play against Berlin who has in their team four top European players so of course they are big favourite in the quarterfinals to go through. But we will do our best and I think that we aren’t without chance and it can be very close matches.” Regarding his club’s goals in the 2019 MIKESKA stated: “It is the first time for our club to go through to the quarterfinals of Champions League so it is the biggest success for our club in the history. Everything more would be just a bonus for us.” First quarter-final leg will be held on January 25th while the second one is scheduled on February 8-10th.
Bidding Process Open for Seamaster 2019 & 2020 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals & ITTF Star Awards
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has opened bids for the Seamaster 2019 & 2020 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals as well as the ITTF Star Awards in both years. ITTF WORLD TOUR GRAND FINALS The ITTF World Tour Grand Finals is year-ending finale of the ITTF World Tour the highest-level professional table tennis tour where world class athletes compete in 12 stops (6 Regular & 6 Platinum events) around the world to be the top 16 in Singles & top 8 Doubles pairs to qualify for the million-dollar event (along with the host representative in each event as defined in the qualification criteria for each). 4 Mixed Doubles pairs from the 2019 World Tour Grand Finals will also qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Mixed Doubles event with a maximum of one pair per National Olympic Committee (NOC) adding extra media interest. The recently concluded Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in Incheon Korea was watched live by 15 000 spectators at the Namdong Gymnasium and saw record-breaking viewership being broadcasted in 120 countries with close to 250 hours of air time across the globe. The Grand Finals was also seen by 68.3 million unique TV viewers in China alone with another 30 million from other parts of the world tuning into the action. BIG BENEFITS FOR ITTF WORLD TOUR GRAND FINALS HOST The ITTF World Tour Grand Finals has consistently been a great avenue for countries and cities to gain global reach promotion and recognition: Best athletes best venue best competition Exciting new sport presentation High level of marketing & promotion 1 million USD prize money Extensive prime time broadcast in key territories such as China Japan and throughout Europe on Eurosport Over 120 broadcast countries Over 227 broadcast hours 100 million TV viewers Over 2.8 million ITTF social media followers globally 7 million Facebook impressions 3 million Instagram impressions Over 19.7 million Weibo impressions in China 500 000 unique viewers on ITTF’s online streaming platform itTV Over 1 million views on ITTF’s Youtube channel 2019 & 2020 will mark the 23rd and 24th anniversaries respectively of the ITTF World Tour previously known as the Pro Tour To become a part of the world’s biggest table tennis tour go to ITTFWorldTour.com to find out more information and submit your bid now! ITTF STAR AWARDS The “Oscars of Table Tennis” the ITTF Star Awards is the highly anticipated annual Awards Night and Gala Dinner for the world of Table Tennis representing the most prestigious individual prizes for the sport’s standout stars. Inaugurated in 2013 the ITTF Star Awards will be in its seventh year in 2019 guaranteeing a grand celebration of the best players’ and coaches’ international achievements in 2019 as well as their popularity among table tennis fans and enthusiasts around the world. The evening of glitz and glamour at the Incheon 2018 ITTF Star Awards this December was watched live by over 1 million fans across all ITTF social media platforms reaching over 50.9 million impressions. With the 2019 & 2020 editions promising to be bigger and better than ever make sure that you’re a part of it all by submitting your bid!
Linz AG Froschberg determined to continue winning streak against Metz TT
President of Austrian club Gunther RENNER comments ECLW quarter-final draw President of Linz AG Froschberg Gunther RENNER believes that his side is able to reach 2018/19 ECLW semi-finals after two games against French club Metz. It will be quarter-final clash (1st leg January 25th in France) between former two-time ECLW winner and actual ETTU Cup Women champion. “We play against Metz for the third time in the ELCW. It has always been exciting games and always with a happy ending for our team. Especially unforgettable was our clash decided by only single point” stated Gunther RENNER giving a big compliments to the French side: “TT Metz is the top European club with a lot of fans who always create a great atmosphere in the hall. Personally I’m looking forward to the great matches between our two teams and a reunion with President Phillipe BORDES in Metz.” Sofia POLCANOVA is the most experienced Linz player in the ECLW in spite of being just 24-year-old. RENNER is sure that his club has a bright future: “We have again a strong but still very young team from whom we expect great things in the future. And this team wants to know how far the journey in the ECLW can go. A good starting position in Metz for the return match in Linz could be crucial to create another success against Metz and continue our path in the ECLW.”
ONSIDE partners consider research results in Lausanne
The 3rd full partner meeting of the ONSIDE project partners took place in Lausanne Switzerland on 15th/16th November 2018 at the headquarters of European Athletics. The main focus of day 1 of the meeting was to consider the results of the research phases of the project. Adequate workforce research is the foundation of a successful skills development project and the partners reviewed the results from the four phases of research which had been carried out since the last meeting. Telephone interviews with nine leading European federations generated useful data and increased the network of federations committed to the ONSIDE project. The group were most looking forward to learning the results of the national sport federation online survey – as all had made significant efforts to promote the survey in their networks. 247 respondents provided responses across 50 sports. The partner countries (France UK Bulgaria Romania Malta and the Netherlands) were very well represented. Results were analysed and discussed under key workforce development themes including recruitment retention skills education and current challenges. At the close of Day 1 delegates took a guided tour of the Olympic museum which was arranged by European Athletics and enjoyed immensely by all. Day two saw delegates debating levels and models of sport officials led by Jan Vlasblom of NOC*NSF and agreeing a structure for the Occupational Descriptor to be produced in the project. Finally an interactive session produced an overall working definition of sport officiating which is the starting point in the production of competency standards. The partners now look forward to the next meeting in Bucharest Romania in March 2019 where they will finalise the first set of outputs. Ben Gittus EOSE Director of Standards said “the partners are working together very well as a team to tackle this challenging skills development project the research phase considered at the meeting has laid a solid foundation as we move in to year 2 of the project”. Julia Lee Director at Sports Officials UK said “The two days have been really illuminating and it has highlighted the passion for sports officiating. 247 people completed the survey which in the time scale is really positive. The input from the partners and information gathered will be really useful to progress to the next stages of the project”. The ONSIDE project is co-funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ Collaborative Partnerships in Sport programme. Full list of project partners: European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE) Sports Officials UK (SOUK) Association Française du Corps Arbitral Multisports (AFCAM) European Handball Federation (EHF) European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) European Athletics SportMalta Dutch Olympic Committee * Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) Romanian Football Federation (FRF) British Wheelchair Basketball National Sports Academy “Vassil Levski”
Strong Statements of Intent from ITTF Executive Committee Meeting
Key decisions have been made during the ITTF Executive Committee’s last meeting of 2018 – held during the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in Incheon Korea – to improve the future of Table Tennis. COMMERCIAL RIGHTS The most significant decision came with approval for setting up a commercial vehicle tasked with managing all of the ITTF’s commercial rights from 2021 onwards. In view of this the Executive Committee endorsed the work done by the ITTF Marketing Department and Deloitte on the 2021 commercial rights tender which will be released at the end of quarter one 2019. ‘HOME OF TABLE TENNIS’ It was decided that the ITTF will release a bid to find the new ‘Home of Table Tennis’ which will house the ITTF Headquarters and the sport’s International Centre of Excellence. The ‘Home of Table Tennis’ will be the centre of all things ITTF with the core of the ITTF’s staff moving there and it will also house all of the ITTF’s High Performance activities. T2 DIAMOND EVENTS The collaboration between the ITTF and T2APAC is also gathering steam with the ITTF Executive Committee approving world ranking points for the three T2 Diamond events in 2019. These events will act as a testing lab for the ITTF to trial innovations and therefore improve the commercial value of the sport. “BIG AND BOLD DECISIONS” ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT stated: “I would like to thank my Executive Committee colleagues for such a fruitful meeting resulting in big and bold decisions which will show the world that we are serious about moving Table Tennis to the next level. These decisions represent a statement of intent from a forward-thinking ITTF and will give us the momentum to achieve our lofty goals outlined in our first ever Strategic Plan approved at the 2018 AGM.” The final ITTF Executive Committee caps off an historic year for the ITTF with the following significant milestones being achieved: First ever Strategic Plan released. ITTF Foundation created. Remarkable Unified Korea teams introduced at the World Championships and ITTF World Tour. Remodelled professional staff structure. Record Marketing income. World Championships expanded for 2021 onwards
Dr. CASL is the team of the year 2018 in the city of Zagreb
Actual ECLW champion proud to get special prize in Croatian capital Actual ECLW champion Dr. CASL has been named as the best team of the year 2018 in the city of Zagreb. The best Croatian table tennis club has announced this news on its official Facebook page: “Dr.Casl is the team of the year 2018 in Zagreb! We are very proud to be among the elite – best athletes not only in Zagreb Croatia but also in the world! Other winners of the awards were Sandra Perkovic Ivan Kvesic Sinkovic brothers GNK Dinamo and many others. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our players coaches and management for this outstanding reward.” Dr. CASL made history in 2018 by winning triple-crown: ECLW and national league and cup. Two-time both Olympic and World champion and five-time European champion “Discus Queen” Sandra PERKOVIC has been awarded seventh times in a row by the city of Zagreb. “We are very proud and honored being a part of Dr. CASL” stated one of its players Mirela DURAK.
The draw for the second phase of the ITTF-European Championships Teams
In May 2019 10 teams from Stage 2 ITTF-European Championships Teams will join 14 teams in each Men’s and Women’s Teams Event in Nantes. The draw for the second phase of the ITTF-European Championships Teams was held today in the ETTU office in Luxembourg. In Group 1 in Men’s Teams Event are: Romania Serbia and Lithuania; in Group 2 are Denmark Netherlands and Switzerland; in Group 3 are Ukraine Italy England and Estonia; in Group 4 Hungary Czech Republic Israel and Ireland and in Group 5 are Turkey Luxembourg Finland and Bulgaria. Draw Stage 2 Men’s Event Group 1 Group 2 1 ROMANIA 1 DENMARK 2 SERBIA 2 NETHERLANDS 3 LITHUANIA 3 SWITZERLAND Group 3 Group 4 1 UKRAINE 1 HUNGARY 2 ITALY 2 CZECH REPUBLIC 3 ENGLAND 3 ISRAEL 4 ESTONIA 4 IRELAND Group 5 1 TURKEY 2 LUXEMBOURG 3 FINLAND 4 BULGARIA. In Women’s Teams Event in Stage 2 in Group 1 will play Russia Turkey Lithuania; in Group 2 Spain England Belgium; in Group 3 Italy Serbia Estonia; in Group 4 Switzerland Slovakia Greece and in Group 5 Slovenia Azerbaijan Bulgaria Israel. Draw Stage 2 Group 1 Group 2 1 RUSSIA 1 SPAIN 2 TURKEY 2 ENGLAND 3 LITHUANIA 3 BELGIUM Group 3 Group 4 1 ITALY 1 SWITZERLAND 2 SERBIA 2 SLOVAKIA 3 ESTONIA 3 GREECE Group 5 1 SLOVENIA 2 AZERBAIJAN 3 BULGARIA 4 ISRAEL Already qualified for the European Team Championships Final Stage Nantes September 2019 Men (host: France holder Germany) A1 winner Austria runner up Portugal A2 Slovenia Belgium A3 Sweden Spain A4 Poland Croatia A5 Belarus Slovakia A6 Greece Russia and 10 teams from Stage 2 (May 2019) Women (host France holder Romania) A1 winner Germany runner up Luxembourg A2 Netherland Croatia A3 Sweden Belarus A4 Hungary Czech Republic A5 Portugal Austria A6 Ukraine Poland and 10 teams from Stage 2 (May 2019)
Five French representatives in Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup quarters
Clubs finished at the position no. three in their respective groups of the Table Tennis Champions League Men and European Champions League Women joined ETTU Cup quarterfinalists. The draw for the ETTU Cup quarterfinal was held today in the ETTU office in Luxembourg. In Men’s ETTU Cup Germany’s 1FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis will play against French Chartres ASTT and Belgium’s TTC Sokah Hoboken will meet Poland’s K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo. Another French representative G.V. Hennebont T.T. will face Ukraine’s Fortune Kyiv whilst Spain’s Cajasur Priego will play against Portugal’s Sporting Clube De Portugal. In Women’s ETTU Cup Austria’s LZ Linz Froschberg will play against French ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly. France has more representatives CP Lyssois Lille Metropole (FRA) will play in all-French duel against TT Saint Quentinois. Spain’s UCAM Cartagena TM will meet Russia’s TMK-Tagmet Taganrog. Also Russia’s TTC Kazan will play against Hungary’s SH-ITB Budaörsi 2i Sport. Quarter-finals are scheduled for 25th to 27th January 2019 whilst the return leg will be played between 8th and 10th February next year.
