The European Veterans Championships was open. On Sunday at 20:36, the Chairman of the ETTU Veterans Committee, Dr. Zdenko KRIZ said the well-known official formula to 3,500 enthusiastic spectators at the ÖVB-Arena in Bremen. The premiere of European Veter,
The European Veterans Championships was open. On Sunday at 20:36, the Chairman of the ETTU Veterans Committee, Dr. Zdenko KRIZ said the well-known official formula to 3,500 enthusiastic spectators at the ÖVB-Arena in Bremen. The premiere of European Veterans Championships in Germany is on now, the matches will last from May 27 to June 1.
The opening ceremony was atmospheric, acrobatic and fun offering a colorful 1.5-hours-programme to players, accompanying persons and spectators from Bremen.
The “Blues Brothers” of the TV Ludwigshafen were one of the top acts of the evening. They have just been awarded the official “Show group of the German Gymnastics Federation” for the fourth time in a row. Another highlight were the formation dancers of the Grün-Gold-Club Bremen, multiple German Champions, European Champions and World Champions.
Much applause received Roswitha WAHL and Renate RECKNAGEL. The two 70-somethings are reigning German Veterans Champions in Gymnastics and still in to shape even at the parallel bars. Sven MARÉE from Berlin showed his skills hanging from the ceiling, the rope artist also pulled the strings in the background and directed the entire show too.
DTTB Vice-President Mrs. Heike AHLERT welcomed the approximately 2,900 participants from all over Europe. “We very pleased with this high number of participants, the highest number at European Veterans Championships ever,” says AHLERT. “The number of prominent participants in the field is outstanding, too.” Thus, Mikael Appelgren of Sweden, the Germans Olga NEMES, JING Tian-Zörner, Zsolt-Georg BÖHM and Steffen FETZNER, the Russian Dmitrij MAZUNOV or Eliska KREJCOVA from Czech Republic, multiple World Champion of the 1940s and 1950s and reigning World Champion of the class 85 and above. Heike AHLERT wished all participants and accompanying persons “fantastic days in our huge table tennis family”.
ETTU representative Zdenko KRIZ emphasized a value of European Veterans Championships that goes beyond sport performances: “At this venue usually the professionals compete for World or European Championship titles. But European Veterans Championships are not only a sports event, but also stand for friendship and staying in touch with fellows and mades.”
Martin GÜNTHNER welcomed the spectators at the opening ceremony as the representative of the free Hanseatic City of Bremen. The 37 year-old Senator for Economics, Labour and Ports was perfectly in the topic, called Bremen with the “long tradition of major table tennis events a table tennis stronghold” and stated: “We are ready to host outstanding European Veterans Championships.”
Facing mostly table tennis experts in the ÖVB-Arena, GÜNTHNER congratulated also the top players of local Bundesleague club SV Werder Bremen, CHUANG Chih-Yuan, for winning the World title in doubles recently. The Senator wished successful competitions to all players and all those involved “an unforgettable week in Bremen”.
