Senior Corner

May/June 2005
By Olga & Stan Kahan,

Co-Chairs, USATT Senior Committee

949-830-6699 (ph) · 949-240-7167 (fax)

Here we are in May, welcoming us warmly – the best time for the 2005 World Championships in Shanghai with its population of 13.2 million and with many art galleries, museums and exhibition sites.  Let’s wish our USA National Team success in their endeavors.

The Henderson Nevada Senior Games, March 5-6, went well as usual.  Its coordinator, Jerry Ladd, thanks Paddle Palace for the donation of balls and a significantly reduced prize for five new tables.  Jerry is grateful for Dan Cravens’ and Tony Gumataotao’s wonderful assistance during the tournament.  The tournament results were:

Women’s Singles

50-54               Gold                 Xiaoying Zhang

                        Silver                Kathy Shrader

55-59               Gold                 Louisa Ladd

65-69               Gold                 Harriet Quon

                        Silver                Joyce Arpon

                        Bronze             Tashy Borg

Men’s Singles

50-54               Gold                 Robert Blakely

                        Silver                Daniel Kersterson

55-59               Gold                 Ralph Stadelman

                        Silver                Alan Tang

                        Bronze             Herman Louie

60-64               Gold                 Dan Cravens

                        Silver                John Veyveris

                        Bronze             Al Sirgedas

65-69               Gold                 Vincent McMenamy

                        Silver                Jerry Ladd

                        Bronze             Victor Troppman

70-74               Gold                 Barry Meisel

                        Silver                John Breed

                        Bronze             Richard Haynes

75-79               Gold                 Robert Shackett

                        Silver                Robert Schowers

Women’s Doubles

50-59               Gold                 Harriet Quon/Xiaoyin Zhang

                        Silver                Louisa Ladd/Kathy Shrader

60-69               Gold                 Joyce Arpon/Tashy Borg

Mixed Doubles

50-54               Gold                 Lirong Seale/John Breed

                        Silver                Xiaoyin Zhang/Richard Haynes

                        Bronze             Kathy Shrader/Dan Cravens

55-59               Gold                 Louisa Ladd/Jerry Ladd

65-69               Gold                 Harriet Quon/Victor Troppman

Men’s Doubles

50-54               Gold                 James Leach/Don Minagil

55-59               Gold                 Herman Louie/Jon Goodin

60-64               Gold                 Al Sirgedas/John Breed

                        Silver                Dan Cravens/Lynn Keler

                        Bronze             John Veyveris/Musli Karmindro

65-69               Gold                 Victor Toppman/Vincent McMenamy

                        Silver                Jerry Ladd/Rick Haynes

70-74               Gold                 Edmond Wong/John Haydo 

Our fascinating saga about “Circle of Life” which started last year in Utah, during the Huntsman World Series Games, was happily concluded in Las Vegas with wedding bells, champagne and a solid marriage license for ex-marine Dan Cravens and Marina, his beautiful “blonde,” a table tennis coach from Russia.

 “We enjoyed the presence of the ‘Russian addition,’ Marina, during the tournament,” said Jerry Ladd. He added, “In the near future at the Henderson Downtown Recreation Center, there will be a new opening three times a week for juniors and seniors and clinic/training sessions once a week, and Marina will coach there.”  Table tennis and love, how invigorating it sounds!

Another sign of love and dedication to our wonderful sport can be found in the new 2005 North American tour.  The Senior events – Over 40, 50, and 60 round robins – all are dedicated to the memory of Sol Feingold (Alga’s late husband) and are sponsored by David Sakai, Vladimir Feingold, and Olga & Stan Kahan.

The Feingold North American Memorial Seniors started on April 2, at the 2005 STIGA N.A. Tour in New Jersey.  This will continue throughout the year.

All those Seniors, coming to participate in these senior events, will compete for awards which will bear Sol Feingold’s name.  Contact by e-mail: www.natabletennis.com.

The 2005 Pasadena Senior Olympics will be a qualifying site for the 2006 California Senior Championships in Sacramento in May, 2006.  It includes Table Tennis – singles, doubles, and mixed doubles – in five year groups for men and women, beginning at age 50 up to and including 100+!!!  Table tennis competitions will commence on Sunday, May 22, 9:00 AM, at Pasadena Senior Center, Pasadena.  Contact Wei Wang and Diego Schaaf at 626-584-6377, or wei@alphatt.com and diego@alphatt.com.

June will be here soon and the North American Senior Tournament, known widely as the Meiklejohn Tournament, will be with us also.  At the last tournament in 2004, the age range of players stretched from a youthful 40 to a middle-aged 93.  There was also a noticeable addition of lovely and mature women at the tournament.  To meet a widespread demand, this year the Meiklejohn will have a first-time event anywhere in the country, Women Over 70.  Also included this year will be two rating doubles events, Under 3400 (singles max 2000 rating) and Under 3700 (no rating limit for individuals).  Players can choose one or the other events, and the events could lead to some very interesting pairings.  Imagine our 90-year-young lady with a rating of 600 paired with Cheng Yinghua.  Awesome!!  If you have any questions, T.D. Ray Kunze can be contacted at zkunze@fea.net.

As we, seniors, all move along in our journey we have a new member joining us this year.  As a youngster he used to play under the name of Jan-Ove Waldner.  We assume as he begins life at 40 he will continue to contribute to the sport to which he has given so much.