March 26, 2009
Aurora Spring Open
By: Richard McAfee
March 22, 2009 - Players from all around Colorado gathered at the Aurora Colorado Table Tennis Club for the Annual Spring Open. The tournament was conducted on 10 Butterfly Tables and Butterfly 3-Star Balls were used. Players enjoyed the Giant Round Robin Format which guaranteed every player a full day of matches. They also appreciated the excellent playing conditions, great trophies, prize money, and even a free pizza lunch. First time tournament director, Basil Ibegbu, ran an outstanding event and even surprised himself by reaching the finals of Class A, before falling to the top seeded, Phonh, Pham. Basil (1786) had earlier upset Phonh (2092) in group play. However in the finals, Phonh was ready for Basil’s clever topspin defense and smashed his way to a 3-1 victory.
Upsets were the order of the day throughout every class. First time, tournament participant, Aaron Gottlieb (un-rated), made it all the way to Class A where he upset the number four seed, Daniel Padilla (1816). Another unrated player, Jiery Wang won Class B without losing a match.
Class A: Basil Ibegbu, Phonh Pham, and Richard McAfee
Class A
Phonh, Pham
Basil Ibegbu
Class B: Mike Mui, Basil Ibegbu, and Jiery Wang
Class B
Jiery Wang
Mike Mui
Class C: Allen Huffman, Basil Ibegbu, and Larry Bogulski
Class C
Allen Huffman
Larry Bogulski
Class D: Mike Hardin, Basil Ibegbu, and Leland Shapiro
Class D
Mike Hardin
Leland Shapiro
Class E: Douglas East, Basil Ibegbu, and Greg Myer
Class E
Greg Myer
Douglas East
A special thanks to our tournament staff for all their hard work in making this even a success:
Tournament Committee
Director: Basil Ibegbu
Umpire: Ron Lusk
Operations: Joyce McCready
Referee: Richard McAfee (RU)
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