CLEARWATER - The Clearwater Table Tennis Club hosted the first of six Sunburst Tour Open Event tournaments on January 21 at the Long Center. The winner in the Championship Class was Yasmely Vadillo of Miami. Ben Johnson of Orlando took second place. Members of the Clearwater club took honors in three divisions of the competition. They were Chamel Rodriguez, first place, and Fred Hautsch, second place, Elite Class; Charles McConnell, second place, Masters Class; and John Mason, first place, Advanced Class. The other winners, who hailed from Ft. Lauderdale, Ocala, Sarasota and Lakeland, included Tuong Nguyen and Frank Valliant, first and second place winners, respectively, Expert Class; Peter Fiipowicz, first place, Master Class; Henry Tiedeberg, first place, and William Robbins, second place, Challenger Class; Barry Butler, first place, and Govin Rajan, second place, Prestige Class; and Frank Hermann, second place, Advanced Class. .
Trophies were presented to the 14 winners of the tournament, which attracted 75 participants from all over the state. The Sunrise Table Tennis Club and the Lakeland Table Tennis Association have teamed up to host this year's Sunburst Tour. The next tournament in the series, a USATT-sanctioned two-star event, is scheduled February 24-26 in Lakeland. Only the Colossal Round Robin Event held in conjunction with the Central Florida Winter Open-2006 is a tour event. Participants will be vying for $750 in prize money and trophies in all classes.
All local table tennis players are welcome to join the Clearwater club. Never played but would like to? Experienced players will be happy to help you learn and improve. Play is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 1 to 4:45 p.m. on Saturdays at the Long Center, 1501 N. Belcher Road. Participation is free with Play Pass, $2 with recreation card, $3 without card. Call 669-0899 for more information.