CLEARWATER - They came from Ocala, Orlando, Melbourne, Tampa, Sarasota and other Florida cities. Over 40 table tennis enthusiasts throughout the state gathered at the Ross Norton Recreation Complex on November 4 for the Doctor Dan's Rapper #2 Turkey Pong Table Tennis Tournament. The event was hosted by the City of Clearwater and Clearwater Sunrise Table Tennis Club. USATT rules applied.
Trophies were presented to the first and second place winners in each of the adult divisions. In the youth division, the two finalists received a trophy along with a cash award. The winners in Class A, Division 1, were Khai Chu, first place; Felix Gonzalez, second place. Khoi Chu took first place honors in Class A, Division 2. Al Palumbo came in second. In Class B, Division 1, action, Kyle Gibbs emerged the winner, with Ted Ostrowski taking second. Ed Curran and Dr. Dan Montzka were the first and second place winners, respectively, in Class B, Division 2. Class C, Division 1, winners were Eduard Dougan, first place, and Henry Doe, second place.
Also taking home trophies for their efforts were Flash Gordon, first place, and Justin Hellinger, second place, Class C, Division 2; Conrad Zorn, first place, and Nancy Dorsey, second place, Class D, Division 1; Leif Pederquist, first place, and Fran Munoz, second place, Class D, Division 2; Richard Dunsford, first place, and Brian Ducharme, second place, Class E, Division 1; Liz Munoz, first place, and Elvira Gonzalez, second place, Class E, Division 2.
Youth winners in Class F, Division 1, were brothers Ryan Diaz, first place, and Richard Diaz, second place. It was their first tournament, they advised before taking the floor to compete. They learned to play at the Long Center under the direction of members of the Sunrise Table Tennis Club, they said.
The special "Sunrise Golden Girls Award" for the woman with the highest games win/loss ratio was presented to Nancy Dorsey in honor of senior state and national gold medal winners Sari Kisbany, Nahed Williams and Margo Lindsay.
Doctor Dan's Rapper #3 "Jingle Bells" tournament is coming up on December 16 at the Ross Norton Recreation Complex, which is located at 1426 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Free instruction is provided by Sunrise Table Tennis Club members each Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information, you may call 669-0899.