Island Games - ÅLAND 26 June to 4 July 2009

Impressive run by young player

 

Scott Lawson led an inspired IW team in the table tennis, reaching the last 8 of the competition. The youngster went unbeaten in a tough group, beating Gotland’s Jonas Hederstedt 3-2, Jersey’s Trevor Lefebrve 3-1, and Menorca’s Cristobal Vidal 3-0. In the last 32, he beat George Tsakalos of Rhodes, before coming from a set down to beat Greenland’s Aqqala Neilson for a spot in the quarter finals. There he faced Guernsey’s Garry Dodd, who went on to win 3-1.

 

 

 

Roger Hookey made the last 16, beating Lazaros Nectarios Teloglou of Rhodes. He pushed his Faroe Islands opponent Ragnar Egilsson all the way, before Egilsson took the fourth 12-10.

 

 

 

Lee Orton went out in the group stages, losing all three of his matches, while Alex Rorke had one win over Faroe Islands’ Hallur Thorsteinsson.

 

 

 

For the ladies, Julie Thorn was unbeaten in her group, but her nemesis came in the form of 16 year old Lynda Flaws of the Shetland Islands, who won 3-0. Julie was not at her best during the championship, due to ongoing problems with her back.

 

 

 

Pauline Rorke exited the competition at the group stage, with one win over Ida Lindqvist of Åland.

 

 

 

In the Men’s doubles, Lee Orton and Roger Hookey beat the Isle of Man’s Julian Briercliffe and Andrew Patterson 3-1 to reach the quarter finals, but were defeated by Gotland’s Jonas Hederstedt and Johan Mattsson 3-0. Scott Lawson and Alex Rorke were unbeaten in their group and had a bye to the quarter final, however they were unable to overcome Johan Pettersson and Bengt Lindqvist of Åland, losing 3-1.

 

 

 

In the women’s doubles, Julie Thorn and Pauline Rorke failed to make it to the knock out stages, while in the mixed doubles, mother and son Pauline and Alex Rorke lost all three of their matches. Scott and Julie, the IW’s strongest pairing also struggled, winning one game in their group.

 

The IW team attending the opening ceremony:

 

L to R: Lee Orton, Alex Rorke, Roger Hookey, Scott Lawson

Preparing to play matches:

 

L to R: Julie Thorn, Lee Orton, Scott Lawson, Alex Rorke

Attending the other sports:

 

County Press reporter Clare with Alex, Lee

Team IW at practise:

 

Scott and Julie this end, Alex and Lee the other

Team mates:

 

Julie Thorn and Pauline Rorke