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National-ranking Matrix TT Super Series hoping to give table tennis in Kent a shot in the arm when it debuts at Howard School in Gillingham

A national ranking table tennis event is heading to Medway this month.

Dover-based table tennis player and coach Joe Britnell hopes the Matrix TT Super Series can run alongside other competitions and training camps to give table tennis players in Kent more opportunities.

Joe Britnell hopes the Matrix TT Super Series can boost the sport's profile in Kent
Joe Britnell hopes the Matrix TT Super Series can boost the sport's profile in Kent

A friendly event took place at the Howard School in Gillingham in November to gauge interest and now Britnell is ready to go full-steam ahead at the school from February 15.

Britnell has national and international coaching and playing experience, coaching at the World Championships in Dusseldorf in 2017 and Budapest in 2019 and working with Scottish No.1 player Gavin Rumgay.

The TT365 ranking event at the Howard School Gillingham will see a maximum of 64 players competing, with venues in Maidstone and Canterbury also set to be used in the series. Future plans are to run events that are affiliated to Table Tennis England.

Britnell said: “The last one [in November] was kind of a friendly event, to get things off the ground, to see if there was interest.

“There's not a great deal happening in Kent for table tennis and there's some exceptional players here. We've had English top-10 players all coming from Kent, even national champions at some age group.

“I've been playing myself nearly 20 years and I think it's time to give something back to the sport.”

Players competed in a table tennis event at the Howard School, Gillingham in November
Players competed in a table tennis event at the Howard School, Gillingham in November

Kent champion Richard Carden, from Sittingbourne, is signed up for the series which is open for TT365 members and is free to join. There’s an entrance fee of £12 for the opening tournament.

Britnell added: “It's a Kent tournament, first and foremost, to give back to the Kent players. However, I think at least 50 per cent of the players have got in currently from other counties.

“We're also looking to do other events in between this series and training camps. I'm running it as non-profit. Funds coming in will go back into promotion to table tennis.

“I don't recall a single event in Kent in the whole time I've been playing, other than local league tournaments. That's something different. I've entered those every year since I've started playing but to have an actual national ranking tournament, I don't recall one.

“We have other venues in Canterbury and Maidstone all with the same idea of promoting table tennis in Kent which hasn't been done at the level I’m looking to achieve since before I started.”

There will be a sports masseuse present at the Gillingham event, through sponsorship, with the possibility of light massages for those with sporting needs on the day.

Britnell can be contacted by email on joebritnell22@gmail.com

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