Last week-end in Karlsbrunn (Munich area) the German Junior Championships took place.
TIBHAR player Florian Schreiner aimed high in the single competition! He stayed unbeaten in the pool phase while the 8th and quarter finals run smoothly as well. He struggled a bit harder against semi-finalist Dennis Klein, to win 4 to 2 (4, 12,-11, 9,-15, 4).
In finals he had to struggle harder against his adversary Qiu Liang from Frickenhausen. In a breathtaking match Florian won on a score of 4 to 3 (2,-1,-8,-10, 6, 6, 7).

Almeria, Spain hosted the Spanish Open from January 17th through January 20th 2013. This tournament is part of the Euro/Africa challenges. Julien Indeherberg, the young player from Belgium (U21), won his first title in Spain. The left-handed player beat 3 French players in row: Le Breton was beaten in the second turn already. In semi-finals he beat Enzo Angles. Inderherberg who is member of the second league Club 1. FCS TT of Saarbruecken, Germany and plays with the new TIBHAR rubbers, EVOLUTION, finally wins the tournament over Romain Lorentz.

We congratulate him for his success!

The Junior World Championships have been played annually since 2003. In Europe Junior European Championships have existed since 1955 (!),Asia started with Continental Junior Championships 18 years ago, other continents followed. So time has come to organize the first Junior World Championships. The ITTF decided that Santiago de Chile would stage the first Junior World Championships but many were worried as Chile was for the first time the organizer of such a big event and no World Championships had ever been held in Latin America before. In spite of all distrust the first Junior World Championships were in every way, concerning sport and organisation, a complete success. In that way the door was opened and in the past ten years 10 Junior World Championships were played. The first five Championships were held on five different continents, even later two successive Junior World Championships have never been held on the same continent.
The programme has included 7 competitions from the very beginning up to now - boys and girls teams, boys and girls singles and doubles and mixed doubles. Every team and player must be qualified for Junior World Championships; these championships are not open to all member associations as it is the case with World Championships for men and women.
As expected, results of all Junior World Championships that have been played up to now, show that China has been by far better than the rest of the world. Japan holds the second place, far away from China but also far ahead from all other competitors. The Republic of Korea and Chinese Taipei are on distance following Japan, upon which follows Germany as being the most successful European country up to now. There can be no discussion at all about a duel between Asia and Europe as Asia is light years ahead of Europe. Other continents have not succeeded yet to win a single medal.
At the beginning China sent mostly two, three years younger players from their competitors to Junior World Championships. At the third Junior World Championships in Linz, China has even sent a regional selection which in girls competitions won all three gold medals but in boys competitions China did not win gold neither in singles, doubles or teams. Linz remained the only Championship in which China did not win a medal in three competitions - boy's singles and doubles, mixed doubles! Up to now in 10 Junior World Championships 7 competitions, it means in 10 Years total of 70 competitions each year have been played. China had in 67 (!) competitions at least one representative on medal podium, the three competitions from Linz remained the only exception. China draw a lesson from the case and from then onwards China participates with best selections in Junior World Championships.

European table tennis did not present itself in European individual Championships in its best shape. Obviously there are a lot of spectators in table tennis in Germany and France, but there were not many in Denmark. In the big, modern hall which was never even half-full the spectators have almost never become enthusiastic. The speaker in the hall often tried to bring up the spectators by saying "Make some noise" or something like that, but he did not have much success.

Compared with the European Championships 2011 only Timo Boll in men singles successfully defended his title, in women singles, men doubles and women doubles there were new European champions. In men singles Boll was the only player earning a medal both in 2011 and in 2012, in women singles no player repeatedly earned a medal in 2012. In women doubles Samara and Dodean after silver medal in 2011 won gold medal in 2012, in men doubles Paykov, Liventsov won again bronze medal in 2012, just like they did in 2011. The TIBHAR team again collected medals in 2012 - we congratulate Elisabeta Samara (gold, women doubles), Vladi Samsonov (bronze, men doubles) and Mikhail Paykov (bronze, men doubles).

Congratulations to our player Elizabeta Samara for her title in doubles at the EC in Herning / Denmark! With her partner in double Daniela Dodean they managed to win against the double from Hungary, Pota/Toth after having conceided 3 sets at the beginning of the match. The breathtaking match ended after 7 sets (7:11, 8:11, 9:11, 11:7, 11:7, 21:19, 11:5).
Kristin Silbereisen won bronze with her partner from France Wu after loosing on a tight score of 3 to 4 against the latter winners (15:17, 11:6, 10:12, 11:5, 13:11, 8:11, 5:11). Our warmest congratulations to her!
Vladimir Samsonov won bronze in double with Ovtcharov against the latter winners from Austria Gardos/Habesohn (2:11, 8:11, 11:7, 7:11, 11:7, 5:11). Liu Jia won bronze in single against the French Yi Fang Xian. Congratulations to Vladi and "Susi" for their 3rd places. Viktoria Pavlovich wins the EC title in singles; this is her second victory after 2010. Timo Boll wins the EC finals for the 6th times against the Croatian Tan Ruiwu on a score of 4 to 1.