Golden girls are best of British

ALICE LOVERIDGE is now a double British champion. Having won the primary schools' title earlier in the year, Loveridge stepped up to under-14 level and, at her first attempt, won the British Schools' title in the Isle of Man.

For good measure, she also won team gold with Paula Le Ber.

Guernsey Table Tennis Association president Derek Webb, who headed their large party at the three-day event staged at the National Sports Centre in Douglas, said the squad's achievements had exceeded expectations.

'We keep improving every year, but in no way could we have envisaged coming back with two golds.

'I was very hopeful of having something, but two golds was a big plus,' he said.

Loveridge did not lose a match all weekend at under-14 level where she has a two further years.

'She beat girls she had never beaten before,' said Webb.

One of those was England's Martha Travis, who took a two-love lead in their semi-final clash in the individual competition before the Guernsey starlet hit back to win 11-9 in the deciding fifth.

With that win under her belt, Loveridge then swept aside a second English player, Karina Lefevre, in straight games in the final.

In the team competition, Loveridge won both her singles and with Le Ber a tight doubles to beat England 3-1 in the final.

Le Ber proved a very able partner, winning half her singles matches in the team event, drawing this praise from Webb:

'Alice's brilliance often overshadows what a fine player Paula is in her own right.'

Guernsey was also represented at under-14, under-16 and under-18 boys' level, as well as in the two older girls' competitions.

The cadet boys (under-14s) saw two Guernsey pairings do battle, the A team of Matthew Stubbington and Ollie Langlois finishing fourth of 13 teams and losing a bronze play-off 3-2 to England B.

The B pairing of Jordan Pipet and Liam Robilliard were joint fifth, while Jersey placed equal ninth and equal 11th respectively.

In the under-16s, the boys combination of Garry Dodd and Adam Langlois beat Wales and in the under-18s, Scott Romeril and Paul Hainsworth also beat the Welsh.

Romeril also qualified for the singles and matched Ollie Langlois' achievement of reaching the quarter-finals.

Bethany Pipet and Sophie Dyer also played in the under-18 girls.

'The success rounded off a wonderful season,' said Webb.