The City of Liverpool Butterfly GP Open Championships staged over the weekend of 16th/17th, attracted a very healthy entry of 205 players. In addition to the four home nations, players from Hungary, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, China, Lithuania, Ireland, Guernsey and Isle of Man also competed.  The tournament, according to many present, was an unqualified success and was completed to the satisfaction of most players and spectators by 8pm. on Sunday 17th. 

The tournament, the first in eighteen years to have been staged without Secretary/Referee, Ken Armson, who sadly passed away in December 2007.  Dave Cochrane, who took charge of the Fawley Construction 'Closed' in March this year, took on the mantle of Referee for the 08 City of Liverpool Butterfly GP Open, assisted by National Referee and Tournament Organiser, Eileen Allison from Lincolnshire, who has also appeared in the Open many together with husband Brian.  
With Arthur Garnett as Tournament Organiser and Stan Clarke taking the position of Tournament Secretary, the 2008 Open, was set to take place.  Of course, this would not have been possible, without the generous assistance given by Dick Johnson from Liverpool City Council who provided the Tennis Centre venue together with that given by regular sponsors, Tees Sport and Butterfly.
Also in attendance on both days were National Events Manager Harvey Webb and Dave Evans, Grand Prix Committee Chairman, together with ETTA Press Officer, Geoff Ware.
 
The usual band of helpers set about errecting the 30 courts on Friday afternoon and the assistance given by all who may have helped in any way, is much appreciated by the League's Management Committee.  After everything was in place, the action kicked off on Saturday at 9am.               

Tournament Review:
A small piece of table tennis history was created in the C.O.L. Butterfly Grand Prix Open, when second seed Gavin Rumgay retained the men's singles title. The Scotland number one, having held the crown for the past two years, overcame the unseeded surprise package German, Rafael Graf in the final to become the first since the inaugural tournament in 1929, to achieve the feat three years in succession.  Graf, a third division German League player, inflicted a shock quarter-final defeat on top seed and England number two Darius Knight, who lost to Liverpool's Garry Watson in the group stages in last year's tournament before qualifying for a group containing Rumgay who promptly dismissed him from the competition.   
 
Darren Reed, after ousting Kevin Dolder, Liverpool's only men's singles hope in the last 16, took the opening game against Rumgay in the quarter's, before the holder stepped up his game to win the next three, 6, 7, 6.  The Scot then dismissed fellow countryman Stewart Crawford 5, 6, 2, in the penultimate round. 
 
The main shock saw 12th seed David McBeath defeat the recently crowned, but strangely out of touch, European Cadet champion, Gavin Evans in the quarter finals. His brief glory was short lived, though, when in the next round he departed at the hands of the all action fifth seed Damien Nicholls, 3, 6, 8, who in turn, was then dismissed by Graf.  
 
The final, played in front of a large enthusiastic crowd, were treated to an intriguing clash thanks to a surprisingly impressive performance from the 19 year old German 'holidaymaker'. Rumgay won the opener 11-8, but was taken aback when the pair stood level at 10 all in the next game, the holder, though, edged home via the next couple of points. Any thoughts he had of breaking the spirit of the underdog were quickly quashed when Graf halved the deficit, taking the third game 11-3.  Rumgay, ranked at 280 in the world, wasn't going to let this one slip away and countered the top spin attack from the German to sweep to victory winning 11-6.
The Celtic nations have developed a stranglehold on the COL men's title, which has now left the country on the last five occasions. Rumgay's treble plus a win by fellow Scot Euan Walker in 2004 and Ireland's Colum Slevin a year later, leaves Alex Perry in 2003 when he beat Bradley Billington in the final, as the last English victor.
A post script which must be added to the tournament report, was the group stage victory by Liverpool League player, Peter Taylor who beat the England number 23 junior, Myles Evans. Peter, the 1954 Merseyside Open junior singles runner-up, was giving the Buckinghamshire youngster, who now lives in Grantham, 55 years!! Amazing.  
 
The Ladies singles draw, disappointingly, didn't contain one Liverpool player, was won by top seed Liu Na (Ireland) who has an unofficial England ranking of 3.  She eliminated holder and fourth seed Karina Le Fevre (Cleveland) in the semi's, while in the other half of the draw, Wales' top player Naomi Owen ranked at 300 in the world, took out third seed Hampshire's Hannah Hicks.  
 
The final opened with a sparkling game, and after Liu Na edged home 14-12, she comfortably took the next, 11-5. The contest lasted no more than three games and although Miss Owen put up a good fight, the in-form Chinese player, replicated events in Beijing, winning 15-13 to deservedly claim the title.
 
Miss Le Fevre, didn't leave empty handed though, the 14 year old, the highest ranked junior on show at 4 England, emerging victorious in a tremendous Under 21 Women's final.  Her opponent Alice Loveridge, 14, from Guernsey lost the opening game 11-7, but took the next by the same score and went ahead taking the third 12-10.  Miss Le Fevre, after entering the tournament as ladies' champion, staged a thrilling recovery, takingthe next two games 11-9, and the title.
 
The only local success came from ten times Liverpool Closed men's champion Keith Williams, who claimed the Open veteran singles title. The Bootle YMCA man, selected by England in the Home International Championships in Perth, was involved in a fierce battle with Scotland's Gerry Campbell who pushed the England number 4 all the way. Williams duly lived up to his top seeding position, winning 11-6 in the fifth to register a good psychological advantage for when the pair clash in Scotland next week.