In an annual battle of friendship, the Victoria Chinese Seniors Association came away ahead of the Monterey Table Tennis Club.
The Monterey club hosted the annual Friendship Games on Sept. 23 in Oak Bay.
It’s a hard-fought tournament between the best 12 men and women in each club. In recent years, the Chinese seniors have had bragging rights, but the purpose of the tournament is fun and goodwill.
“We value our competition with the Chinese seniors,” said Owen Toop of the Monterey club. “Table tennis is a wonderful sport for building friendships, and for healthy aging. Our competitions show that age is just a number, whatever the outcome.”
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This year, while the Monterey women won 13 matches to the Chinese seniors’ 11, the Chinese seniors men overwhelmed the Monterey men 24-0.
“The Friendship Games over the years have provided players from both clubs opportunities to show their enthusiasm for the sport and have enhanced the understanding of each other’s culture. I hope the good spirit will continue in the future,” said Ming Fang, of the Chinese seniors.
The event dates back to 2009 as a friendly rivalry between the clubs who look forward to doing it again in 2024.