Junior table tennis team on tour

Top junior table tennis players identified at the 2010 Manea Games in Mangaia are now representing the Cook Islands at four separate regional and international events being staged at the Auckland table tennis centre in New Zealand.

In total eight players have been selected from the islands of Aitutaki and Mauke including Lance Takaiti (12), Roland Tua (13), Aupuni Rota (14), Maara Tauu (18) of Aitutaki and Tauira Tararo (12), Christiana Tua (13), Temaui Tura (14), Kura Tararo (14) from Mauke.

For all but one of the team, this will be their first exposure to regional and international table tennis meets with Kura Tararo having had his first taste of top level tournaments two years ago.

The outer islands players will not only meet their counterparts from across the region but also top age grade players from Korea, Japan and Singapore.

The local team will compete in the Oceania Under 15 Cadet Challenge on April 15 and take part in an International Training Camp from April 16 to 18.

From April 19 to 21 the team will hit the tables in the Oceania Junior Under 19 Teams Qualifying tournament before wrapping up their tour with the World Cadet and Junior Circuit tournament running up to April 22.

Team coach Tearoa Iorangi says that the team is targeting the Oceania Cadet Challenge as their main event on the tour with the top four placed players will qualify to represent Oceania at the World Cadet Challenge later this year.

He says that the local youth players have continued their training since the Manea Games under the guidance of Tu Bishop in Aitutaki and Dennis Tararo of Mauke who will be travelling with the team as manager.

Previous Cook Islands teams to the same event have been very successful with Louisa Mokoha placing well in 2007 and Jamaneter in 2009 – both are the current national table tennis champions.

In between school and training – the team have had to raise their own funds to travel to the event with no funding from the national sports body CISNOC.

The teenagers have gone out looking for sponsors, sold plates of food and raffles to raise the necessary funds to compete at the tournament and gain much needed experience.

Stag have sponsored the team’s uniform and the eight-member tour group would like to thank Mauke MP Tai Tura, Mauke Island Secretary Teariki Rongo, Vaine Arioka and BCI Bank, the wider Mauke community, Tu Bishop and the community of Aitutaki as well as Table Tennis Cook Islands, Teariki Numanga of Air Rarotonga and all the parents and friends who helped with the team’s fundraising efforts.