Chris Nicholls was crowned Selby champion for a record-equalling sixth time in the climax to more than ten hours of table tennis at the Fasprint Selby Closed Championships.

He fought off a determined challenge by his Tate & Lyle team-mate Mick Wilcockson in a tactical final.

Both players reached the final without dropping a set, Nicholls beating fourth seed John Peters (Eggborough Kestrels) in his semi-final and Wilcockson ending the run of his unseeded clubmate and doubles partner Andrew Kirk in the other semi-final.

Wilcockson, the defending champion, won the first set 11-7 with a solid defensive display. Nicholls' powerful all-out attack was frustrated as Wilcockson returned many big hits with varying amounts of spin and occasionally pouncing on any weak shots with his own counter-attacks.

Nicholls changed tactics in the second set, introducing more drop shots mixed with solid top-spin loops enabling him to move his opponent in and out of the table. This allowed Nicholls to stop Wilcockson's spin variations and he took the set 11-5.

Some excellent retrieving by Wilcockson was not enough to stop Nicholls as he moved his opponent to all parts of the court. Many rallies saw Wilcockson clattering into the barriers in desperate attempts to return the ball. Nicholls triumphed 11-7 11-8.

Wilcockson got some revenge over Nicholls when he took the open doubles title for the third successive year with partner Andrew Kirk.

Nicholls was partnered by a very promising youngster, 12-year-old Stephen Robinson (Tate & Lyle). Robinson showed his maturity when he and Nicholls fought from two sets down in a thrilling semi-final to beat experienced pair Pete Harpham (Eggborough Ospreys) and Geoff Harrop (Sherburn).

No such comebacks were allowed in the final, with Wilcockson and Kirk winning 11-7 12-1 11-8.

Robinson dominated the young player events, winning the cadets (under-15), juniors (under-18) and the junior doubles.

In the cadets' final he defeated defending champion Luke Crowther 15-13 11-7 14-12 despite the Thorpe youngster twice going to deuce.

In the junior final, Robinson came from behind with a powerful display of forehand top-spin to beat defending champion Daniel Jenkin (Sherburn) 11-13 11-9 11-7 11-9.

In the junior doubles final Robinson and league newcomer 15-year-old Hayley Smith beat Thorpe pair Luke Crowther and Robert Peters 11-7 11-4 11-8.

Smith played table tennis for a few months as an eight-year-old but stopped due to commitment to her then main sport, tennis, where she reached a very high national standard in her age group. She decided to come back into table tennis ten months ago and has made dramatic progress in that time.

She reached the ladies' final where she faced another talented 15-year-old, Simone Silivistis (Sherburn), in what was yet another attack versus defence encounter. The power of Smith proved too much for the determined Silivistris, Smith winning 11-8 5-11 11-9 11-8.

Other results:

Veterans' (over-40) final: Mick Wilcockson beat John Peters (Eggborough Kestrels) 11-8 11-6 13-11.

Div 2 final: Dave Jackson (Eggborough Merlins) beat Geoff Harrop (Sherburn) 6-11 11-4 11-9 11-8.

Restricted final: Martin Hood (Eggborough Kites) beat Pete Harpham (Eggborough Ospreys) 11-8 11-7 11-7.

Novice singles final: Phil Hall (Eggborough Eagles) beat Hayley Smith 11-7 11-5.

Handicap doubles final: Mick Walker and Colin Peacock (Eggborough Hawks) beat Michael Lee and Gareth Collier (Sherburn) 31-30.

Handicap singles final: Hayley Smith beat Chris Nicholls 31-25.

All interested in joining a table tennis club should contact Selby League secretary Mike Hanley (Selby 709831).

Updated: 10:16 Thursday, March 27, 2003