Bone-chilling temperatures couldn't keep away some of the planet's premier table tennis players and fans away from Chicago late December on the Navy Pier. The event was the Killperspin SPINvitational table tennis tournament. It attracted some of the globe's champions, college students and other players for one splendid day in the dead of winter in the frigid Windy City.
 
"Every year people from all over the country come and watch some of the best players in the world compete right in front of them, up close and personal,'' said Richard Qian, a college player from Wisconsin who attended the event. "This year is no different. The Navy Pier's grand ballroom hosted world champions like Chen Qi and Werner Schlager, table tennis princesses like Biba and Sooyeon Lee and future champions who are barely taller than the table.''

Killerspin President Robert Blackwell summed up things rather nicely in an online forum. “It was really the best event we have ever held,” he said. “It was really terrific.”
 
Fans definitely got their money's worth. The winter tournament format was a bit unusual. Instead of playing games to 11 (and winning three games to take the match), single games went to 41 points. Say what?
             
So, for example, Charles Deng racked up 41 points to 28 for Jonathan Ou in the Cadet Championship. In a nail-biter in the men's finals, Chen Qi scored 41 points to edge Joo Se Hyuk, who got 39. Chen Qi of China happens to be an Olympic Gold Medalist and a World Champion. Though 2003 World Championships runner-up, Joo Se Hyuk of South Korea, is no pushover either. Doesn’t get much closer than losing by two points in a game to 41.
 
Among other big-time contests in the Illinois metropolis, Sooyeon Lee, former member of the Korean Team now living in Los Angeles defeated Biba by a score of 41 to 32 in a women's challenge match. In another women's challenge match, Gina Pota of Hungary, the European champ, slammed her way to 41 points to knock off challenger Kang Kang Huang (who only managed 24 points). Kang Kang Huang is a native of Singapore and a U.S. Open semifinalist.
 
Under this unusual point system, the first quarter ends when a player reaches ten points. Quarter No. 2 ends when a player reaches 20 points. You get the idea. The 4th quarter ends when a player reaches 41 points (still gotta win by 2). There is a one minute break between the the 2nd and 3rd quarters (not sure if there’s a halftime show). Players are still allowed one time out per match. If you’re interested, check out the the complete set of rules.

As a fan, Wisconsin player Richard Qian gave high marks to the unusual 4-quarter 41-point system spread over 4 quarters and the innovative approach to substitutions. For two person team events, one team can call a 3-point substitution. "This can be a game-changer'' he said. And that was the case in Chicago that chilly Sunday. "Sooyeon's substitution turned the momentum for her team in the first quarter of the women's finals and they caught up to Biba and Gina Pota.''

The Chicago tourney wasn't just for some of the leading champs around the globe. There were some very good college players signed up from NCTTA schools, such as the University of Wisconsin in the Upper Midwest Division. They played in pretty competitive events, too. One advantage: these talented Upper Midwest Division players are used to the cold weather and heavy snowstorms in Chicago in the winter months. Sub-freezing temperatures are really no problem to them.
 
Among other upcoming Killerspin events in 2010, try this out for size. The Arnold Table Tennis Challenge is coming up in Columbus, Ohio, March 5-7. Then there’s the Rochester Team Challenge in Rochester, Minnesota May 29-30. And if you still want more, check out the Lake Superior International Open in Duluth, Minnesota July 23-25. And last, but certainly not least, is the Badger Open in Waukesha, Wisconsin in September 2010.
 
Want to be a volunteer at some of these super events? Go ahead and email Ed Hogshead who ably served on the Chicago tournament committee with Diana Hogshead, David Seaquist, Amar Malik and others. Thank these folks for a fantastic event in the Windy City. And take a moment to hug your friends from Killerspin!
 
Killerspin and Newgy Industries are the leading sponsors of the NCTTA College Table Tennis Championships that will bring top collegiate players to Wisconsin for three wonderful days of table tennis in April.