Auckland Table Tennis Association

The best thing about watching the Olympics is discovering how truly badass some sports can be, especially when they are shown in slow motion. Table Tennis was the one that really grabbed me during the Beijing Olympics, watching the massive variance in body shapes as they played out some jaw dropping games.
After playing for a while in my friends garage, we decided to venture out to the open tournament night that is run at the Auckland Table Tennis Association on Wednesdays. It costs 7 dollars to enter, and is run very well. It runs on a ladder system, where you play to 21 points, whoever wins moves one table up. Unfortunately, despite all the practice I had put in, I was completely dominated, with the final humiliation coming at the hands of a 13 year old with «learning disabilities.»
The stadium is also open for individuals, with table and bat hire available at 15 dollars an hour. The facilities are basic, but the space itself does what it is set up to — provide an arena for table tennis.