The UK’s first Pro Tour table tennis event for 10 years, has received a world-class award for an event hosted in Sheffield.

 The event hosted by the Sheffield International Venues managed English Institute of Sport – Sheffield (EISS), was brought to the city by Sheffield City Council's Major Sports Events Unit in conjunction with UK Sport and Welcome to Yorkshire.

It was hosted as part of the British Table Tennis Federations plans for preparing its players and management to deliver the world’s largest table tennis event at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

 The International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) trophy for the best Pro Tour event of the 2009/10 season was given to the English Open, held at the EISS.

 The impact of the event to Sheffield is estimated at generating £500,000 of economic contributions for the local economy whilst also delivering £500,000 of media exposure throughout the duration of the event. The event was beamed live into over 70 million homes worldwide.

During the event a team of 30 youngsters from Sheffield also trained as volunteers giving them the opportunity to be recruited to work or volunteer at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games, and over 1500 young people from across Sheffield tried table tennis coaching sessions organised by Activity Sheffield.

 Cllr Roger Davison Sheffield City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism said:

“It’s wonderful that such a high profile and world class event taking place in Sheffield has been formally recognised by this award and it reflects the high quality sports training facilities, accommodation that Sheffield can provide.

“We look forward to welcoming more events to the city in the lead up to London 2012 as countries continue to develop their pre- Games preparation plans.”

The English Open event was up against stiff competition from the likes of Germany, China, Japan, Korea who also staged events throughout the season.

With over 30 nations represented at the event it is a truly global occasion and is one of only four ITTF Major Pro Tour events.

 UK Sport’s Events Consultant Esther Nicholls said: “This award is well deserved by the ETTA, who delivered an excellent all round event in partnership with UK Sport, Sheffield City Council and Yorkshire Forward.

“The event was possible due to the catalyst of the London 2012 Games. This recognition achieved by ETTA bodes well for the sport’s future prospects of bringing world class table tennis events to the UK, which is great news for our athletes ahead of London, as well as for building capacity within the sport to stage events up to 2012 and beyond.”

UK Sport, via it’s Lottery funded World Class Events Programme, aims to bring 60 major sporting events to the UK between 2010 and the beginning of the Games in 2012, in what is thought to be the most comprehensive lead in events programme any host Olympic nation has staged.

 Find out which Olympic Sports you can get involved in at EISS