The Para Elite Series concluded in style as the Yvelines champions were crowned in a spectacular finale. The ITTF World Para Elite Yvelines 2025 ended on Thursday, October 30th, crowning singles and doubles champions, bringing the Elite tier of the inaugural revamped World Para Circuit to a fitting close. The five-day event in Voisins-le-Bretonneux was an exceptional competition and a poignant tribute to British Performance Director Gorazd Vecko MBE, who passed away on October 25th. A minute of silence at the tournament's opening honored the Slovenian coach, whose dynamic leadership inspired countless athletes throughout his distinguished career. The British team honored their fallen leader with a fighting spirit and resilience that Vecko instilled in them. They secured seven singles medals, including three golds, with Felicity Pickard, Robert Davies, and William Bayley emerging victorious. But here's where it gets controversial... The singles champions were crowned, with France celebrating multiple champions, including Fabien Lamirault and Mateo Boheas. However, some established champions reinforced their status at the Elite season's finale, like Germany's Thomas Schmidberger and Belgium's Laurens Devos. The doubles excellence was showcased in the final two days, with several nations celebrating multiple titles. The host nation, France, enjoyed significant doubles success, while Germany's Valentin Baus and Thomas Schmidberger added men's doubles class 8 gold to their singles successes. The Netherlands' Kelly van Zon maintained her WS7 dominance, and Poland's Rafal Czuper secured MS2 gold. Japan's Natsuki Wada continued her excellent form by winning women's class 11 gold, while Germany's Valentin Baus secured men's class 4-5 gold. Finland's Timo Kalevi Natunen triumphed in men's class 1, Ukraine's Maksym Nikolenko secured men's class 8 gold, and Poland's Maciej Makajew won men's class 11 honors. The circuit continues with one final Challenger event before the year concludes, marking the end of the top tier for the inaugural revamped ITTF World Para Circuit. The three-tier structure has delivered unprecedented opportunities for athletes at all levels, clear pathways for progression, and a growth-oriented competitive atmosphere. As athletes turn their attention to 2026, the Yvelines tournament will be remembered for exceptional competition and the powerful tribute to Gorazd Vecko, whose legacy will continue to inspire the sport for years to come. The British team's Programme Manager Shaun Marples captured the sentiment perfectly: 'This is the start of the GB force battling in Gorazd's honor and continuing his legacy for years and years to come.'
