Better Collective Table Tennis Championship 2013The most important event of your life.Ever.

Introduction

Forget the Olympics. Forget the World Cup final. The time has come for the most eagerly anticipated event of the decade. The Better Collective Table Tennis Championship 2013. 20 competitors from across the globe have assembled in Copenhagen to fight it out for the most prestigious accolade in world sport. The wait is finally over, but who will be victorious and claim the title of Better Collective Table Tennis Champion 2013?

Player ProfilesName: Per "the viking" SiekermannAge: 34Country: SwedenPlaying style: AggressiveGroup: 1

Info: The viking earned his nickname from his ruthless style reminiscent of the rape and pillage practiced by his ancestors.

Odds: 12/1

Player ProfilesName: Jesper "win and you're fired" SøgaardAge: 30Country: DenmarkPlaying style: All-roundGroup: 1

Info: Søgaard comes from a long line of table tennis champions. Ping pong is in his blood. His great, great grandfather Papa Søgaard won this tournament back in 1901.

Odds: 5/1

Player ProfilesName: Henrik "Dam" RasmussenAge: 25Country: DenmarkPlaying style: Counter-attackingGroup: 1

Info: His formidable defence has earned him the nickname Dam but when his opponent least expects it the gates will open to release a powerful wave of attacks.

Odds: 8/1

Player ProfilesName: Casper "Invincible" Mandrup JensenAge: 24Country: DenmarkPlaying style: ConservativeGroup: 1

Info: Jensen was trained by the table tennis legend Lars La La Larsen famous for serenading his opponents during matches. Will Mandrup resort also to such dirty tactics?

Odds: 14/1

Player ProfilesName: "The Sorceress" Anna Maria Mastroluca Age: 27Country: ItalyPlaying style: SneakyGroup: 1

Info: Mastroluca lulls her opponents into a false sense of security by feigning an inexperience of the game. Or maybe she just hasn't played much before.

Odds: 50/1

Player ProfilesName: Marc "the better collective table tennis champion 2013" PedersenAge: 29Country: DenmarkPlaying style: All-roundGroup: 2

Info: Pedersen is the favourite in this year's competition, and for good reason. His elaborate serve can bamboozle opponents and his devastating backhand is frightening.

Odds: 2/1 (favourite)

Player ProfilesName: Jonas "Lucky" LarsenAge: 21Country: DenmarkPlaying style: LuckyGroup: 2

Info: You know those annoying shots that clip the net and just trickle over, well Jonas gets them all the time. Lucky.

Odds: 10/1

Player ProfilesName: "The ego" Jon MassmannAge: 24Country: GermanyPlaying style: ArrogantGroup: 2

Info: Massmann is one of the early favourites for the title but will need to shelve his attitude if he is to fulfil his potential.

Odds: 6/1

Player ProfilesName: Jacob "Boswer" JohannessenAge: unknownCountry: The Mushroom KingdomPlaying style: AggressiveGroup: 2

Info: Johannessen, or the mysterious Bowser as he is known, is an unknown entity in this year's competition. Has he been furiously training in secret?

Odds: 25/1

Player ProfilesName: Dennis "the Munk" ChristensenAge: 25Country: DenmarkPlaying style: UnpredictableGroup: 2

Info: Christensen is an outside runner in this year's competition but the bookmakers may have underestimated this up-and-coming amateur.

Odds: 40/1

Player ProfilesName: Tobias "pretty boy" PetersenAge: 24Country: GermanyPlaying style: AttackingGroup: 3

Info: Petersen's matches are usually attended by his hareem of groupies or the Peterphiles, as they are known. But can he ignore this constant female attention and focus his undoubted talent when it matters?

Odds: 4/1

Player ProfilesName: Christian "The Bossman" Dam RasmussenAge: 29Country: DenmarkPlaying style: AuthoritarianGroup: 3

Info: Rasmussen is known to ruthlessly dominate his opponents into submission. His intimidating style must be ignored if his challenger is to be victorious.

Odds: 8/1

Player ProfilesName: Jacob "the kitten" FlygenringAge: 29Country: DenmarkPlaying style: UnconventionalGroup: 3

Info: It is actually unknown where Flygenring acquired his bizarre nickname of the kitten. Perhaps it's ironic or something. Strange. Nevertheless, he's one to watch out for in the tournament.

Odds: 9/1

Player ProfilesName: Jesus "Christ" FernandezAge: 25Country: SpainPlaying style: Tiki-takaGroup: 3

Info: Some might argue his nickname is a bit lazy but there is a reason behind it. Fernandez earned his moniker during his training at the famous Masia (messiah) academy.

Odds: 25/1

Player ProfilesName: Stephanie "the diva" JensenAge: 22Country: DenmarkPlaying style: ErraticGroup: 3

Info: Prone to tantrums like all divas, Jensen is capable of producing high quality table tennis at times but unfortunately is far too inconsistent to be considered a real contender in this year's tournament.

Odds: 20/1

Player ProfilesName: Guillaume "the frog" MazellaAge: 27Country: FrancePlaying style: All-roundGroup: 4

Info: Mazella's entry into this year's competition is shrouded in controversy amidst allegations of match fixing. Having cleared his name can he now concentrate on delivering the goods?

Odds: 6/1

Player ProfilesName: Neal "the real deal" StoranAge: 27Country: Great BritainPlaying style: ElegantGroup: 4

Info: Storan certainly has a lot to prove. His style of play has attracted plenty of praise from critics over the years but he has yet to produce in the big tournaments. Could this be his year?

Odds: 7/1

Player ProfilesName: Søren "tornado" JakobsenAge: 31Country: DenmarkPlaying style: FranticGroup: 4

Info: The tornado doesn't mess about. He likes to play at a fast pace and get the job done quickly. He also constantly refers to himself in the third person, which is kinda strange.

Odds: 20/1

Player ProfilesName: Kim "the underdog" DehmlowAge: 24Country: DenmarkPlaying style: AttackingGroup: 4

Info: Dehmlow has slipped under the radar amidst the pre-tournament hype and may surprise one or two people in this year's tournament. Watch out for his slice returns.

Odds: 8/1

Player ProfilesName: Janis Daniel "name hog" Pascal EwaldAge: 27Country: GermanyPlaying style: RebelliousGroup: 4

Info: Two names is good. Three is acceptable. But four is just greedy. Just like his attitude towards naming conventions, Ewald shuns table tennis etiquette. Expect the unexpected.

Odds: 25/1

Good Luck to all the competitors and may the best man, or woman,

win!

Better Collective 2013