Forging a new path is inherently perilous. Trailblazers of all stripes face the uncharted pitfalls of their field of endeavor, and often assume such risks alone. When one faces what J.D. Salinger described as "a particularly isolating form of pioneering," it is nice when your friends show up to help out. Such was the case for the innovators behind the 2019 ITTF Parkinson’s World Championships, held this weekend in Pleasantville, New York. The first-of-its-kind event attracted over 70 participants from 18 countries around the world. The tournament, open to anyone diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, underscored the importance of exercise in treating the debilitating condition. Organized under the aegis of the ITTF Foundation's TT 4 Health program, the event was spearheaded by musician Nenad Bach, founder of Ping Pong Parkinson's, and Westchester Table Tennis Center owner and tournament host Will Shortz. The championships saw action in women's and men's events, featuring both singles and doubles action. In women's singles, Ping Pong Parkinson's charter member Margie Alley (pictured) claimed the gold over Yurie Kato of Japan, (11-1, 11-8). "I contracted Parkinson’s in March 2012," said the victorious Alley. "I tried tennis but I kept falling over, much prefer table tennis, really it’s great to be a world champion." In women's doubles, Asako Katagiri and Yurie Kato of Japan claimed the pinnacle of the podium. "We had very little opportunity to practise together," said Asako Katagiri afterwards. "Now we are really good friends." In men's doubles, it was Germany who claimed the title, with Thorsten Boomhuis and Holger Teppe outlasting the United States' Nevin Kumar and Ilya Rozenblat, (11-9, 6-11, 11-5). With the greater number of male participants, the men's events were divided into three divisions. Class 1 signified the greatest level of impairment from Parkinson's Disease, as determined by the physicians on hand for the tournament. The Class 3 championship was contested between Brazil’s Edmur Mesquita and Oklahoma’s Hamid Ezzat-Ahmadi, with the latter posting a victorious (11-9, 9-11, 11-3) scoreline. In the Class 2 final, Russian-born Ilya Rozenblat of Kansas City overcame Germany’s Thorsten Boomhuis (11-6, 11-2). Holger Teppe of Germany claimed the Class 1 crown over Portugal’s Damasio Caeiro, (11-7, 12-10). "It was a tough match against Damasio, he made many changes during the match; it was really complicated," said Holger Teppe. "I contracted Parkinson’s eight years ago," continued Teppe, who went on to underscore the overarching purpose of the tournament: "For sure playing table tennis helps having a better life."

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