Weekly Table Tennis Gear Watch 242: Hugo Calderano's Main Setup Confirmed
1. Hugo’s Setup Is Now Clear
Last issue I covered Joola’s new product releases for Hugo. I was wrong in my prediction — I had assumed he would use the KL-C inner model, partly because KLC fiber can be dyed different colors. But honestly, how could Joola’s flagship blade be only 700 to 800 yuan? Especially given that the company’s American ownership has a growth-first mindset.
Now it’s confirmed. At least for the moment, Hugo’s setup is: JOOLA ARY-C blade, two sides Trinity Charged (hardness 57.5 degrees).
The structure is similar to the 968 family, just with different fiber. The exact fiber composition isn’t fully known yet. Previously there was a version with inner green fiber carbon, but that was only a prototype. Joola sent nearly 20 sample blades to Hugo for testing. The ARY-C is currently the confirmed main board.
There’s also an ARY-X, which I suspect may be a composite fiber. It releases in late July, priced around 1,600 yuan. The ARY series represents Joola’s flagship line.
The two flagship rubbers launching in late June: Trinity Charged at 57.5 degrees, Trinity Dynamic at 52.5 degrees.
Does that remind you of Joola’s Rhyzen C57.5 and C52.5? For the record, 52.5 suits amateurs, but many pro players find it too soft for the backhand. As shown in older footage from Hugo’s Joola days, he used C55.0 on both forehand and backhand.
(Image from WTT World Table Tennis. Backhand C55.0)
2. Current Rubber Trends
One trend is taking existing models and making them harder — for example, Yasaka RAKZA 7 Hard.
Pro players are leaning this way too. For instance, Moregard switched from Helix Platinum XH to two sides of Helix 55 degrees. I plan to test that 55-degree version next week.
The other ongoing trend is semi-tacky rubbers, which keep multiplying — like this Andro series.
And an ESN sample I was testing last night is also semi-tacky.
3. Victas Goes the Other Direction
Victas is going against the grain, launching a domestically-made heavy tacky rubber this month.
What sets it apart from previous releases: the earlier Triple Double Extra was high-tack (Niwa Koki switched to it on the backhand at the January 2021 All-Japan Championships), while the XEGNA series is semi-tacky. In my brief test session, the two XEGNA models were relatively easy to generate power with — quite unlike many semi-tacky German-style rubbers.
Victas is also releasing a Koki Niwa 10th anniversary blade, available in four different structures.