News

20 players took part in the 2-legged race on Thursday and Friday 13/14th August and 32 players in the class singles events over the weekend.

2-legged race Manager Frances Low reports:
The 2-legged race, which is event 2 of the August tournament, was won this year by Jack Davies and Valerie Whittle. For those who have not heard of the event – the 2 legs consist of 14 point handicap doubles, then handicap and advanced 14 point singles. Points are scored for pegging out, peels, etc. There are 2 rounds on each of 2 days. The result was in doubt until the final round when Jack and Valerie played Paul Castell and John Bee. A close doubles was won by Jack and Valerie, +2 on time after Jack pegged out Paul and then himself to win the match. Jack won his singles but Valerie was well beaten by John. However, Jack and Valerie took the Howard Austin Cups with 56 points, well ahead in the end of John and Paul. John and Pauline Davey came 3^rd. The champion peeler was Jack! A really fun, relaxing event – try it next year!
 

Class singles Manager John Low reports:
Rather mixed weather did not detract from the enjoyment of a weekend's croquet.  Four cups were in contention (see all the results in the previous news item).

The Abbey Challenge Cup proved to be a 3-way tussle between Dick Knapp, Paul Castell and Mark Fawcett. Dick Knapp was the victor with 6 wins in 7 games.  Mark Fawcett also had 6 wins but lost to Dick.

The Scott Cup was played as a swiss event and also proved to be a 3-way battle between Barry Gould, Ron Sherwin and Jonathan Isaacs.  Barry and Jonathan ended up with 4 games a piece, with Barry beating Jonathan and taking the cup.

The Daldy Cup was a run-away victory for Brian Kitching with a straight 5 wins.  He did say he hadn't been playing well recently so clearly this is a dangerous return to form!

The Monteith Bowl is the handicap event in the tournament and this year was played with full bisques.  Some of the players were a little disconcerted by this at the beginning, but it did have the desired effect of increasing the number of pegged out games.  There were clear winners in the two half blocks of Steve Lewendon and Pam Gooders; however, in the subsequent play-off, Wendy Spencer-Smith came through as the eventual winner of a rather fine cup.

I hope all the players enjoyed themselves and will come back again next year.

A rain-affected but nonetheless enjoyable weekend saw the second 'Castell Soda Syphons' tournament at Southwick.

This is a doubles tournament played in the alternate stroke format and 14 points per game.

14 teams entered, with players coming from as far afield as East Dorset and Watford.

Runners-up were Steve Lewendon and Gerald Gooders, both of SCCC.

The winning team were David Harrison-Wood and Helena Urban from East Dorset.



More pictures in the Photo album.

In a close single-game final, Howard Cheyne beat Richard Thompson 10-8 to take the Sussex Golf Croquet Championship for 2009.
Howard started the weekend in good form and beat 2008 winner Rutger Beijderwellen in his first game in the block stage, and losing only 1 match in the whole weekend.
22 players competed in pleasant sunshine and included players from South Africa and a contingent from the Hamburg Croquet Club in Germany.

(Left to right) Winner Howard and runner-up Richard


Antje, Peter and Nina from Hamburg Croquet Club

David Gaitley beat runners-up Lawrence Whittaker and Daphne Gaitley and a field of 18 players to win the May Bank Holiday Advanced tournament.
 

Winner David Gaitley with the Reckitt Cup


Runners-up Daphne Gaitley and Lawrence Whittaker