The New Southern Challenge

Background

The Southern Challenge event started in 2012 as a club version of the popular GC Inter Counties. Although it was the idea of two Southwick members, it was run by the SECF and even in its first year attracted sufficient teams to require two divisions. Initially all entrants came from the ranks of the SECF. The entrants increased quite quickly and had to be split into one first division and two second divisions, N and S. In order to maintain a good standard for the first division, a small number of teams from the Southern and South Western federations were invited to join the competition.

As everyone knows, the pandemic descended upon us in 2020 and caused complete chaos and to some extent changed the support for what travelling croquet players would accept. The SECF decided that as the first division contained several teams from other federation, the first division part would best be handled directly by Southwick and the decision to do this was made late in 2023 which made publication of the changes rather difficult. I took on the role of re-establishing the first division part and started by asking for provisional entries. I am pleased to say that we now have six clubs expressing firm interest which is quite sufficient to make a good competition and the event will proceed at Southwick over the weekend of 22/23 June. It will be republished to the SECF and all adjoining federations in the next few days. The lawns available will allow for a maximum of twelve teams. Entries outside the provisional entry will be dealt with in order of receipt.

Details.

The event will be run over two days and will comprise a series of matches between the teams entered. Each match will involve a team of four, playing one doubles and two singles games played to level play rules. The detailed format will depend somewhat on the number of teams entered but numbers between six and twelve teams will require that each team meet all other teams entered at least once. Time limits will be used as this is a weekend event but will be sufficiently long to ensure most games are finished. As such, a predictable finish time on both days will be kept.

Although each match only requires four players, any team may register up to a total of eight players and thus may play two different teams on the two days.

Entry

Entry should be made by email to the Southwick Tournament Secretary, Vincent L'Estrange at vincent@sussexcountycroquetclub.org.uk .Players need not be registered in advance. Captains will be required to complete a registration sheet by the start of the event.

Entry Fee

£95/team. If you wish to pay by bank debit, please drop Vincent an email and he will provide contact details.

Starting Times

9.30 am both days

Trophy

The Simon Carter Rose Bowl

Any Queries

Please contact the manager by email bill.arliss@sussexcountycroquetclub.org.uk

Bill Arliss

Event Manager