Petanque Wallingford

EURO CUP COMPETITION
At the beginning of 2021 we entered a team for the Euro Cup competition. As we were just coming out of covid restrictions it was difficult to get a team together.
Some members were wondering whether to renew their membership and if they did, they didn’t know if it was worth getting their Petanque England license. But despite all this we managed to get a team together who were: Adrian Aldred, Dave Chalkley, Chris Shaw,
Sarah Massey, Wendy Harris, Steve Gothard, Pete Jones and Val Smith.
     The first two matches were played against clubs in the Thames Valley. For our ur first match we had a bye and the second was against Winnersh. We could only play six of our team for this match as Chris and Pete had other commitments.
     We played Winnersh on their home ground and after some good games we won the match.
     After a long wait we were drawn against Muscliffe Park a club from Bournemouth who had previously beaten the Kings Head from Maidenhead - a very good team. We had a couple of months to arrange this match and it had to be played by a certain date.
     The day before we were to play Muscliffe Park had a team member come down with covid so we had to rearrange another date. They for some reason could not put a team together, which meant we had a walkover, so we went through to the semi-finals.
     The semi-finals were held this year at Oxshot in Surrey. This time we had a team of eight who were: Adrian Aldred, Dave Chalkley, Chris Shaw, Steve Gothard, Pete Jones, Peter Smith, Wendy Harris and Val Smith.
We really were the under dogs and we had to play three of the top teams in the country. We won some games and had points on the board in all the games, even those we lost, and good points at that. However we we did not come bottom.
     We had a fabulous day and learnt a lot and now we are ready to do it all over again for Euro Cup 22/23. So be ready to join the team!
Val.

With temperatures in excess of 32 degrees - and set to break records - the government issued a red alert. On this day we held our Open day, we were not disappointed with the outcome as 44 people from all over the Thames Valley joined us. The day started with Adrian, Debbie, Mike and Paul arriving at the terrain before 8 am - up went the umbrellas and gazebo along with the bunting and balloons. Adrian had put his carpentry skills into practice and produced a blackboard to welcome our guests.
     With the Union Jack flying high play began at 10 am by random selection and three-timed games were played in the morning with an hours break for lunch. The sports centre did not disappoint, we were treated to a delicious bbq,  and in order to keep out of the sun we decided to eat inside. We received many donations for our raffle and ran out of tickets (!) but we managed to sell all of them raising £100 plus gift aid for Macmillan Cancer Support.
     Play resumed at 2 pm and with the breeze still blowing and temperatures soaring, a further two games took us to the presentation of the prizes. First place Dave Chalkley, second place Mike Marshall and third place Chris Shaw, the three winners all received a medal along with cash and a bottle of wine.  Val Smith was the friendliest player, but unfortunately there is no photo as she left before the presentation.
    A welcome cuppa and a slice of homemade cakes made by Mike M and Debbie went down well, a treat for all. A big thank you to all who turned out and many thanks to all the organisers. 

The day dawned bright and clear for the Rotary Fundraining Petanque Day. Gerry Alec, Pat and Therese went to lend a hand 'supervising' play. They Rotary people had got their bright and early and the pistes were already made (with the sand supplied by Rivar Sand and Gravel) and ready for off when we arrived, so all we had to do was distribute the boules (which we had prepared earlier in the week) and take up our positions. Therese joined two Rotary people on the 'Closest to the Jack' piste (5 goes for £2.00). Pat was on the 'practice' piste and Gerry and Alec were responsible for the 4 competition pistes.
     Thirteen teams of 4 players per team took part in 30 minutes games or 9 points whichever came first. The teams were Willow and Blooms, Newbury Town Councillors, Wilkinson’s Chimney Sweeps, A Plan Insurance, AMS Couriers, Newbury 41 Club,
Thatcham Rotary Club, West Berks Mencap, Les Chasseur, Toffs, Toffets, Cat-astrophe and Boules of Steel.
Play started sharp at 10.00am.  We broke for lunch at 12.15 and resumed play at 12.45. When all the teams had played the semi-final was played (to 11 points) followed by the final (to 13 points).
   The winning team was Willow and Blooms who retained their title. The junior closest to the jack was Harry.
And before you could blink the pistes were dismantled and the sand carted away! Very efficient.
Although it was very hot, everyone had a good time and we look forward to doing it all again next year.
See the Rotary Facebook page for more information. www.facebook.com/NewburyRotaryClub.

Two and a half years ago the Cholsey WI came to play their third outing in the Sports Park but covid intervened and they we not able to come, so it was a real pleasure to welcome them back this year to the Bouledrome for their fourth outing.
    The weather smiled on us and we had a lovely summer evening. Sixteen ladies and their husbands/partners came to play.  One pair would only be able to come later - they could join in later as we would be playing a melee.
    Paul & Debbie prepared the terrain, Gerry laid out boules and rings for the teams and hung up scoreboards, Thérèse, helped by Debbie, signed up players as soon as they arrived. Everyone was on time and sorted into pairs.
    Wendy read out some safety observations and explained a bit about how the game was played. Paul and Debbie did a demonstration. And we stared melee play - 3 x 35 minute times games, with Gerry, Debbie, Wendy, Paul and Mike ‘helping’. A couple of people had played before, but most were newcomers, so the first throws went all over the place! But petanque is a game very quickly learned and with expert help on hand, things soon settled down to some fun play. Some people even grasped some tactics.
    Just as the first game was ending the final two players arrived and were slotted in, so we now had 6 pairs and two triples and two games to play.
    At 9.00 we finished play and retired to the Sports Park Pavilion for supper, a selection of delicious freshly made pizzas & chips) provided from the Sports Park kitchens by Michelle and her team, and of course Prize giving.
    First place went to John L, in Second place was Judith (she had to leave early so we have no picture), in Third place was Sarah V and the Friendliest player was Robin. They all enjoyed themselves and hope to come again next year.
Thank you to the helpers Wendy, Gerry, Paul & Debbie and Mike for contributing to their pleasure.
T

Without a cloud in the sky on what was possibly the hottest day of the year, we held our Doubles Trophy. Despite the poor turnout and with last minute cancellations, partners were selected by random draw. Unfortunately, two players had to volunteer to drop out to enable play to continue. With games underway Loren became the umpire for the evening and Adrian arrived later and presented the winners with their Dotty Cup trophies.

The teams were:
Julie and Ray
JJ and Debbie
Steve and Carol
Simon and Paul

There were some tense ends and some close games but the overall winners were Simon & Paul. Runners up were Steve & Carol. Simon dominates this year's trophy leader board.

Well done to everyone and a special thanks to Mike who volunteered to run the evening and to Loren for his umpiring skills.

PH

Well, what a day. We (Gerry and I) went to the Kings Head in Little Marlow for their Open Day. The sun shone and the reinstated terrain looked splendid and it was lovely to see so many familiar faces and to be greeted so warmly.
     We arrived in good time and play started at 10 sharp. Our first game was against two of the Kings Head Players and Eileen's son, and they beat us 13:4. Then we played against the Great Western team & Linda Thorpe and we were fannied! Always a good start, hey. We went on to play against some new players and after a few ends had to stop for lunch because it was being served at 12.00. After a lunch of chiabattas (!) we pulled our socks up and actually won (got a fortuitious six) and that put us in into the Plate.  Much to our astonishment. We met the newcomers again, and beat them so we went into the plate Final.
   However, we had an hour wait to play the plate final. Gave me time to have a little nap though. When we finally got to play (against Russel Ford, his brother and father). We got 5 straight off and from there just got better and better and we won the Plate 13:5. Fancy that hey. We got two bottles of wine (plus two in the raffle) AND the prize for the first fanny of the day!! So what with being the friendlyist player on Wednesday, Winning the Plate and getting the two wooden spoons for the first fanny today, it's been quite a roller coaster for early June.
     Paul and Dean and Bob won the main and the da Silvas of Great Western and Linda (the people who fannied us!!!) were the main runners up. We finally left at 6 pm, tired out…
     Many of them hope to come to our open in the middle of July.
Therese

On a blustery Wednesday evening 8th June 2022, we held our monthly money melee. With eighteen members signed up on teamer, lots were drawn and play began. With the first timed game underway, the concentration and silence were broken by laughter on piste three. Chris Hurst attempted to shoot out Debbie's holding ball, missing and hitting out his partner Steves ball,  Chris's ball then ricocheted back onto the cochonnet, putting them on. Not satisfied with that Chris took the opportunity to shoot out the ball he missed. This required a high lob over the top of another ball resulting in a fantastic carreau, putting them on for two. This is an example of how skill and error can be rewarding in the unpredictable game of Petanque. The weather stayed fine throughout the evening and everyone had a good time. After three games and without the need for lights play finished at 9:15 and the winners were announced.

First Place - John Johnson
Second Place - Bridget Jones
Third Place - Debbie Hammond
Friendliest player - Thérèse Lewis

Thanks to Wendy for arriving early and setting up and for Pete for taking the reins and running the event.
Paul H

A lovely sunny day, with the occasional cloud, for fun in the Park to celebrate and start of the Jubilee Weekend - some hockey was going on, people with squash and tennis rackets passed by and Matt and Michele did a barbecue in the specially roped off area outside the pavilion. This was well populated throughout the day.
     We started play at 2 pm - some 30 people turned out - members with friends and family, four very young boys among them. The boys played very well. After we had been playing for a while passers by, on the way to the barbecue outside the pavilion, stopped to watch and we invited them in to join us. They came and had a lovely time. We hope they will join! A father and his two young daughters sat and watched for a while and were invited to come and play on Brighton Beach much to their delight.
    After the first game we stopped for tea and cake, provided by Wendy (delicious lemon drizzle) and Val (scrumptious coffee and walnut). Some people went down and got burgers from the barbecue and several people also bought raffle tickets in support of the Sports Park fundraising. (Therese won a prize of karate lessons! Now that’s a pretty sight to imagine …)
    After tea more games took place and eventually everyone went home tired and happy. Three more days of fun and parties to go …

On Wednesday 4th May we played for our Singles Trophy, the first time in two years. Earlier in the day we had found that, after weeks without rain, the pistes were playing very fast. Two hours before play everything changed ... the heavens opened drenching the pistes. This deluge added an extra dimension to play as they became a lot slower, benefiting some but not all.
   Eight pistes were strung and together with Brighton Beach this enabled us to accommodate the twenty players signed up on Teamer.  At 7:15 precisely and to the sound of Mike's air horn 20 players raced to their allotted pistes, to play the 30-minute timed melee with four playing on Brighton Beach.
    The ten winners plus the next best six then took their places for a knockout round. Reaching the quarter finals were Dave Smith, JJ, Chris Hurst, Simon Ratliff, Mike Marshall, Loren Butt, Kevin Deane and Ray Hill .
     With everyone seated for the semi-finals, Christ Hurst and Simon Ratliff together with Mike Marshall and JJ, treated the crowd to some magnificent petanque. Both teams bravely battling to reach the final. The crowd cheered and applauded and to the sounds of ooh's and ah's the final was decided, Mike Marshall to play Simon Ratliff.
     The players at this point were feeling a little jaded and an umpire was called upon to eliminate the relentless pacing up and down. The crowd were not disappointed, both players produced some jaw dropping, nail biting play and with the mist now forming over the pistes, Simon eventually clinched the game, in what was a fantastic display of pointing skills by both players.
     Well done to both finalists', a superb game and another Trophy in the cabinet for Simon.
Many thanks to Mike Marshall and Pete Jones for running this event.

Paul

A cool damp start at Wallingford for the Red Kites match against Winnersh Wanderers. A couple of close games but overall, a great result for the Red Kites at home, resulting in a
6 : 1 win. Bob Young missed the photo opportunity but did play. Maggie 84 years young pointed like a real trouper and put up a good battle for her club.

Well done to both teams
Paul H