We played in the 2nd Londonaise today and we had a lovely time. I have just worked out that they could have made 308 (ish) pistes on the space in Barnard Park in the middle of Islington! But they divided the terrain (actually two+ football pitches.) into 4 with strings and we played 'open terrain'. The terrain is very much like ours, but not as bumpy. But it was very dry, so very fast! I was having a spot of bother getting the hang of the speed! (I hope in theirrefurbishment plans the Council keeps 2 pitches of this nice finish and notgrass!)
On Saturday it was a pairs melee with people just coming along for some fun and people who would appear again on Sunday. I played with a little French Baker, a huge Belgian, some lovely French Londoners who have just begun playing (they are very young, so me and my French partner beat them! They were probably being respectful!). I can't remember who Jules and Gerry and Cheryl played with.
On Saturday it was a pairs melee with people just coming along for some fun and people who would appear again on Sunday. I played with a little French Baker, a huge Belgian, some lovely French Londoners who have just begun playing (they are very young, so me and my French partner beat them! They were probably being respectful!). I can't remember who Jules and Gerry and Cheryl played with.
On Sunday Cheryl took lots of the pictures and kept Bonnie company while we played as a Triples Team. There were players from all over the place: Belgium, England (Cornwall, Devon, Kent, Chilterns), France (lots), London French (lots), Holland, Sweden, Spain, Gibraltar, Hungary!! And others I can't remember offhand. Some were world champions and ex-world champions,and of course last year's winners! 'Only' 80 teams on the Sunday. We played Team Triples.
When Alan Roland announced things on the Sunday morning he said (glibly) that we would 'start playing now (10.00 am)and we had 11 hours to finish all our games' (gulp 11 hours!) – so prizes around 9.00pm!
Sod's law would have it that we were drawn, in our Second Match against the eventual winners. On our way to the slaughter met the chaps who played them before us and they said they were very happy to take 4 points off them! And challenged us to take one more. So we did!! We took one point off them (perhaps they let us win so as not to fanny us!)
This French team, from Perpignan, play a very different game to what we are used to – they shoot EVERYTHING, no matter how close or far away from the cochonnet. They got 95% of their shots. It was a good lesson!
We won 2 of our 5 games, but I was worn out! We were on quadrant 4, so we had a long distance to walk before we even started play that's my excuse!
Here's how we did:
Lost against a team from Kent 13:3 • Lost against last year's winners 13:1 • Won against a team of French Londoners 13:2 • Won against a French Team from Toulon (in 5 ends) 13:1 • Lost against a mixed French/English team 13:5. (This team's lead used to play at Burnham).
We were nearly in the Bronze Group finals. Thank heaven we weren't so we were able to come home at 5.30. I was so tired!
The Winners were Team Bacchin from Perpignan, 2nd place Team Malbec from Paris.
For a full report of results, and more pictures, visit the Londonaise Facebook.
I hope next year we can take persuade more Petanque Wallingford people to go.
When Alan Roland announced things on the Sunday morning he said (glibly) that we would 'start playing now (10.00 am)and we had 11 hours to finish all our games' (gulp 11 hours!) – so prizes around 9.00pm!
Sod's law would have it that we were drawn, in our Second Match against the eventual winners. On our way to the slaughter met the chaps who played them before us and they said they were very happy to take 4 points off them! And challenged us to take one more. So we did!! We took one point off them (perhaps they let us win so as not to fanny us!)
This French team, from Perpignan, play a very different game to what we are used to – they shoot EVERYTHING, no matter how close or far away from the cochonnet. They got 95% of their shots. It was a good lesson!
We won 2 of our 5 games, but I was worn out! We were on quadrant 4, so we had a long distance to walk before we even started play that's my excuse!
Here's how we did:
Lost against a team from Kent 13:3 • Lost against last year's winners 13:1 • Won against a team of French Londoners 13:2 • Won against a French Team from Toulon (in 5 ends) 13:1 • Lost against a mixed French/English team 13:5. (This team's lead used to play at Burnham).
We were nearly in the Bronze Group finals. Thank heaven we weren't so we were able to come home at 5.30. I was so tired!
The Winners were Team Bacchin from Perpignan, 2nd place Team Malbec from Paris.
For a full report of results, and more pictures, visit the Londonaise Facebook.
I hope next year we can take persuade more Petanque Wallingford people to go.
AND WHILE the petanquers were fighting it out, the Park behind us was filling up for 'Pop Up Sunday' - Stalls, Bouncy Castles and many many people.
