KENT PETANQUE ASSOCIATION ISSUE No.32 FEBRUARY 2009 A GOURMET WEEKEND AT WHITTLESEY AND A SUPER SUPPER AT VIGO Page 1
Saturday, midday blowout in the Sunshine Café in the centre of Whittlesey, all day breakfast or lamb shank, or both, followed by apple crumble with custard all for the cost of a daily newspaper, more or less. Evening, midway through the petanque competition another blowout gourmet fish and chip supper with mushy peas washed down with wine that is cheaper than water. Sunday morning, the best ever fried breakfast in the local bed and breakfast, grilled is not an option.followed by a midday buffet table fit for a king, in between matches. And then there was the Petanque. The first WEEKEND INDOOR CLUB COMPETITION of this year took place at the Boulodrome, Whittlesey, near Peterborough on Saturday, February 21st and Sunday 22nd. Restricted by space to six teams, the KPA was represented by Hartley Country Club and Plough and Chequers (playing for the last time under that name before they become Meadow). They competed against three teams from the North and the home side, Boulodrome in this event, which is a mixture of doubles and singles matches. After day one the Boulodrome team were in the lead with 8 wins out of 10 with HCC close on their heels with 7 wins. Hartley faded on Sunday and Plough and Chequers made a surge, but they could not catch up enough to get in the prizes. Boulodrome maintained their position over the two days running out winners with Weatherby second, HCC third and Plough and Chequers fourth. The weekend was organised by John and Angie Gaughan from York, with help from the locals. The highlight of Saturday is the break for a fish and chip supper with play ending about 8pm. On Sunday play starts at 10am and a lunchtime buffet ensures that no one goes home hungry when play finishes at about 6pm. Whittlesey is the only indoor venue in England, with heating, a bar, kitchen and restaurant area. The Club Challenge runs again in November but the weekend is proving so popular that the management is trying to find a date in the calendar. FINAL PLACINGS. 1st Boulodrome (16wins) - 2nd Weatherby (14wins) - 3rd Hartley Country Club (13wins) - 4th Plough and Chequers (12wins) - 5th Saddle (10wins) - 6th Yorkies (10wins). First three teams received cases of fine wines. The Plough and Chequers Team consisted. Mark, Robert and Corrine Cooter, Sandra Powell, Diane Carlo, Roland Jones and Richard Spillett and the HCC Team consisted Mick and Joyce Nash, Colin and Irene Gibbs, John and Linda Bradley and Colin and Anne Senneck. Factual report by Colin Senneck The remainder..by Artistic License Page 2
SUNDAY 1st MARCH The HIGHLAND SHIELD DOUBLES open invitation to all petanque players starts at 10am sharp SEAL PETANQUE CLUB THE CROWN INN HIGH STREET SEAL Top up your equipment for the Season Pen-Y-Coed will be at SEAL from 10am until 3pm with a wide range of boule and petanque HORTON KIRBY OPEN TRIPLES COMPETITION SUNDAY 22nd MARCH STARTS AT 10am SHARP STARTS AT 8pm SHARP, SUPPORTERS AND SPECTATORS ALL VERY WELCOME BUT ARE REQUESTED TO PARK IN THE VILLAGE HALL CAR PARK APPROXIMATELY 20 METRES FROM THE PUB Page 3
HURRICANES BURY EPA CHAMPIONSHIPS Each year the English Petanque Association holds competitions to establish SINGLES, DOUBLES and MIXED DOUBLES champions for the year. For the last few years these competitions have been held, mainly in the rain, at a sugar factory located at Bury St.Edmonds. For this year 2009, these competitions will be held on the Isle of Wight at the Sandown & Shanklin HURRICANES R.F.C. ground where the Petanque Section play. The venue is large, with 32 pistes, a club house, and is not too far from the sea, and it is always sunny. The Petanque Club is home to the SILVER TIGERS team who came fifth in the Home Nations Championships held last year at Dartford, big blokes, look like ex-rugby players, John Buchingham, Alan Whitehouse, Alan Routledge and Mike Renouf. Mike Renouf is currently the President of the EPA Isle of Wight Region. The schedule for the competitions is.. Saturday 23rd May EPA Singles Championship Sunday 24th May EPA Doubles Championship Monday 25th May EPA Mixed Doubles Championship Am told by a reliable source that the best deal to be had..is to book accommodation, hotel, B&B, and get them to arrange the ferry crossing, it should be the cheapest route. Have received communication, albeit second hand from a long time player, bon-vivant and general good egg from the Parish of Ryarsh, who asks. there s a lot of it about, but from where do we get it. It he refers to are piste supplies, sleepers, lighting, edging, scoreboards etc. From time to time, new clubs and venues are formed, old clubs carry out major piste refurbishments, and all go through the same learning curve...what s the best to use?, where do you get it from? and how cheap can we get it for?. Where can you buy stick on numbers for scoreboards, and who really knows which material is best for the top surface finish of pistes that is both durable for play and the worst of the weather, and most importantly produces ideal petanque. All valid questions, and maybe collectively we know all or parts of the answers that could prove to be very helpful. Therefore please share your knowledge, contact the Gazette with your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Page 4
DON T FORGET K.P.A. MANAGEMENT MEETING 12th MARCH at 8pm At HARTLEY COUNTRY CLUB All K.P.A. registered clubs are welcome to send representatives to this meeting. If you are only half serious about playing petanque, you should seriously consider entering the COUNTY TRIPLES QUALIFYING competitions. A series of four competitions at different venues across Kent. Although the format is for triples, a fourth player is allowed in the team as a reserve to give teams a reasonable chance of turning up at all the venues. Points for matches are collected at each competition and summated after the 4th Qualifier to establish the top teams that will represent Kent at Pontins Brean Sands for the E.P.A. National Triples Championships in September. The Kent Triples Qualifiers attract all standards of players with the opportunity for those teams that do not go to Brean Sands to play in the Chairmans Cup Cash Prize Competition in September. The 1st COUNTY TRIPLES QUALIFIER will be LORDSWOOD on Sunday 29th March, team registration from 9:15am to 9:45 with competition to start prompt at 10am. MICHAEL SMITH ( 1936 2009 ) Mick Smith of the Plough & Chequers PC sadly passed away in his sleep on the night of 18th February. He had an abscess on his heart and was just too weak to cope with it. Mick was one of the ever present members of the P&C 3 Kent League side from their start in division 9 who gained successive promotions each year until reaching Division 1 in 2007. Although Mick didn t enjoy the best of health over the last couple of seasons, he was always keen to play. His enthusiasm and enjoyment of the game were often inspirational. The funeral will be held on Friday 6th March at 10:40am at the Crematorium, Robin Hood Lane, Blue Bell Hill KEN FLOWERDAY ( 1932 2009 ) Ken was a founder member of Hartley Country Club Petanque who sadly passed away this month after suffering a stroke and ill health for the last couple of years. Ken was a man for all-sports, Squash, Skiing, Sailing, Swimming, Tennis, Weights and Petanque to name a few. He was also an active social member of H.C.C. including regular Friday nights for a few pints, and put the world to rights. Ken worked for many years in newspaper print followed in the later years as a coach driver and chauffeur of vintage cars for weddings. A thanksgiving service to celebrate the life of KEN will be held on Wednesday 11th March at 11am at the Crematorium, Robin Hood KENT PETANQUE PLAYERS OFFER SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF MICK AND KEN
The VILLAGER PUB in the centre of VIGO village home of the VILLAGER PETANQUE CLUB, and several Littleys. Snaps record a cold night in February after a KPA Winter League game played through blizzards and foul winds from Les Mistrals. After the third sausage and third pint.can t remember the score, but I don t think the Villagers won. Whilst the visiting team found the need to crowd around the warming open fire, the less senior members of the Villagers tucked into the grub, prior to rushing off to see Mr.Sandman in preparation for the following mornings paper round. The popular busy local pub serves several draught bitters, Adnams, Gravesend Guzzler, Green King IPA, and Guinness,,and lagers, Cronenburg, Fosters, Carlsburg and 1664 to name but a few.all at a reasonable price. The landlord Dave Littley has organised a full range of weekly entertainment in the pub.. Monday, Bingo, Tuesday the latest craze of Poker and a Golf Society, Wednesday, Petanque and Pool, Thursday, Live Music and Ladies Darts, Sunday, informal Quiz and most Saturday nights part of the bar is reserved for a private function. The Villagers P.C. are twinned with a Club in France, Fort Mardyck near Dunquerque, and play matches at the Villager in June and away in France in October. And finally a good night was had by all, with thanks to Samantha and the supper. Page 6
Is there a correct, or suitable type of footwear for petanque?, does the type of footwear improve players ability?...what do the RULES say about acceptable footwear? To advertise an event or business in the GAZETTE please contact RON YATES at...www.yatesron705@aol.com or Tel.01474 707323 The Kent Petanque Gazette is edited by Ron Yates. Any item of news for inclusion in future editions should be sent to e-mail www.yatesron705@aol.com The views expressed in the Kent Petanque Gazette are those of the editor and contributors only, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the KENT PETANQUE ASSOCIATION or the ENGLISH PETANQUE ASSO- 15% off your pétanque orders Pétanque Clothing Work wear Corporate wear Sports wear Equestrian/Pets Gifts Logo Digitising 25 Online Catalogue No job is too small Alan Cregeen Proprietor 28 Milner Road Elvington Dover Kent CT15 4EQ 01304 830809 or 07702 106581 www.embroiderydepot.co.uk sales@embroiderydepot.co.uk Embroidery Depot Embroidery Depot supplier and embroiderer of your logos onto a wide range of clothing and gift ideas. Embroidery Depot are able to supply and machine embroider a wide range of polo shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, rugby shirts, fleece, jackets, caps, bags, towels, flags and other garments, sew or ironon badges. Page 7
KENT PTANQUE ASSOCIATION SUMMER LEAGUES 2009 JUST ANNOUNCED 10minutes ago DIVISION 1 Fighting Cocks Meadow 1 Lordswood Mistral George Spitfires Hartley Falcons Mossey s Rats Tovil Tornadoes Vale Tavern Villager A George Masters DIVISION 2 Meadow 2 Bat & Ball Lordswood Twister Seal Blues Wheatsheaf Hartley Eagles Harriers 1 Crown A Hartley Kestrals Hartley Merlins DIVISION 3 Lordswood Storm Lordswood Lightning Seal Whites Tovillers Beauty of Bath 1 Duke of Edinburgh Singleton Barn Mossey s Regulars Optomists Duke of Wellington Campaigners DIVISION 4 Ightham GRFC Hartley Hawks White House Lions Borstal Mudlarks Villager B Walnut Tree Vetrans Tovil Miners Three Tuns DIVISION 5 Harriers 2 Sydney Arms Star Meadow Sports Hartley Owls Redstart Pilot Villager Hurricanes Beauty of Bath 2 Luddesdowne Cocks Lordswood Tempest DIVISION 6 Battle of Britain Bridges Ditton Kiln Barners Lordswood Moldavians Hartley Kites New Ash Green Dule of Wellington Troopers White House Senators White House Bell White House Presidents DIVISION 7 George Bishops Sydney Small Arms Sherwood Oak Borstal Sandpipers Villager C Crown Jewels Ditton Streamliners Villager D Duke of Wellington Gunners Henley Street Cocks The previous Plough and Chequers teams have taken up residence at the STAR MEADOWS SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB under the name of MEADOW. They are sharing this venue with the team that was previously known as 442, which will be playing this year as Star Meadow Sports. Fixture lists for the complete summer season are scheduled to be issued to Clubs by mid March. Page 8