WINTER LEAGUE

The first round of the 2009-10 Cornwall Winter League will be played on Sunday 15 November at the Star Inn, Vogue, near St Day.

This is an open competition for pairs. Entries must be received in advance: contact Robert Herrick on 01566 772709.


REG DADDOW MEMORIAL EVENT

Winners of the 2009 Reg Daddow Memorial doubles competition, played at the Star Inn, Vogue, near St Day, on Sunday 1 November, were Graeme Kirkham and Susan Williamson of Tregony Pétanque Club.

Runners-up were a visiting team from Devon, John and Rose Thatcher of Ottery St Mary Pétanque Club.

The overall turnout of only six teams was disappointing - several teams were put off by gales and rain in the early morning. In fact, although there was a strong breeze, the rain held off until the very last game of the day and most of the competion was played in sunshine.

Proceeds from the event will go to Macmillan Cancer Support.

2009 Winners

2009 Runners up

2009 summer league

The final round of the Kernow Pétanque summer league was played at the Star Inn, St Day, on Sunday 4 October. The winners were Tregony Pétanque Club’s Trois Boules – Graeme Kirkham, Susan Williamson and Paul Rundle – with 22 wins, who took the Skinners Brewery trophy after a close competition between the top three triples.

Second were TAPS (Treleigh Arms Pétanque Society) – Simon Penna of Falmouth and Roy Pemberton and Rob Sullivan of St Columb Major – on 20 wins. Also with 20 wins but edged into third place on points difference were the Rams: Peter Gliddon and Wendy Booker of Carharrack and Martin Dyke of St Austell.

The captains’ competition – based on singles games – was won by Graeme Kirkham (Tregony PC), with six wins, followed by Robert Herrick of the Rising Sun Pétanque Club with four and Peter Lynas of Trengilly Wartha with three.

Kernow Pétanque Playing Officer Robert Herrick presents the Skinners Brewery summer league trophy to winners Trois Boules of Tregony Pétanque Club: (L-R) Graeme Kirkham, Susan Williamson, Paul Rundle

Club news

The Rising Sun club, at Treween, near Altarnun, on Bodmin Moor, will meet through the winter on Wednesday afternoons at 2pm and Sunday mornings at 10.30am, weather permitting. Information from Robert and Kate Herrick (01566 772709).

Winter sessions on the floodlit piste at the Treleigh Arms, Redruth, are on Tuesday evenings from 6pm, weather permitting.

Wedding news

Congratulations to Dave and Carla Lynas on their recent marriage. Dave has played boules in Cornwall for many years: he was a member of the Cornwall junior team which won the Division 2 title at the Inter-Regional Competition in 1998 and he won this year’s Cornwall triples competition playing with his father and sister.

The wedding was deliberately fixed for two weeks after the usual date for the Inter-Regional weekend: the change of date for that event meant that this year, unfortunately for Cornwall, he and his family were sipping champagne and eating cake rather than throwing boules on the burning pistes of Brean!

Inter-Regional Competition, Brean Sands

For the second time in two years a joint Cornwall-Devon squad took part in the English Pétanque Association’s annual Inter-Regional Competition. This was held over the fine weekend of 19-20 September at Brean Sands, Somerset. But, for the second time in two years, the combined efforts of the two regions failed to take them up the rankings.

Despite taking last place in Division 2, however, there were signs of improvement and some hope for the future: this year’s tally of games won was 41, compared with 37 in 2008, and the joint squad were hot on the heels of both Sussex (42 wins) and Anglia (45 wins).

The most successful of the Cornish triples was team 4, Paul Lancaster, Simon Penna and Hugh Appleton, all of the Treleigh Arms Petanque Society (TAPS). They won eight of the 12 games they played over the weekend.

The full Cornwall squad was:

Team 2: Robert Herrick, Roy Pemberton and Rob Sullivan

Team 4: Paul Lancaster, Simon Penna and Hugh Appleton

Team 6: Graeme Kirkham, Susan Williamson and Paul Rundle

Team 8: Dave and Rae Argent, Lena Daddow

A very big thank-you to the three Southern Counties juniors – Kaylee, Dan and Ben – who stepped in to play for the Cornwall-Devon squad and won seven of their games, coming third in the Division 2 juniors table.

The joint Cornwall-Devon squad at the Inter-Regional Championships, Brean Sands

2009 Cornwall doubles

This year’s doubles competition was held on a dull, grey Sunday at the end of August. Winners of the Skinner’s Brewery trophy were Graeme Kirkham and Paul Rundle of Tregony Pétanque Club. Second were Robert Herrick (Rising Sun PC) and Roy Pemberton (Treleigh Arms PS) and third Ruth Nicholls (Trengilly Wartha PC) and Rob Sullivan (Treleigh Arms). The Plate competition was won by Dave and Rae Argent (Rising Sun).

2009 Kernow Pétanque doubles winners, Graeme Kirkham and Paul Rundle.

Cornwall – Devon

Rain didn’t stop play for the annual Cornwall – Devon inter-regional match, held at the end of July at the Star Inn, St Day. For the second time in three years it was a very close run thing, with Devon eventually coming out winners by 13 games to 12. Two of Cornwall’s defeats were close results of 13-12, so one more point in one of those games could have won it! Looking forward to the re-match in 2010!

The picture says it all! Damp but undaunted, Cornwall and Devon players at the 2009 match between the two regions. (Photograph: Walter Wooldridge.)