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Festival of Croquet – June 2008

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Bowdon win NW Fed Club Championship at Southport (29/06/08) by Tony Thomas.

 

Over 100 competitors in twenty three teams took part in this annual NW Fed Croquet tournament. This is the only Croquet tournament in the UK where players and clubs come together to contest Croquet in all disciplines.

The organisation, management and catering were excellent. The South Lawns playing really well and the North Lawns providing their greatest challenge yet with a speed of minus something Plummers. Add to the mix the Southport weather of sun, rain, wind and more sun to provide a convivial croquet atmosphere.

Crake Valley won the Advanced section, Bowdon the Handicap and the Golf, Pendle the Short.  On aggregating all the points,  Bowdon were crowned 2008 Festival Champions.

Festival 2008AdvancedHandicapShortGolfPOINTS
Bowdon144716
Bury221510
Llanfairfechan03069
Southport31329
Fylde40239
Pendle00516
Crake50005
Culcheth00044

Press any image to view Slideshow:

Southport Win Mexico Trophy

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Southport Win Inaugural Croquet Trophy (31/05/08) by Tony Thomas

Southport_MexicoTrophy_08

The inaugural Mexico Trophy tournament took place at Southport and Birkdale Croquet Club last Saturday, 31 May, in Victoria Park, Southport. This new Croquet tournament will be played annually between Southport and Fylde Croquet clubs, in memory of the great lifeboat disaster of 1886, when the boats of both Southport and Lytham capsized with the loss of 27 crew, whilst going to the aid of the barque Mexico. The event will raise money for lifeboat charities.

In the heat of an early summer sun, experienced players as well as beginners, rose to the occasion, closely contesting matches in Advanced, Handicap and Short croquet formats. At lunchtime with Fylde leading 9-4, players retired, appropriately, to the Fishermans Rest for lunch, (this hostelry was used as a base by the Southport Lifeboat in 1886). Suitably fortified, Southport players made an exciting comeback in the afternoon, eventually emerging victorious 20-14.

Southport_Mexico_Cheque_08

 

Over £500 was eventually raised for the new Southport Lifeboat House Appeal and Keith Broter, Senior Cox was presented with an interim cheque fior £300 by Southport club President Professor Alan Pidcock. The impressive Mexico Trophy (in the form of a mounted brass Anchor) was then presented to Southport captain Bob Burnett.

Tim King Wins 8th Lancashire Open Golf

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Tim King won the Lancashire Golf Open by Geoff Young

TimKing_LancGolf08The 8th Lancashire International Open Golf Tournament was hosted by Bury CC on April 12-13 at Heaton Park. Twenty contenders spent the Saturday in two blocks of ten, in a format giving each 8 games. Block A was won by Ian lines with seven wins, Brian Storey and John Moore winning six and the fourth qualifier on who-beat-who from a three-way tie on five being Freda Vitty. In Block B four six-game winners were similarly put into the sequence Chris Sheen, Samantha Curry, David Openshaw and Tim King.

This meant that in the KO phase on Sunday Ian and Tim met in a quarter-final. Overnight weather had delayed the start so they were put on the first playable lawn, 50 yards from the pavilion, so the disappointed crowd had a poor view. The other three lawns trickled in later, so the average time loss was about an hour. The weather then cleared and progress was steady, the final fittingly being the last game to finish ( just before six) with Tim beating Chris 6-7 7-4 7-4. The 12 non-qualifiers played a round robin of doubles won by Dave Turner and Fergus Thompson.

Picture left – Bury club president David Barrett presents the Lancashire Open Golf Croquet trophy to Tim King

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