North West Federation of Croquet Clubs 2013 Championship
Well that’s its posh name, we call it our Festival of Croquet as it is an event designed to bring players in the North West together to celebrate Croquet in each of its disciplines, at the Southport & Birkdale Club. This year, in what we believe to be the Festival’s nineteenth year, the Isle of Man returned after an absence of far too long and we also welcomed, for the first time, Ellesmere.
Each of the four disciplines was managed by an ‘Event Manager’, the key job in the running of the tournament. Brian Lewis (his name will appear later on as well) ensured that the ‘Short’ players knew what they were doing and collected all of the 90 results – no mean feat – but dwarfed by the size of the task given to Sue Hardman who had to deal with 27 Golf players (plus substitutes) of 108 games which were not scheduled in ‘blocks’ but more of a conveyor belt. Sue made it look easy – excellent! The Advanced was managed by Liz Wilson who dealt with all of the issues arising in this, largely A Class group. Keith Roberts, the Championship Manager, also got away with running the Handicap competition!
The Advanced Championship Shield was won by Crake Valley who won 4 of 6. Runner-up was Bowdon who also won 4 games but were beaten by the Champions. 15 games of Doubles were played producing two Triple Peels both by Colin Irwin … one on the South Lawns and one on the North!
The Handicap Championship Shield went to Southport. The 28 matches were played as a Singles and a Doubles (56 games), and Southport was only beaten in 3 of their 14 games. Runner up was Chester with 9/14.
The Short Croquet Champions, Bury, won 16 of their games but, importantly, 7 of 10 matches as Runner up Southport won 19 games but were only winners of 6 matches. In total there were 90 games played.The Golf Croquet Championship Shield was won narrowly by Bury who were winners in 6 of their 8 matches. Southport and Culcheth also managed a 75% success but the Shield went to Bury as its team beat both. 108 games were played!
The big shield, for the 2013 North West Club Champions, went to Southport with 25 of a possible 29 championship points. Second was Bury (18) and there was a three way tie for third involving Westmorland, Bowdon and Fylde, each with 13 points.
Full Results follow these notes!
That’s 269 games played on 9 full and 7-half lawns (12½ fle) in two days with a minimum of 81 participants in all matches requiring 28 sets of balls/clips etc. and 16 sets of hoops. The World’s biggest single venue Croquet Event? Maybe?
All of which brings us back to Brian Lewis, Chairman of the Southport Club, Team Leader, Event Manager and general factotum. Brian, together with the Committee and Members of Southport and Birkdale, was responsible for the organisation and the facilities which enabled the Championship to be the huge success that most agree it was.
Tournament Referee Peter Wilson said he had very little to do and the writer was only called to look at two potential wiring lifts in Short games.
Liz Wilson, the Federation Chairman, commented on the markedly improved quality of Southport’s North Lawns and noted that it was really appreciated by everybody. The hard work and investment by Southport together with the support and commitment of the Federation will ensure that the festival continues for many years to come.
Liz also praised the lunch and tea-time catering provided by Margaret Flemington and her team of helpers … and quite rightly too, it was excellent!
Oh, and the weather was quite decent.
“ … a most enjoyable couple of days” said one Club Captain.
Gallery – below is a random arrangement of images – click on any image to go to slideshow format:
2013 Festival Final Placings
| Advanced | Handicap | Short | Golf | POINTS WON | PLACE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southport | 4 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 1 |
| Bury | 2 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 18 | 2 |
| Bowdon | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 3 |
| Fylde | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 3 |
| Westmorland | - | 6 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 3 |
| Chester | - | 7 | - | 4 | 11 | 6 |
| Pendle | 3 | 3 | - | 5 | 11 | 6 |
| Crake | 6 | - | 3 | - | 9 | 8 |
| Culcheth | - | - | - | 7 | 7 | 9 |
| Isle of Man | - | 2 | - | - | 2 | 10 |
| Ellesmere | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 11 |
2013 Festival Advanced Event
| Bow | Bury | Crak | Fyl | Pen | Sou | WINS | POINTS | PLACE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crake | W | L | - | W | W | W | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| Bowdon | - | W | L | W | W | W | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| Southport | L | W | L | L | W | - | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Pendle | L | W | L | W | - | L | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Bury | L | - | W | W | L | L | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Fylde | L | L | L | - | L | W | 1 | 1 | 6 |
In case of a tie for any place the head to head result will decide.
2013 Festival Golf Event
| Bowdon | Bury | Chester | Culcheth | Ellesmere | Fylde | Pendle | Southport | Westmorland | MATCHES WON | PLACE | POINTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowdon | xxx | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 3-0 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1 | 8 | 2 |
| Bury | 2-1 | xxx | 2-1 | 2-1 | 3-0 | 2-1 | 1-2 | 2-1 | 1-2 | 6 | 1 | 9 |
| Chester | 2-1 | 1-2 | xxx | 1-2 | 2-1 | 3-0 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 3-0 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Culcheth | 2-1 | 1-2 | 2-1 | xxx | 2-1 | 2-1 | 2-1 | 1-2 | 2-1 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| Ellesmere | 0-3 | 0-3 | 1-2 | 1-2 | xxx | 0-3 | 2-1 | 0-3 | 0-3 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| Fylde | 2-1 | 1-2 | 0-3 | 1-2 | 3-0 | xxx | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
| Pendle | 2-1 | 2-1 | 2-1 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 2-1 | xxx | 3-0 | 1-2 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Southport | 2-1 | 1-2 | 2-1 | 2-1 | 3-0 | 2-1 | 0-3 | xxx | 2-1 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| Westmorland | 2-1 | 2-1 | 0-3 | 1-2 | 3-0 | 2-1 | 2-1 | 1-2 | xxx | 5 | 4 | 6 |
2013 Festival Short Event
| Bowdon | Bury | Crake | Fylde | Southport | Westmorland | MATCHES WON | POINTS | PLACE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bury | 2-1 & 1-2 | xxx | 2-1 & 2-1 | 0-3 & 2-1 | 2-1 & 1-2 | 2-1 & 2-1 | 7 (16) | 6 | 1 |
| Southport | 1-2 & 2-1 | 1-2 & 2-1 | 1-2 & 3-0 | 1-2 & 3-0 | xxx | 2-1 & 3-0 | 6 (19) | 5 | 2 |
| Fylde | 2-1 & 3-0 | 3-0 & 1-2 | 1-2 & 2-1 | xxx | 2-1 & 3-0 | 2-1 & 1-2 | 6 (17) | 4 | 3 |
| Crake | 2-1 & 2-1 | 1-2 & 1-2 | xxx | 2-1 & 1-2 | 2-1 & 3-0 | 0-3 & 0-3 | 4 (11) | 3 | 4 |
| Bowdon | xxx | 1-2 & 2-1 | 1-2 & 1-2 | 1-2 & 0-3 | 2-1 & 1-2 | 2-1 & 3-0 | 4 (14) | 2 | 5 |
| Westmorland | 1-2 & 0-3 | 1-2 & 1-2 | 3-0 & 3-0 | 1-2 & 2-1 | 1-2 & 3-0 | xxx | 3 (13) | 1 | 6 |
In case of a tie for any place the head to head result decides, failing that, the total games won scored at one point each.
2013 Festival Handicap Event
| Bow S D | Bury S D | Ches S D | Fyl S D | IoM S D | Pen S D | Sou S D | Wes S D | GAMES WON | POINTS | PLACE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southport | W W | W W | W L | L W | W W | W W | xxx | L W | 11 | 8 | 1 |
| Chester | L W | W W | xxx | L W | W L | W L | L W | W W | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| Westmorland | W L | W L | L L | W W | W L | W W | W L | xxx | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| Fylde | W W | W L | W L | xxx | W L | W L | W L | L L | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Bowdon | xxx | W W | W L | L L | W W | L W | L L | L W | 7 | 4 | 5 |
| Pendle | W L | L W | L W | W L | W L | xxx | L L | L L | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Isle of Man | L L | W L | L W | L W | xxx | L W | L L | L W | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Bury | L L | xxx | L L | L W | L W | W L | L L | L W | 4 | 1 | 1 |
Games won score one point each.
In case of a tie for any place the head to head result will decide, failing that, result of the Singles head to head will decide.
What a fabulous event! Well done to Keith Roberts for superb event management, Brian Lewis for all the hundreds of jobs that make it a success and of course Margaret Flemington for the excellent catering. Well done Southport members for all the mowing, lawn preparations and setting up each day.