Monkstone Pétanque Club

The draw for the 2023/24 Super League was made at the Club today. As previously advertised, this year the teams are not based on the WPA League teams but on six new teams drawn at random with some seeding taking place. The object was to try to create more balanced teams (whether or not we succeeded remains to be seen) to give our non-League players the opportunity to play in competitive matches. As there were 39 entries it was decided before the draw took place that teams 1, 3 & 5 would have 7 players in their squad.

Matches will commence on Tuesday 3 October 2023 for 5 weeks and then, after a mid-winter break, will recommence on Tuesday 20 February 2024 for a further 5 weeks.

Full details of the basis of the draw, the full fixture list, and rules will be on the Super League page as soon as it can all be put together. Contact details for the team members will be sent to team captains.

In the meantime, team Captains are required for Mavericks, Mustangs, Mercenaries and Meerkats (see below for the teams). Without a captain the team cannot function. It is not a very onerous task. Please could someone from each of these teams volunteer to captain the team as soon as possible. Let us know if you are willing volunteer via the club WhatsApp group or by email to treasurer [at] monkstonepetanque [dot] org.

The full fixture list will be published in the next few days but the fixtures for the first week are (there is some flexibility to rearrange fixtures within the rules):

The 2023 Monkstone Open Doubles were held at the club yesterday in blistering heat and cloudless blue skies. A record 28 teams had entered, only 4 short of the maximum we can accommodate. Almost half the players were from our own club but there were also entrants from other other WPA clubs as well as unaffiliated WPA members, Big League players and players of no fixed abode. After a brief welcome from Monkstone President, Mike Jones, and explanation of the format and other play related matters from Organiser, Bernard Adshead, play got underway.

The format, in the morning, was a round-robin of 7 groups of 4 after which all 28 players were ranked based on their performance. In the afternoon there were 4 elimination competitions. The Gold Competition consisted of the top 8 ranked teams from the morning, Silver the next 8, Bronze the next 8 and finally the Tin with the remaining 4 teams. All groups, except Tin who started with a Semi Final, played Quarter Finals, Semi Finals & Finals.

Cash prizes were awarded to the Winners & Runners Up in each competition.

Play in Full Swing

RESULTS

Apologies to the teams that had 3 players but the system will only accept 2 names for doubles competition. the following teams had a third player:

Group 5 – Team 24 – Andrew Howard

Group 7 – Team 7 – Melys Phinnemore

Morning: Round Robin

Afternoon: Elimination

GOLD

        Mike Jones with Gold Winners & Gold Runners Up

SILVER

       Mike Jones with Silver Winners & Silver Runners Up

BRONZE

     Mike Jones with Bronze Winners & Bronze Runners Up

TIN

         Mike Jones with Tin Winners & Tin Runners Up

The Organiser

MONKSTONE PC OPEN DOUBLES

Sunday 3 September 2023

Registration is 9.00 – 9.30

Pre-entry is required on the Monkstone PC website

Monkstone Opens Entry Form

Cost of entry – £5 per player – Teams of 2 or 3

Payment to be made on the day by cash or card

Closing date is Noon Thursday 31 August 2023

ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED ON THE DAY

Cash Prizes – Raffle

Tea & Coffee available. Monkstone PC is trying to reduce its carbon footprint. Disposable Cups will not be provided, please bring your own cup/mug

The bar will be open from 12 noon

 THE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL NOT PURCHASED ON SITE

IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED

The annual Monkstone Open Triples were held on Sunday 2 July 2023 under blustery skies but the promised rain held off. !2 teams entered, 2 from Monkstone PC and 6 from other clubs.

The format was 3 pools of 4 in the morning with the best 8 qualifying for the Main elimination competition in the afternoon and the remaining 4 entering the Plate competition.

There was some very skillful play with some unexpected results. A big thank-you to all those who entered or helped make the event happen.

POOL STAGE RESULTS

ELIMINATION STAGE RESULTS

PRESENTATIONS

PLATE RUNNERS UP

Francis Ryan, Frances Ralph, Bernard Adshead (Organiser), Robin Ralph

PLATE WINNERS

Steve & Amanda O’Connor, Bernard Adshead (Organiser), Kon Tomczyk, Barbara Vaughan

MAIN RUNNERS UP

Tony Smith, Gill Greenwell, Bernard Adshead (Organiser), Sean Smith

MAIN WINNERS

Len Field, Julie Bailey, Bernard Adshead (Organiser), Jean-Yves Robic

Thursday 25 May 2023, saw the 2nd leg of the friendly against our friends at  Royal Wootton Bassett PC (RWB).  As in the first leg, the format was two rounds of doubles and two rounds of triples, that’s 20 games per leg or 40 in total, all of which would be timed. Monkstone (MPC) had won the first leg by 13-6 but RWB were expected to put up a stronger showing on their own terrain. Our team comprised:

Roger Griffin, Bernard Adshead, Vickie Adshead, Roger Green, Gill Clark, Ash Seath, Beryl McCarthy, Ian McCarthy, Steve Hawkey, Gill Greenwell, Frances Ralph & Robin Ralph.

After a very warm welcome from Alan McInnes and his team, Roger Griffin presented Alan with a Monkstone PC pennant, and, having enjoyed coffee and biscuits, we started the first round of triples.

The pistes were hard after the recent hot weather and were graded with differing sizes of gravel. After some tight play, however, honours were even at the end of the first round with a score of 2-2 in games, and a points difference of 40-35 in RWB favour.

On to the 2nd round and again neither side could gain an advantage with another tie and a points difference of 35-33 in RWB favour.

Triples Scores: RWB 4 [75] – 4 [65] MPC 

We then broke for an excellent lunch, provided by members of the RWB club, and a swift half. In the afternoon the first round of doubles got underway and RWB took the lead on the day taking this round by 4-2 in games, with a  points difference of 61-53 in RWB favour.

MPC now had some work to do but a look at score board and with the help of an abacus, they calculated that 1 more win was needed for a draw and 2 for a win due to the 6 game lead from the first leg. RWB were determined to stop us and but MPC managed to pull out all the stops to take the round 4-2 in games with a points difference of 57-55 in their favour.

Doubles Scores: RWB 6 [116] – 6 [110] MPC

So the day ended with honours even.

Second Leg Final Scores: RWB 10 [191] – 10 [178] MPC

Which meant that MPC had maintained their 6 game advantage from the first leg and won the match overall.

Final Match Scores: RWB 17 [364] – 23 [387] MPC

Goodbyes were said with a promise to meet again next year to continue this very enjoyable competition.

Score Sheet