Federazione Italiana Sport Croquet v SCA

Rome, 22-23 October 2011

The second test match between the Federazione Italiana Sport Croquet and the Scottish Croquet Association was played in Rome (Italy) on the 22nd-23rd October, 2011.

Unfortunately, the Lux Roma club has not been able to provide a proper croquet lawn due to very dry Spring and Summer, followed by a washout of the lawn caused by heavy downpours just two days before the match, so the planned Association Croquet match turned out to be an “Extreme Croquet” match in which the superior practice of Golf Croquet (with long and hard hoop running) by the Italian team was the key of their victory.

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West of Scotland Championship 2011

Alexandra Park, 8-9 October 2011

On a calm wet Saturday, 15 players gathered in Alexandra Park for the last SCA tournament of the 2011 season.  The plan was to play on the two top lawns and the lower right one, as the lower left lawn had a large hollow which tended to become a puddle.  When Joe and Richard arrived in the morning to set out the hoops they found that the bottom right lawn been damaged by footballers, but it was still better than its neighbour, and so it was pressed into service despite its many divots.

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European Championship 2011

Carrickmines, 16-18 September 2011

The European Association Croquet Championship was in Ireland this year, after 13 consecutive years in Jersey.  There were 20 players, but only eight countries represented: Ireland (8 players), Spain (3), Jersey (2), the Isle of Man (2), Norway (2), England, Scotland and Belgium.

The event followed its usual format, with four blocks of five players completing their games on the first day and the top four in each block going into a knockout on days 2 and 3.  This required tight time limits (two hours) for the block games, but the first three rounds of the knockout (best-of-three in rounds 2 and 3) were completed on the second day, leaving time for a best-of-five final.

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Chairman's Rosebowl and Malmet Trophy 2011

Meadows, 17-19 September 2011

As has been usual this season the weather for this year's Chairman's Rosebowl and Malmet Trophy was unsettled, being mostly grey and showery, and conditions were generally easy, with the lawns in fine nick, but inevitably very easy paced.  The hoops were set in new holes and proved to be of similar ease (or difficulty) and characteristics as I have recently found at Bowdon or East Dorset.  The Malmet players in particular found them a challenge.

This was not a vintage year for the Chairman's Rosebowl, with a runaway winner, few exciting games or great play, no records being set, and only one triple peel from anyone other than the winner, although the other five have often shown they are well capable of them.

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SCA 20+ Tournament 2011

Meadows, 10 September 2011

On a warm showery morning four players and the tournament manager gathered at the Meadows Club for the SCA 20+ Tournament.  It was scheduled to start at 10:30, but with time spent in finding the hoop holes, setting out the lawns and having a warm-up it was just after 11am when the first round of games got under way.  The relaxed timing continued throughout the event, but with only three rounds of short games (time limit 1 hour 15 minutes) this was not a problem.

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More Articles...

  1. SCA v CA 2011
  2. Scottish Short Croquet Championship 2011
  3. Edinburgh Tournament 2011 - Photos
  4. Edinburgh Tournament 2011 - Results in Order of Play