In the Circle

THE TALK

ALL THEOF TALK THE OF THE IN

TERRAINTERRAIN THE CIRCLE

Salvaging the rest of the season

There will be no Island pétanque champion this year – nor will there be any winners of the JPA Doubles or Triples competitions. The intervention of the coronavirus has led to this year’s pétanque calendar being decimated. However, all is not lost and many club competitions in particular will be played.

The JPA management committee didn’t take long in deciding that all this year’s Island championships should be cancelled. It was agreed that instead the clubs should be allowed to play as much of their programmes as possible and with a new Competitions Officer, Tom Le Sueur, in post that the planning of next year’s events diary should begin as early as possible.

However the Island championships have not been the only casualties. The Inter Insular has been cancelled for the second the wishes of those players who did not September. League administrator Dave time in its history. The Sarnians were keen want to continue, so it was agreed to Ibitson has advised that there are at least for this year’s event to go ahead. However abandon this year’s competition. It was 17 teams ready and willing to take part. because Guernsey is still effectively closed also agreed that as only three of the 22 The all-clear has also been given for the to visitors and that fact that Condor have games had been completed, the £6 fee Triple-A League to resume. stated that they will not be running day would be carried over to 2021 or, if the trips for the rest of 2020 it was decided, teams preferred, refunded. As a partial Decisions still need to be made about reluctantly, that the JPA had no alternative alternative some parishes have already several outstanding competitions but the but to give it a miss. started playing friendly matches. Liberation club has already announced a full programme of events for the The Parish League season, with only three However the JPA Winter League – in remainder of the year, with three of its rounds of matches played prior to the which most teams have only three games main open competitions set to be held at pandemic intervention, has also been to play – will be continued, with a view to the end of this month. On the other hand, called off. Parish team captains had been competition by mid-September. Entry the club’s involvement in the EuroCup has asked whether they wished to resume forms for the 2020/2021 Winter League had to be put on ice because this year’s where the season had been left off – either will go out shortly and it is hoped that the event has been cancelled. However the completing the entire schedule or just the league will start towards the middle or end JPA has agreed that Liberation PC’s win first half. Six had opted for the latter but of October, of the Inter-Club in 2019 would be in the remaining six plumped for not effect be “carried over” to 2020, thereby playing any more of this season’s games. The Parish of St Helier Lunchtime League making them the club to represent Jersey It was regarded as important to respect is also set to resume at the end of at the 2021 EuroCup.

The ground rules

A regular series in which Elaine Paisnel looks at some of the laws of the game that can lead to At least there was no argument about which way to headmisunderstandings from the Vic in. the Valley car park, At least there was no argument about which way to head from the Vic in the Valley car park, Standing room only

With the current ‘social distancing’ requirement in place, it is the perfect time to remind all players of the right and the wrong place to stand during a game. Two things come to mind;

The Coach Firstly, when you or one of your team are not in the circle and about to play a shot, you should be at least 2 metres beyond the Over the lockdown period we a match should there be the cochonnet – and not directly behind it OR at least 2 metres behind the circle and again to the side. You should NOT be anywhere have seen many instances of demand. clubs and associations organising between the thrower and the circle, unless it is your team in play. online shooting completions. I My suggestion is a grid of nine I appreciate that when ‘lanes’ are marked out it is not always easy know that several Jersey players squares throwing nine boules to keep your distance, but this is not only a rule (Article 17 have entered and have done well. starting with the square at the relates) it is also required to ensure social distancing is lower right and get three in a maintained. I watched Matt Pinel’s row then the next three in the performance, competing against middle row left to right and The second thing is the importance of ‘standing back’ when a David Plumhoff, and was finally the top section. Nine player (or an umpire) is measuring. Article 26 states that players impressed by Matt’s shooting boule pointed - nine squares must be at least 2 metres away when an umpire is measuring (this skills. filled - easy? Who is up for the applies to ALL players) and the same should apply when any challenge? player is measuring, both as a courtesy and to social distance.

One of the criticisms I have of Remember, if one team has measured, their opponents are still Jersey players in general is that Surely there are some of you entitled to measure too if they wish to check. If teams can’t agree, we do not shoot enough, out there who would like to test this could be difficult when no umpire is on hand. Tthankfully particularly in Parish and your skill? There may even be a disputes rarely happen, but as a last resort get an independent Business League matches so it is prize for the highest score. person (i.e. someone not playing in this game) to measure for you. good to see precision firing But then, do respect that person’s decision! matches on line. The Coach

That said, the majority of players Footnote Elaine takes up the 2.6 Challenge rely on pointing, it might be a good idea to introduce an online By the way, no rolling, only One interesting idea to emerge from pointing competition. It would high and medium lobs allowed the Lockdown was the 2.6 Challenge. be good to hear what players over a marker 2 metres from the Participants were asked to take on a think. We could organise such squares. challenge related to the number 2.6 or 26 (the day the London Marathon was due to have been run until Covid-19 stopped it in its tracks) and raise money for your chosen charity.

Elaine Paisnel was one who took up the challenge. ““I hadn’t picked up a boule since we last played but thought was time I did! So, for my challenge, I threw 26 boules at a one target boule to see how many hits I could get! I put the target boule on top of an old rug on the lawn (to protect it from lots of pot holes!). Then I put a circle about 7-8 metres away and fired from there (see picture below). Elaine’s example was followed by a number of other players. There were some great scores at St Martin, Brian Harris managing a 19 while his son Paul scored 16 – as well as a remarkable eight with his left hand. Did he Carrefour cough up for both scores? There were also impressive captain Mat scores on the Carrefour Scholefield terrain, Paul Waters with 14 seems to have and Christine Eccles on 11. Less impressive was the lost the plot result from Mike Fennell’s garden – a paltry six!

Emerging fromClub night hibernation: At least there was no argument about which way to head from the Vic in the Valley car park, At least there was no theargument aboutaftermath which way to head from the Vicof in the Valleylockdown car park,

Carrefour member Keith Lajoie four of them on the gravelled July and all members were customary Wednesday was more determined than most to area, three on the stone-strewn issued a Covid-19 consistent afternoon session but went carry on playing the game. If he surface. At the same time Health and S afety policy. But home when they realised no- wasn’t allowed to play on the club players were advised to place as far as the leagues are one else was going to show. If terrain, he’d build his own. Which the circle in a central position concerned, rather than play had resumed in earnest it is exactly what he did. Only at both ends of the box to playing fixtures on the would have been subject to a problem though was that no soon minimise any chance of customary club nights, fairly lengthy list of restrictions had the terrain been completed intermingling with the they’re being played on an ad including a ban on the use of than he had an accident on his neighbouring game. They hoc basis to prevent too many playing circles scooter and broke his throwing were instructed to stand people attending at the same “To maintain social distancing arm! behind either the circle or the time. The club’s open there must be no kissing or coche rather than at the sides competitions resume this hand shaking - just a smile!” of the terrain. A Covid-19 month but they are restricted

officer was appointed to to forty participants, again Initially access to clubhouses ensure the guidelines were because of Covid-19 was barred but with gradual being followed. One of the restrictions. relaxation of the lockdown the first club competitions toilets are now accessible scheduled is the Jean Pierre Jersey Pétanque Club finally (JPC’s only on Wednesday and Doubles, but in order to allowed informal play from Saturday afternoons) much to comply with Covid-19 June 22nd. Caution though everyone’s relief. However, instructions it has been limited seemed very much to be the playing on terrains island-wide to 20 pairs taking part. watchword and there was is governed by strict protocols certainly no rush to the regarding the use of hand St Mary wasn’t far behind terrains. They had been sanitisers, the use of which is resuming its Monday morning divided up into playing areas widely advocated. For instance, sessions in June and adding a with buffer No Go areas in at JPC, members are asked to Wednesday evening melee as between. Not that it mattered use hand sanitiser if they have Lajoie’s pride and joy well. Liberation’s leagues initially. Two players turned been in contact with another resumed at the beginning of up on the 24th for the player’s boules. As for the clubs, the return to the new normality was rather mixed. Carrefour resumed playing the game with a handful of members in early June, but towards the end of the month there were so many people were turning up the terrains at Clos Nicolle that they had to be given a make-over in line with the Covid19 guidelines.

The playing area was roped off into seven boxes, each about 25 feet wide (nearly eight metres) - Social distancing at Carrefour

Rob’s idea comes in handy CLATTER

t least there was no & CHATTER

Social distancing rules may have played havoc with the traditional handshake at the end of a match. However, Rob Birch has come up with a solution - a glove strapped on to the end of a two-metre stick which he used at Carrefour melees. Rob is still working on the

alternative problem – how to replicate a kiss on both cheeks without getting too close! GUERNSEY for Pétanque ban for pensionerOPEN

In Manchester where, apparently, it rains a lot, members who play An elderly French pétanque player has taken the art of firing to a in the Trafford Pétanque Boulodrome like to indulge in a sport of whole new level. In fact it’s just as well he wasn’t pointing, fishing when the terrain gets flooded. At least they can’t fib about because he was using a rifle, following some kind of altercation the one that got away with a fellow pétanque player. The incident took place in the small town of Caraman near Toulouse.

According to the La Dépêche du Midi newspaper, while he was in 100 & wait-y the street, the seventy-eight year old man became angry with an Le Sueur acquaintance who, according to him, had harassed him. No-one was hurt in the exchange. sworn in The public prosecutor demanded that the pensioner should continue to be remanded in Seysses prison until another hearing but the court decided instead that he should be banned from going anywhere near Caraman, and that he should not take part in any pétanque events until a final judgement was reached. Because of the difficulty of selling tickets in recent months Mat makes his point Ladies only! the JPA has suspended its 100 This year’s President V Vice Club draws until next year. This President melee at Carrefour was will hopefully give enough time won by the Captain’s team! to sell tickets during the autumn. (Vice President Bob Morel was unavailable). The match was tied on games but Mat Scholefield’s Veterans’ KO team had the better points score.

One of the more recent Taking the wheel competitions to be cancelled Because of long hiatus due to because of the coronavirus is There was considerable the coronavirus restrictions the what would have been the excitement amongst JPC’s JPA management committee inaugural Home Nations event maintenance team when they has been unable to meet for for Veterans. It was due to be discovered that the club’s several months but decided to played Bath in mid-October with wheelbarrow had gone walkies. unanimously to co-opt Tom Le six teams taking part, Guernsey, Captain Dennis Le Mercier and Sueur to take on the role of Jersey, Scotland, England 1, his highly trained sniffer dog Competitions Officer after a England 2 and a Combined searched the sand dunes - which postal ballot (well, email team. The competition has now is where they once found some The biggest ever women’s vote). He takes over from been postponed until 2021 with missing chairs and a bench - but petanque event is to take James Rondel. Tom has had a the hope being that it will be no luck - only a pram wheel. The place this month in France. remarkably easy time of it played at the same venue at honorary police are on the case. It’s being played over four since volunteering for the job about the same time of year. It was a very ordinary wheel days at Palavas-Les-Flots, but the real test will be in However, it does mean barrow - left hand drive and south of Montpellier on the working out how much of the presumably that Jersey’s turn to racing handles with a galvanised Mediterranean coast from remainder of the season can be host the event will be put back speedster body - but a vital piece August 6th. Unfortunately we salvaged. until 2024. of equipment none the less. weren’t invited

Petanque therapy for Pete Dutch treat in store

Pétanque has helped former rock star and notorious hell-raiser Pete Doherty to live a more peaceful existence. The Libertines frontman, who was briefly engaged to supermodel, Kate Moss, has put his drug addiction behind him and settled in the French town of Melun where he likes to spend his time visiting antique markers and

playing pétanque. Let’s hope it’s not a big balls-up Watery grave The Confédération Européenne de Pétanque (CEP) is going A couteau for Dutch the year after next. The organisation has announced that for Lee’s boules the 2022 European Pétanque Championships (Singles, Doubles - Coutances Men & Women and Mixed Doubles) will take place in the Netherlands from 13 to 17 July 2022 – in preference to a rival bid Thecomes home leg ofa Jersey from Spain. Petanque’ Club’s annual fixture againstcropper their counterparts in They’ll be held in ’s-Hertogenbosch, a city in North Brabant in Coutances had already been the south of the country. The agreement was signed in the city on cancelled because of the what’s described as a mega-boule, rather like the ones used by corornavirus, but now the away Mike Ritzema. The venue will be ‘de Parade’, the famous square leg had also been written off. in the town and will feature 22 covered pitches. A centre court The Normandy club said it was with covered stands for about 1,000 people will also be with great regret that they had constructed. If you remember the last issue’s decided not to go ahead with story about Kiwi international this year’s event but that they President of the CEP Mike Pegg: “The Dutch bid has set the bar player Lee Taffard, whose hoped both visits would take for future pétanque events very high. The event may be the start “irreplaceable” set of boules place next year. of a new flourishing period for our sport and I am definitely went missing when his truck looking forward to it”. was stolen, there’s been a bitter/sweet ending. On the one Squads get the nod hand fellow players have put The Wendy House their hands into their pockets The JPA Women’s Squad and forked out for a brand new training is set to re-start as soon During the lockdown things set of boules. But, as for his old as possible and a similarly certainly haven’t been set, well, it looks like they’ve structured Men’s Squad will standing still at the home of been sunk without trace. The hopefully be up and running in Jersey Pétanque Club. A thieves apparently sent them the autumn. The next European small team has been hard at “swimming.” Women’s Triples is scheduled work updating the facilities. for June 2022 and the European All the timber work of the Men’s and Veteran Triples will clubhouse, new fences and No big deal take place in September 2021 sheds is being cleaned and then repainted with, Meanwhile the lockdown didn’t Bacon staying away preservative, the chosen hit the pétanque community in colour being “Chocolate New Zealand too hard. The Delight”. One beneficiary government did ban all The Danish Petanque Federation will be the Wendy House at the bottom of the JPC “garden”. It’s meetings involving more than invited other Jersey and other so called because it’s managed, amongst others, by Wendy 500 people. Luckily the only European Federations to take part Ritzema and is where the equipment is stored for the Tuesday events Petanque New Zealkand in a version of Corona Precision evening training sessions. New turfing has taken place and had planned were its AGM and shooting. Teams were to be a because some of the tiered seats were past their sell-by date the club championships: mixture of age groups but sadly, they’ve been dismantled and the metal work stored so they can be “Neither of these will involve as usual, finding young players to reassembled. The concrete base for the new toilets has been laid numbers anywhere near as big be involved proved to be our and a new path is to be installed from the small entrance gate to as 500,” said the organisers. undoing and we had to drop out. the clubhouse For the petanque player giving the game a rest during the pandemic

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H I J E U P R O V E N C A L C P E S T E E T E L S A R S

N L E R I T G T T H N R I C A E N T N I E U A P H R B O V T N L S T E R P N L E T N E T O T A I T L R R Q A R T R E D E L O P Q U A E U E R A C T I Y N N A F O I I E E D E M O R D O L U O B N C V T I R E U R R O D S A R B A

Find all the pétanque terms in the diagram above. But, be aware, one word is missing: can you find it? When the pandemic is all over why not treat yourself to a bit of luxury by playing pétanque on board a boat plying the DONNEE MELEE River Seine? The roof of the boat has been transformed into a PETANQUE COMPETITION Mediterranean garden, complete with a DJ and cocktail bar. Sofas and deckchairs create a chic atmosphere in the shade of TERRAIN BOULE palm trees, olive trees, orange trees and cacti, reflecting the CARREAU ACIER true origins of pétanque: the South. Or so says the blurb. JEU PROVENÇAL PISTE There are three terrains supplied by a company called COCHONNET TÊTE-À-TÊTE Boboules which specialises in providing mobile terrains. TIR DOUBLETTE BOULODROME TRIPLETTE Or why not play the game at home? POINTEUR CONTRE CASQUETTE REVANCHE ARBITRE BRAS D'OR FANNY MILIEU CERCLE TIREUR

The answer to the missing word is on Page 10 as well as an explanation of what all the terms mean. Pétanque: the card game

For those who can barely lift a finger after so long out of action

Whatever the time of One of the positives about the coronavirus confinement is day or whatever the that some people have been using their brains to combat the place now you can play boredom. One such is Olivier Bourg who has invented a pétanque with friends or mini-pétanque game to be played in the home – or in bars or family in the comfort – on campsites etc. “Things were a bit dead during lockdown and safety – of your own so I came up with this idea for a mini-petanque game as a fun home. The game also thing to do,” he said. “It’s just like real pétanque, You can sells itself on the basis shoot and point and take part in matches.” that it’s fun way to learn the rules of the game. The game is played on a folding table 2.4 metres long and Either way the rules of 80cms wide. The boules are downsized to 3cms in diameter, the card game version weighing 60 grams while the coche is 1cm in diameter and are said to be simple, weighs 10 grams. M. Bourg has even organised tournaments and it does require a bit near his home in Provence and is now trying to obtain crowd- of skill. It consists of 27 cards and is played by 4 people acting as pairs funding investment in order to manufacture the equipment on (white balls against black balls). The object of the is, of course, to score a commercial scale. He reckons they’ll retail for 300-500 13 points. euros each.

Pétanque during the lockdown

Amazingly there has been some competitive pétanque played during the lockdown if only in so far as a rash of precision shooting competitions, all of which were live-streamed, like the two events featured here At least there was no argument about which way to head from the Vic in the Valley car park, At least there was no argument about which way to head from theSun, Vic in seathe Valley A car wet park, and windy evening at the Granville terrain was probably not the most and favourable environment to find yourself taking part in a world championship (at Sangria least that’s how it was billed), but that without was Matt Pinel’s fate in early June. He was taking part in the Campeanato the sun, Espana precision shooting competition. It sea and was played in countries across the world with each player taking it in turn to live- Sangria! stream their performances. Matt at least had a couple of helpers setting up the targets but David Plumhoff, the English representative, apparently doesn’t have any friends, because he did the whole thing on his own – which makes you wonder how he could judge whether a shot had landed in the target circle or not. Matt was the last player to take part and had to wait until 8pm, scoring 23 points in his round, putting him in 11th place (tied with Italy but ahead of France and Argentina). The top four, the Spaniard Luis Milera (41 pts), David Plumhoff (36 pts), Fara N’Diaye from Senegal (35 pts) and Sascha Koch from Germany (33pts) went through to the semi-finals. The home favourite bowed out to the German in their semi to set up a classic England versus Germany final. In the event Koch The winner: David Plumhoff scored an impressive 40 points to take the title compared to Plumhoff’s 33.

Big Shoot Off final nearly falls victim to the small phone off

Smartly dressed in gear provided by local competitors’ performances. The first round David Plumhoff from England, the losing pétanque equipment suppliers, Carreau Le allowed for players to have two attempts finalists in the Spanish competition. He Crapaud (see story, Page 8), three with their scores aggregated. Geoffroy managed an impressive combined total of Islanders took part in another precision Bufftetrille ended up in second place 94 after rounds of 36 and 58. Matt Pinel shooting competition, which again was overall with impressive scores of 33 then ended up in eleventh place after rounds of played with live video streaming of the 37. The leader at this stage of the event was 32 and 19 which was enough to go through to the second round contested by 16 players. Mark Nicol narrowly missed the cut by seven points (after rounds of 16 and 22). Guernsey’s Brandon Ogier also missed out with a combined total of 33.

Geoffroy lost out in the quarter-finals to one of the eventual finalists, Jamie Brook, but Matt Pinel went through to the semis, beating Sean Prendergast 43-33 before losing out to the eventual winner, David Plumhoff. In the final technology problems almost conspired to ruin the day. Jamie Neville managed 26 points in his round while David Plumhoff scored 44. However his mobile apparently over- heated in the middle of his effort and the live streaming was lost. David offered his opponent the chance of a re-match. However the phone conked out after he’d Geoffroy Buffetrille, Matt Pinel and Mark Nicol, our three already scored 28 points, enough to win representatives in the Big Shoot Off, with their first round scores the title.

Hoping to

At least there was no argument about which way to head from the Vic in the Valley car park, At least there was no argument about which way to head from the Vic in the Valley car park,

make their mark Paul Bell, James Gennoe, Callum Stewart and Ross Payne

Ever since Magic Touch (the only commercial own brand,” said Callum. Ross Payne and supplier in Jersey) lost their, well, magic Paul Bell swiftly came on board with the touch, buying pétanque equipment on the latter supplying the website expertise to help Island has become a bit of a pain. market their products.

Both Carrefour and the JPC carry a limited Having come up with the Crapaud logo amount of basic stock but otherwise the only featured on the clothing the team has added way to buy all the pétanque paraphernalia has lines including cochonnets, hand-towels, been via the internet or thanks to a ferry trip baseball-style caps and a five-metre measure to France (or a visit a Decathlon store in with more to come, including ¾-length England). Until now that is. shorts for European competitions, track shirt tops, water bottles and a few other items, Stepping into the breach is a foursome of perhaps even boules which are in short local players who’ve decided to have a shot, a supply in Jersey, unless you’re prepared to carreau no less, at producing their own put up with a second-hand set: “We would pétanque clothing as well as accessories. like to stock them if we can find a supplier,” They’re marketing their gear as Carreau Le said Callum. The bonus from the local point Crapaud. – “We chose the Crapaud and of view is that the Carreau Le Crapaud Carreau to try and appeal to both international merchandise can be supplied direct to your markets but with a Jersey twist,” said Callum home or workplace, free of charge. Ross Payne’s winning style Stewart, one of the team behind the idea. At the moment the guys are doing all they The concept was born in the Weighbridge can to promote the brand, including pub, the Troubador, after a Liberation sponsoring players like David Plumhoff from Pétanque Club competition. Callum and England, who has proved himself a top James Gennoe were lamenting the ending of player in the recent rash of precision firing Magic Touch’s involvement with the game. competitions. Callum Stewart again: They discussed trying to set up some kind of “Sponsoring players gets brand out there for alternative, not just importing equipment but to increase public awareness. I have known giving it a local identity. Dave for many years and found out that not a single English player is sponsored so I Among the ideas was a range of stylish thought he would be a great guy to start with clothing which they then decided to go ahead and we’ve gone on to sponsor local players and commission. It was worn on trips to as well.” They’re also adding their brand competition in Barcelona and Corfu and name to competitions including a weekend of received favourable feedback. “Many people doubles and singles events to be played at asked if they could swap with us or where Carrefour in September and a charity event could they buy it, so we decided there was which it’s hoped will be staged at Elizabeth If the cap fits … enough interest to give it a go and set up our Castle.

Mark Nicol, Matt Pinel and Geoffroy Buffetrille, wearing Carreau Le Crapaud outfits in a recent precision firing competition Coche and carry Zooming in on the Confederation of European Petanque A report from our delegate at the annual CEP Congress, JPA Chairman Derek Hart

At least there was no argument about which way to * The FIPJP has withdrawn from the committee that was attempting to get boule sports into the Olympics.

* The CEP is still working to have pétanque specifically included in Multi Sport Games including the who lose their licence and European Games. then move to get another. Associations risk a 500 euro * The Lithuania Pétanque fine if due diligence is not Association has been carried out. admitted to the CEP making it now 40 Federations and Mike Pegg was re-elected as Associations representing Chairman of the CEP with 8,870 Clubs with a total of 100% of the vote. He will 404,467 members across serve another four-year Europe. term.

* Of those members just over The current Treasurer, 54% are over 55 with just 5% General Secretary, Auditors being under 17 years old. and the previous Board Members were all returned. * Jersey has a higher Italy, Monaco and percentage of older players Conference delegates … Derek Hart is in the middle of Netherlands put forward their with only one junior at candidate for election and the third row! present. If we had five per Italy and Netherlands won cent Under-17s we would the remaining places on the “Although most sensible people how our subscriptions are have nearly 40. If we take the would rather participate in a spent. Membership also gives Board. average percentage of Espoirs Super Iron Man competition us the right to participate in (that is 17 to 23 year -olds) You will find the listing of than sit through a CEP European and World we would have 49. all the European and World Congress via Zoom on a sunny competition. Championships on the CEP Saturday morning, that is what * Licence transfer protocol. website. Obviously the 2020 I did on the 27th June. Mike Pegg, who many of you This concerns those who will know through his 'Ask the events have had to be move from one jurisdiction to cancelled but next year there Normally taking part in the Umpire ' Facebook page, is the another and in particular those will be a full calendar.” Congress would not be feasible Chairman of the CEP and an because of the expense of influential man in the world of travelling to Luxembourg for Pétanque. just a couple of hours which is Who wears short shorts? where the event is normally held.

However, this year, due to the Coronavirus, the Congress was obliged to use technology and so 31 Nations across Europe logged into Zoom at 10.00 a.m. Due to the time difference with continental Europe England,

Scotland. Wales, Ireland and Jersey, all had to log in an hour Chairman, Mike Pegg earlier.

Mike gave an interesting and

The Confederation of European informative report as did the

Pétanque is of course the General Secretary (who is governing body for pétanque in Norwegian), the Treasurer

Europe under the FIPJP. The (from Wales) and the auditor Disapproved Approved Jersey Pétanque Association is (from Scotland). Clarification was made to the specifications relating to the length of affiliated to both organisations shorts that can be worn as part of the uniform for players and therefore entitled to vote at Here are just a few facts that competing in European competitions. The hem of the legs must be the Congress. This in turn gives were gleaned from the various below the fingers when the arm and hand are held extended at a the JPA a say in the direction reports given during the two player’s side the CEP takes and determines and a half hour meeting:

* Armenia and Bosnia have Tir de Précision in sunny Grouville Covid-19

At least there was no argument about which way to head from the Vic in the Valley carAdvice park, At least there was no argument about which way to head from the Vic in the Valley car park, The advice from Sport Jersey says that anyone showing signs or symptoms of Covid-19, as well as alerting the medical authorities, should self-isolate for 7 days and not attend any club facilities or events. It’s hoped that some sort of normality will be restored in the no-too-distant future but for the time being you’re asked to enjoy the modified game safely. Remember you can still practice on your own or with others following the social distancing and other hygiene practices. You will find plenty of exercises in your back Shooting stars, Cassie Stewart and Matt Pinel issues of "In The Circle." The slightly more controversial The rash of virtual shooting had a 20-minute time slot and Headway. Thanks were said to issue of face masks … well the competitions as a way of had two goes apiece. The Gordon and Dot de Gruchy advice from the JPA is to wear getting round the Covid-19 competition was split into plus Elaine Paisnel for putting them. The Government says travel restrictions was great fun men’s and women’s sections. up the bunting, Neil Selby for we’re still at Stage 2 of the but nothing quite beats the real was no surprise however that providing the medals and lockdown but even if it is thing … well, as near as we can the man who’d figured so Holmegrown for allowing the reduced to Stage 1 in the near get during these difficult times. prominently in the virtual use of their terrain future it won’t really impact on shooting competitions turned our playing of the game. So, a home grown event was out to be the day’s top very welcome and, what’s marksman. Matt Pinel : The explanations more, it was played at Holme- registered the top scores of the grown in Grouville. It was a day with 47 in the first round Une Donnee - The spot on the terrain you aim to land on. charity event organised by the and 50 at his second attempt. La Pétanque - The game - meaning feet tied together. team who’ve set up as a Second in the men’s section Le Terrain - The area the game is played on. péanque equipment supplier in was Tony Northern with a high Un Carreau - Hitting the target boule & leaving yours in its place. Jersey, Carreau Le Crapaud score of 45 and third was Mark Jeu Provençal - The game from which pétanque was derived. (see Page 8). Nicol on 39. Le Cochonnet - The small target ball usually made of box wood. Un Tir- To shoot It was played in a slightly The women’s event was a much Boulodrome - The place where pétanque is played often an indoor different way to the orthodox closer affair with Cassie or covered area. Tir de Précision rules, firing Stewart just shading it with a Un Pointeur - The team player who specialises in placing twenty boules at the same set top score of 23, one point ahead La Casquette - Hitting the target boule on the top but failing to of distances, but at a single of Joy Hart in second place and move it. target boule only. Contestants Elaine Paisnel third on 19. L'Arbitre - The umpire Joy Hart in second scored five 5 points for a Fanny – Winning a match 13-0. carreau, three for knocking it The organisers were not sure La Melee - Random selection of partners - usually putting a out of the circle and one point how much money was raised shooter and pointer together. for a touch. Twenty-six people but they believe about £240 in a Competition - Organised matches to find the top team. turned up for the event which sealed bucket will be passed on Les Boules - The balls you play pétanque with. was a great turnout. They each to the brain injuries charity, Acier - Steel - the metal most boules are made of. La Piste - The lane on the terrain often denoted by string. Missing out on the Jersey Open weekend La Tête-à-tête- Head to head or a singles game. Les Doublettes - Doubles - two against two. Some kind thoughts from some of our traditional visitors: Les Tripplettes - Triples - three against three. * Can’t believe we were supposed to be going over to Jersey this La Revanche - Revenge - the third game when one all or the weekend for the Jersey Pétanque Open especially since we’ve been second game. going for the last god knows how many years. Was looking Un Contre - Against forward to catching up with all our Jersey friends. Hope to see you Un Bras d'or - The arm of gold - a compliment paid to a good once this is all over and stay safe player. * Good morning to all pétanque players. Will always remember the Un Milieu - The middle player, the allrounder in a Triples team. good times at the open: Ian Bredoncelle Un Tireur - The shooter. Goner miss Jersey weekend. Hopefully see you all another year XX: Patricia Rowlands AND the missing word, which needs no explanation, is Le Cercle

The lockdown proved One of France’s most Number -crunching acclaimed players was costly for some In 2019 there were 300,000 pétanque players across the Channel in France holding an FFPJP license (the a victimAt least of thereCovid was no- 19argument about which way to head from the Vic inFrench the Valley Federation car park,of Pétanque At least and Jeu there was no argument about which way to head from the Vic in the ValleyProvençal car park,). Among them, 2,900 were The most high-profile victim of the It was a very expensive game of referees. Amongst our nearest neighbours, coronavirus in the world of pétanque was 81- petanque: 650-euros-worth to be there were 11,000 license-holders and 208 year-old Daniel Voison from France. He was precise. The story takes place in clubs in Normandy, while in Brittany there a double world champion, in 1988 and 1999 Uvernet-Fours, north of Nice, in the were 11,000 licensees and 169 clubs. In and was also a five times French champion small ski resort of Praloup. It’s an area France as a whole there were 152,000 seniors between 1984 and 2002. He was regarded as where not a single case of Covid-19 aged 19 to 60, 131,000 veterans aged 60 and an exceptional pointer. has been detected. Five friends, who over and 17,000 players under the age of 18. usually work in a local snack-bar, got In gender terms the breakdown is men 83%, into the habit of playing a game of women 17% and children 5%. The FFPJP is pétanque on the bowling green next to the 10th largest sports federation in France the restaurant. They got away it with and 101 nations are affiliated to the FIPJP on for several days in a row but eventually five continents. With more than 27,000 the municipal police became aware. official competitions organized in 2019, Gendarmes were sent from nearby pétanque brought together more than Barcelonette. They men were fined 135 2,600,000 participants. The FIPJP has been euros each for non-compliance with the in charge of the Pétanque World Champion- coronavirus containment measures. ship since 1959. France has won 43 times.

Both Carrefour and Jersey Petanque Club have had to cope with the passing of much loved and respected members in the last few months (although none of them through the coronavirus). Our thoughts are with their family and friends. BRYAN MOLLET Born in St Martin Bryan was interested in all sports. Early on in his life he decided to take advantage of the £10 emigration to Australia. After six years Downunder he came home to Jersey and took up indoor bowling at St Saviour. When Carrefour Petanque Club moved from L’Auberge du Nord to Le Clos Nicolle he was in the group that prepared the new terrains for play. He quickly made his mark as a player winning many competitions over the years and he was still picking up trophies even after he’d turned 80. For a while he ran the Castle Green Café and then the Seascale Hotel for 18 years. “He worked like a Trojan,” said his sister Eunice. “His Fruit de Mer was the talk of the town.” Bryan was happily married to Carol for 36 happy years. He spent a lot of time in his garden and a grew an impressive variety of fruit and veg as well as flowers. One of the things the young family members remember vividly was piling into Uncle Bryan’s car every Christmas and being taken on a tour of the festive decorations all around the Island. He died in hospital on May 2nd aged 81. Mike Fennell

ROBIN HARRIS A long time JPC Auditor, Robin came to petanque, like so many, on retirement. Unfortunately, ill health restricted his playing days, but not his commitment to the sport. At JPC as well as auditing our accounts for the last nine years, he would help with the “Open” and, despite not playing, rarely missed club events. Ros and Robin were regular members of the JPC’s links with Coutances where they formed a strong friendship with their French family. Born in London, he was to meet Ros when she was there training to be a nurse. He came to Jersey on marrying Ros in 1969 and worked for Coopers and Lybrand, before joining the States Treasury, where he spent the rest of his working life, becoming Deputy Treasurer. On retirement, as well as taking up petanque, he undertook an open university course where he gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. The Club offers its most sincere condolences to Ros and her family at this time. Ken Vibert

DAVID LE GRESLEY

Learning that David Le Gresley had died suddenly on Saturday 20th June was a huge shock for myself and the whole of the Parish of St Brelade team and the Pink Elephants JPA League team. The Parish of St Brelade team were invited to become members of the St Brelade Twinning Association to offer Pétanque as an extra dimension. At the end of one of these functions David and Susan showed an interest in learning to play petanque and joined the Parish team. They immediately became gripped by the sport and very shortly after they wanted to play more competitively and that was when they joined the JPC. David was always someone you could turn to for help whether it was pétanque related or not. David was a Blue Badge Guide and when the JPC were thinking of different experiences for our friends from Coutances he offered his services and led an excellent walk to Corbiere and arranged for everybody to have a guided tour around a bunker. Joy Hart translating everything as we went. David enjoyed the sport of petanque so much that he wanted to help others and successfully undertook the JPA Club Coaches course. David was well known for Dates for your Diary (Please note this is only a guide. It’s drawn from the club web- Top guns sites and is subject to change. Please check with the host club before attending any event). at virtual AUGUST 1st Liberation Club shooting competition, 9am start 8th LPC Club Singles, 9am start shooting th 11 CPC Boules and picnic evening, 6.30pm start 15th Jean Pierre Club Doubles at CPC, 9am start 22nd LPC Open Doubles 29th LPC Open Singles 30th LPC Open Mixed Doubles

SEPTEMBER 8th CPC Boules and picnic evening, 6.30pm start 12th LPC Women’s Singles Open 19th CPC Men & Women’s Club Singles (9am / 10am start

OCTOBER th 17 LPC Charity Triples Open 31st CPC Halloween Open Charity doubles Congratulations to all those Island players who took part in the REGULARS virtual shooting competitions that became a feature of the summer Carrefour because of the pandemic. They were all played “at home” in the Wednesday afternoon melees from 1.45pm sense that performances were relayed live to opponents via a video Boule & Bites evenings every 2nd Tuesday of the month at link (see Page 7 for more details). However special mention must go CPC to Matt Pinel who won the Gold Consolage event in the Big Shoot- Saturday afternoon melees at CPC from 1.45pm Off Volume Two and Brian Harris who just missed out in the Silver event. The competition was organised by English player David

Plumhoff and part sponsored by the new Jersey-based petanque JPC equipment suppliers, Carreau Le Crapaud (see Page 8). Tuesday evening training sessions at JPC from 6pm til dusk

Social pétanque every Wednesday afternoon from 2pm There were 80 players from around the world taking part, playing to standard Tir de Precision rules. The top 32 went through to the Gold St Mary group in the finals, the next 32 to the Silver and the final 16 to the Monday morning melees from 10am Bronze. In the opening round Brian Harris finished 56th which put Wednesday evening melees from 6.30pm him through to the Silver group in the finals, with both Matt Pinel and Geoffroy Buffetrille just missing out on the top 16 Gold group And finally folks … and going through to the Gold Consolage instead. Matt Pinel went on to win the Gold Consolage final beating Jason White of England 40-32. Brian Harris wasn’t at his best in the Silver final, scoring 12 JPC hoping for a nest-egg? against his opponents 31 though Brian’s best tally in the competition, a 43, was a point outside the top ten scores overall, The top score in the competition was by one Dimitri Keulemans who scored a 69 – next best was a 53 by the overall competition winner, Dean Seville.

Why not take a coach trip

If any member is interested in becoming a qualified coach, the JPA will, depending upon demand, run a Club Coaching course during the Winter/Spring, In addition, if any already qualified coach wishes to take their knowledge further and Coo! Meet Jersey Pétanque Club’s newest member, one of a qualify as a National Coach, the pair of doves that built a nest on some wooden spars under the CEP (Confederation of European eaves of the front of the clubhouse. It’s what you could call a Petanque will be running a flying freehold. The pair claim they’re got residential rights "Coaching for Coaches" course in because they’re related to Ian and Judy Dove. Whether that’s 2021 (date and details will be true or not, it’s hoped their two fledglings will join the club as advised in due course). Anyone interested, contact the JPA junior members. secretary, Steve Foster at [email protected]