Welsh Petanque Association National Singles Championships
Sunday 21 May 2017. Caerleon Petanque Club, Caerleon, Gwent
The second National titles day of the 2017 Welsh Petanque Association season was played on Sunday on the terrains of the Caerleon Petanque Club. Women and Men were competing in two separate singles championships with Gemma Foster (Caerleon) and Peter Westall (Wenvoe) being crowned the 2017 Welsh Singles Champions.
Men National Singles Championship: Peter Westall rolls back the Years
Nineteen men competed in the National Singles Championship, over 6 rounds played under the Swiss System.
After the first three rounds played in the morning, ten players were still in the race for the title. Phil Bradshaw (Monkstone PC), Peter Westall (Wenvoe PC), Nai Kongchung (Unaffiliated) were in the lead with 3 wins each and Bob Pugh (Wenvoe PC) in 4th position with 2 wins. The afternoon session proved to be decisive with the top 10 battling amongst each other. The first upset of Round 4 showed Bob Pugh narrowly losing 11-13 to Ian Bailey (Wenvoe PC) who seemed to have found his form. At the top of the table, Phil Bradshaw defeated Peter Westall 13-6 and Nai Kongchung overcame Ray Hayes (Wenvoe PC) 13-5. The penultimate round produced the first surprise of the day with Nai Kongchung beating favourite and title holder Phil Bradshaw 13-6. Peter Westall recovered from his previous round defeat with a 13-8 win over Ian Bailey. Richard Harris (Caerleon PC) recorded his second straight win of the afternoon 13-11 against Len Field (Maesteg PC). Everything was still to play in the last round and Richard Harris inflicted a second defeat to Phil Bradshaw 13-12 to finish the day with 5 wins assuring him of a top 3 finish.
The title was being contested between Peter Westall and Nai Kongchung and the contest was fierce with both players pointing and shooting well. In the end experience prevailed and Peter Westall, who represented Wales at the 2016 European Veterans Championships, won 13-12 to regain the title that he first won in 2005. Richard Harris finished in 2nd place with Nai Kongchung in 3rd. Bob Pugh assured his 4th place after a last win 13-9 over Paul Mayfield (Caerleon PC). Ian Bailey recorded a good 13-4 victory against Hugh Morris (Wheatsheaf PC) to reach 5th place in front of Phil Bradshaw at 6th.
Mens’s National Singles
1st – Peter Westall (Wenvoe PC)
2nd – Richard Harris (Caerleon PC)
3rd – Nai Kongchung (Unaffiliated)
Women National Singles Championship: Gemma Foster win again
Only four female players had registered, but the competition was expected to be fierce with a trio of players having represented Wales at the 2016 European and World Championships. After the first three rounds played in the morning, Gay Evans (Cardiff Bay PC) led Gemma Foster (Caerleon PC) with three successive wins, including a comfortable 13-5 win in their own tussle.
Gemma, who recently won the National Triples, fought back in the afternoon though and following the surprise defeat of Gay Evans to Janet Price (Caerleon PC), Gemma took the advantage in the final round to confirm her supremacy to secure the Singles Championship by comprehensively defeating Gay Evans 13-4 in the winner takes all showdown. Janet Price confirmed her third position by winning her last match 13-5 against Tansy Mayfield (Caerleon PC).
Womens’s National Singles
1st – Gemma Foster (Caerleon PC)
2nd – Gay Evans (Cardiff Bay PC)
3rd – Janet Price (Caerleon PC)
