Welsh Petanque Association

The next round of the 2010 EuroCup will see the Wheatsheaf playing in Group P which will be played in Assebroek over the weekend of 16th - 17th October.

The club are arranging a coach over to Belgium, anybody interested in going, please contact Gemma Foster.

Day two of the 2010 EuroCup competition saw the sun arrive at the Wheatsheaf Boules Club, and the teams split in to their doubles. The first round of the day (Round 4) saw the pairings of Gemma Foster and Gill Brace, Jake Caston and Steve Brace and Sue Foster and Colin Sweet take on the Luxembourg parings of Carine Cattazzo and Grabi Vallese, Luc Cattazzo and Bruno Piccotti and Serge Cattazzo and Alain Laterza.

Luxembourg were too strong for the Wheatsheaf who didn't do themselves justice and lost the three doubles matches, extending Luxembourg's lead.

Final Result:
Wheatsheaf 1, Total points 38
Peta-Boules Shifflange 4, Total points 55 - Winner

Round 5 of the competition saw the Wheatsheaf play HA Petanque Wien. The Wheatsheaf had to pull themselves together after the disappointment of the first round of the day and endeavour to win as many of the doubles as possible to keep their chances of qualifying for Round 2 of the competition alive.

Changes were made and the following doubles took to the piste's, Steve Brace and Jim Hutchinson, Linda Hutchinson and Jill Brace and Gemma Foster and Jake Caston played Carina Traub and Fritz Vida, Franz Kulhanek Jnr and Andreas Neugebauer and Daniela Kulhanek and Christian Mayer.

This time the Wheatsheaf doubles played to their strengths and took two of the doubles matches to win the encounter by 3 games to 2.

Final Result:
Wheatsheaf 3, Total points 49 - Winner
HA Petanque Wien 2, Total points 40

The final round of the competition saw the doubles teams of Peta-Boules Shifflange and HA Petanque Wien play HA Petanque Wien had to take a minimum of two games from Peta-Boules Shifflange to qualify for round 2 of the competition. Luxembourg kept the same parings from the first round of the day of Carine Cattazzo and Grabi Vallese, Luc Cattazzo and Bruno Piccotti and Serge Cattazzo and Alain Laterza.

HA Petanque Wien, made changes from those who played the Wheatsheaf in the previous round, Franz Kulhanek Jnr and Christian Mayer, Franz Kulhanek Snr and Josef Mayer and Monika Traub and Alfred Reissmuller.

As for the triples Peta-Boules Shifflange were too strong for HA Petanque Wien in the doubles and took the games easily, however, the mixed doubles was a different matter, Austria took the lead and it looked as though they were going to take the match. However, a strong fight back from Luxembourg and excellent play from both side brought the game to 10 - 10. more points were taken to take Austria to 12 - 11, but a poor final end saw Luxembourg take the final points winning 13 - 12.

Final Result:
Peta-Boules Shifflange 5, Total points 65 - Winner
HA Petanque Wien 0, Total points 24

Overall Result:
1st Peta-Boules Shifflange meetings won - 2, Total games won - 9
2nd Wheatsheaf Boules Club, Meetings won - 1, Total games won - 4
3rd HA Petanque Wien, Meetings won - 0, Total games won - 2

The WPA Executive would like to congratulate all the Clubs that took part in the EuroCup and especially Peta-Boules Shifflange and The Wheatsheaf Boules Club who now progress on to Round Two of the competition to be held over the weekend of 16/17th October. This is the first time that a Welsh Club has progressed to Round 2 and we would like to congratulate the club and all their members on this success.

On a overcast but dry day the three teams comprising Group D came together at the Wheatsheaf Inn, the home of the hosts Wheatsheaf Boule Club.

After a short welcome by the clubs Chairman Jake Caston and the exchange of gifts, the teams got down to the serious business of qualifying for Round Two of the EuroCup later in the year. In Round 1 the Wheatsheaf were drawn against the Clubs Champions from Luxembourg, Peta-Boules Shifflange.

The Welsh triple of Gemma Foster, Jake Caston and Steve Brace were drawn against Alain Laterza, Grabi Vallese and Bruno Piccotti. Wales immediately but up a strong lead leaving their opponents struggling to master the piste. The opposition could not make in-roads in to the lead and finally lost 13 - 3. However, the mixed triple of Sue Foster, Colin Sweet and Jill Brace failed to make it two out of two after a tight game against Carine Cattazzo, Luc Cattazzo and Serge Cattazzo. As the surname suggest they were all related with the husband and wife playing with their 14 year old son took the game 13 - 9.

Wales 1 win
Luxembourg 1 win

Round 2 of the competition saw this time the Wheatsheaf playing their Austrian opponents HA Petanque Wien. Again, the Welsh triple of Gemma Foster, Jake Caston and Steve Brace dominated the Austrian Triple of Fritz Vida, Josef Mayer and Alfred Reissmuller winning 13 - 1 with Gemma Foster shooting for the game. Again, the Mixed Triple comprising Jim Hutchinson, Linda Hutchinson and Jill Brace failed to take the second triple finally loosing 7 - 13 against the Austrian Mixed Triple of Daniela Kulhanek, Franz Kulhanek Jnr and Christian Mayer.

Wales 2 wins
Luxembourg 1 win
Austria 1 win

The final round of the day saw the two visiting teams play each other, with the Wheatsheaf squad watching from the side lines. The triples team of Alain Laterza, Grabi Vallese and Bruno Piccotti were pitted against the Austrian triples team of Franz Kulhanek Snr, Alfred Reissmuller and Andreas Neugebauer who were overwhelmed by their opponents and lost 0 - 13. The Mixed Triple of Carine Cattazzo, Luc Cattazzo and Serge Cattazzo played against the Austrian Mixed Triple of Daniela Kulhanek, Franz Kulhanek Jnr and Christian Mayer. This resulted in a lengthy and tense match between the two experienced teams. Austria went ahead and left Luxembourg team struggling to stay in the game. However, digging deep and assisting each other the family team pulled back and after 1.5 hours took the game 13 - 10 giving Peta-Boules Shifflange 2 well deserved wins.

Luxembourg 3 wins
Wales 2 wins
Austria 1 win

All the teams then prepared for the biggest challenge of the day - a hog roast!! and to contemplate the final rounds on Sunday.

Umpire - Derek Jones

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Follow this link to download the complete Euro Cup 2010 draw.

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The draw for Euro Cup 2010 was undertaken at the meeting of the CEP Executive last weekend, the results of which were emailed directly to myself by our CEP representative Mike Pegg (EPA President).

The winners of this years Welsh Cup for Clubs, The Wheatsheaf Inn have been drawn to play at home against Peta-Boules, Schifflange, Luxembourg and HAPetanque, Vienna, Austria, two teams form this group will go through to the next round.

Wales Wheatsheaf Inn PC

Luxembourg Peta-Boules, Schifflange

Austria HAPetanque, Vienna

 

The winning English club will be drawn away from home to play against Denmark (host nation) and Finland whilst Scotland have been drawn at away to play against Poland (host nation), Estonia and Italy - Good luck to both sister associations.

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The final round of this years Welsh Cup for Clubs was held at Abergavenny Pétanque Club. The Executive of the WPA would like to thank all the clubs that entered this years competition and especially the three clubs that hosted the three rounds, The Wenvoe, Wheatsheaf and Abergavenny. The executive would like to congratulate the Wheatsheaf Pétanque Club on qualifying for this years round of the European Cup for Clubs.

Club	Games Won
Wheatsheaf	26
Abergavenny	22
Monkstone	22
Caerleon	17
Wenvoe	10
Barn	8

The Wheatsheaf Pétanque Club have now won this competition for the second time, the first time was in 2007 when the competition was first held in Wales. I am sure all the clubs wish the Wheatsheaf well and will be there to support them if they are drawn at home.

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The second round of the of the Cup for Clubs was held at the Wheatsheaf Inn in dry but very cold windy conditions, as we all know there isn't much room to shelter up on the hill side except in the pub itself.

However, all six teams turned up to get the best of their opponents. The morning session saw Wheatsheaf drawn against Wenvoe, The Barn against Caerleon and Abergavenny against Monkstone. The afternoon session saw Wheatsheaf against Caerleon, The Barn against Abergavenny and Wenvoe against Monkstone. The days results are as follows:

Club	Games Won
Wheatsheaf	22
Abergavenny	19
Monkstone	18
Caerleon	14
Wenvoe	6
Barn	5

This sets the scene for an exciting final morning session, where anyone of the top three teams may take the title of Welsh Club Champions. The key fixtures will be between the Wheatsheaf v Abergavenny and Monkstone v The Barn. If the Monkstone manage to win maximum points it will put them on 25 wins, which means the Wheatsheaf have to take 4 games off Abergavenny to take the title, whilst Abergavenny need to take all 7 games. However, The Barn will be there to spoil the Monkstone attempt to regain the title by endeavouring to take games from them. The final fixture between Caerleon and Wenvoe will be important to finalise the position of the bottom clubs.

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Round 1 of the competition was played at Wenvoe PC, six clubs took part, all playing to take the Welsh title and the opportunity to take part in the European round of the competition later in the year.

Club	Games Won
Wheatsheaf	12
Abergavenny	12
Monkstone	7
Wenvoe	5
Caerleon	4
Barn	2

This sets the scene for an exciting 2nd round at the Wheatsheaf on Sunday 28th March. Will Monkstone bring out the 'Big Guns' to pull back?

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The annual competition to find the 2010 Welsh Club Champion is about to start. On Sunday 21st February, the first round of the Championship will kick-off at Wenvoe Pétanque Club, followed by The Wheatsheaf Pétanque Club on 28th February and Abergavenny Pétanque Club on 21st March.

As with previous years the winning team with be invited to represent Wales and the WPA in the European leg (Euro Cup) of the competition organised by the Confédération Européenne de Pétanque, CEP.

The following Clubs are taking part in this years competition:

Abergavenny, Caerleon, Monkstone, The Barn, Wenvoe and The Wheatsheaf.

Unfortunately, Penarth had to withdraw from entering the competition, as they were unable to provide the numbers required to create a squad. Therefore the number of rounds required have been reduced from 4 to 3 as provisionally published on the playing calendar.

For all three rounds, Registration is at 09:30, Start of Play 10:00, prompt. The draw is as follows:

	Club	Wenvoe (21 Feb)		Wheatsheaf (28 Feb)		Abergavenny (21 Mar)
		AM	PM	AM	PM	AM	PM
1	Wheatsheaf	The Barn	Monkstone	Wenvoe	Caerleon	Abergavenny	NR
2	The Barn	Wheatsheaf	Wenvoe	Caerleon	Abergavenny	Monkstone	NR
3	Abergavenny	Wenvoe	Caerleon	Monkstone	The Barn	Wheatsheaf	NR
4	Caerleon	Monkstone	Abergavenny	The Barn	Wheatsheaf	Wenvoe	NR
5	Wenvoe	Abergavenny	The Barn	Wheatsheaf	Monkstone	Caerleon	NR
6	Monkstone	Caerleon	Wheatsheaf	Abergavenny	Wenvoe	The Barn	NR

All competition paperwork will be at the registered venues.

Follow this link to down load the Competition Rules.

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On the 8th/9th August a team from Monkstone PC represented Wales in Brno, Czech Republic, in the European Cup for Clubs, playing against the Swiss and Czech champions. Flying the flag for Wales were Phil Bradshaw, Neil Dobbins, Matthew Franks, Cyril Royer and Peter & Diane Westall.

Our hosts, Carreau Brno, organised an informal doubles on the Friday evening of our arrival and hopes for a successful weekend were high when two of the Monkstone teams finished in the top four out of about twenty teams, beating some of the top Swiss and Czech teams in the process.

However, this success was not to be repeated and it was the Swiss team who proved the runaway winners of the cup competition, with the Monkstone finishing a disappointing third. Of course, we were familiar with the Swiss champions, Leman Pétanque, having faced them in last year’s competition. Anyone who saw them that weekend would agree that they are formidable competitors. They came with four new players this year and any thoughts that they might have brought a scratch side were soon dispelled when the four proved every bit as adept as those they had replaced!

To their credit the Monkstone players competed to the end and pushed hard to gain the consolation of finishing at least second but Carreau Brno had some very able young shooters in their squad and were worthy runners-up.

Lessons to be learned? The most glaring observation is the gap between our best players and those on the continent. The Monkstone team played well, particularly Neil Dobbins, but they were up against players whose pointing and shooting were in a class of their own. If Welsh teams are to succeed in Europe or the wider world, we need more competition of this standard. We will only improve if we seek more opportunities to raise our game.

Carreau Brno hold an annual open triples at the end of August and a lot of aspiring Welsh players would undoubtedly benefit from making the trip next year. They would certainly receive the warmest of welcomes including cheap accommodation arranged by the club. The Monkstone team would like to thank Carreau Brno for their wonderful hospitality.

Roger Griffin
President
Monkstone Pétanque Club

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We have received some additional information from our CEP Representative Mike Pegg, concerning the Euro Cup. The full draw is as follows:

Group A:  Czech v Swiss v Wales
Group B:  England v Ned v Slovenia
Group C:  Germany v Sweden v France
Group D:  DUC (08 champs) v Finland v Austria
Group E:  Monaco v Scotland v Belgium
Group F:  Denmark v Andorra v Italy

All the first named teams in each group are the hosts, so we will play in the Czech Republic, Scotland in Monaco and England at home. Unlike last year each nation is now responsible for their own costs.

As more information becomes available, it will be posted here.

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The draw for Euro Cup 2009 was undertaken on Saturday 4th April at the meeting of the CEP Executive, the results of which were emailed directly to Byron (SPA President) and myself by our CEP representative Mike Pegg (EPA President).

The winners of this years Welsh Cup for Clubs, The Monkstone Inn have been drawn to play in the Czech Republic with Switzerland. The results of the draw are a bit light at the moment, but the results of draw will be posted on the CEP web site some time this week.

As a matter of interest, Scotland have been drawn to play in Monaco with Belgium.

One small problem is that the games must be played 8th and 9th August 2009, which provides the WPA with a minor problem.

As soon as more information is obtained, it will be posted here.