Sunshine, lovely food, friendly competition and the shoot-out drama made the second Welsh Petanque Association’s (WPA) International Women’s Day (IWD) melee a huge success. 

With the IWD colours purple, green, and white very much on show, over 30 players enjoyed the warm welcome you can always expect at Caerleon RFC PC.

Games were played in a friendly spirit but with a competitive edge. Players ranged in age from 10 to… well, we didn’t ask.  The women new to competitions appreciated the friendliness and support of more experienced players.

The melee finished with five players winning all their games. Gaynor Rees and Jackie Williams were clear of the field in first and second place, respectively. The remaining three had a points difference of +20, and after further analysis, two players were still tied. The day ended with a Golden Boule play-off, and Cath Vaughan claimed third place.

Gaynor Rees (Mumbles PC): 1st place, receiving her prize from Ruth Long.	Jackie Williams (Caerleon RFC PC): 2nd place, receiving her award from Ruth Long.	Cath Vaughan (Mumbles PC): 3rd place, receiving her prize from Ruth Long.

In addition to being a fun event, £200 was raised for Women’s Aid.

The day’s success was down to the brilliant organisation of Ruth Long and her team from Caerleon RFC PC.

Check the WPA calendar for other Women-Only events, such as the National Triples Championship on May 11th, the National Singles Championship on May 18th and the Open Doubles competition at the new Vale Club on July 26th.

Also, watch this site for future WPA women-only events and news of IWD 2026!

Jayne Dunn