The 2025 Men’s National Singles Petanque Championship, hosted by Cardiff Harlequins Petanque Club, drew an impressive field of 22 competitors this past weekend, marking a significant increase in participation compared to the previous year. The growth signals a rising interest in the singles format within the Welsh petanque community.

Players from six WPA-affiliated clubs participated in the event: Cardiff Harlequins PC, Caerleon RFC PC, Monkstone PC, Twyn-y-Ffrwd PC, Vale PC, and Ystradowen PC. The Championship began with a qualification round comprising three matches for each participant. Players were ranked from 1 to 22 based on performance to determine seeding for the knockout stages.

Among the top performers in the qualifiers were 2024 champion Len Field (Vale PC), his clubmate Ian Bailey, and an impressive new player from Monkstone PC, Elijah Jeffers. All three remained unbeaten in the qualification stage, showcasing skill and composure to claim the top positions going into the knockout rounds.

The top 16 players advanced to the main knockout stage to compete for the prestigious national title. At the same time, those ranked 17th to 22nd entered a minor knockout competition, ensuring all participants remained engaged throughout the tournament.

Qualifying Round: Full Results.

The tournament wasn’t without its surprises.  The first round saw early exits for Ian Bailey (2nd seed), losing 13:7 to junior player Jack Harris and Elijah Jeffers (3rd seed) also saw an early exit after losing 13:6 to George Hill, underlining the unpredictable nature of the knockout phase. Top seed Len Field, who had dominated the qualifying round, was eliminated in the quarterfinals by clubmate Jean-Yves Robic (seeded 9th) in a tightly contested match 13:4, after winning against higher-ranked Phil Freegard.

Also in the upper half of the draw, Sean Smith (seeded 5th) progressed to the final after his narrow 13:11 semifinal win over his clubmate Jean-Yves Robic.

In the lower half of the draw, Richard Harris (seeded 6th) began his campaign with a commanding 13:8 victory over Monkstone PC’s Roger Green. Richard continued his dominant form into the quarterfinals, dispatching George Hill (Twyn-y-Ffwrdd) 13:10 in a closely fought battle.

In the semifinals, Richard met Claude Le Razavet of Monkstone PC, who had just edged past his 11-year-old son Jack (Caerleon RFC PC) 13:10. However, Richard Harris was focused, powering through to a decisive 13:6 win to earn his spot in the final.

The final between Sean Smith and Richard Harris was an intense contest from the outset, with both players exchanging points in a game that kept them both focused. Sean pulled ahead but could not close off the game, allowing Richard to come back and win the match 13:11 and take the championship title. Congratulations to both finalists for an entertaining final.

Full Results of the Championship Knockout Phase

2025 National Men’s Singles Champion: Richard Harris – Caerleon RFC Petanque Club.	Runner-up: Sean Smith (Right) – Vale Petanque Club with Richard Harris.

The WPA Executive would like to thank the members and committee of the Cardiff Harlequins PC for their hard work in preparing for the competition and their hospitality throughout the day.