This year’s State Singles Championships were held in fine and mild conditions, continuing the remarkable trend of near-perfect weather for all our SAPL events so far this season.
Interclub Competition Round 3 Adelaide Hills Pétanque Club – 31 Jan, 2021
After the unfortunate cancellation of our November round due to a brief COVID-19 outbreak, we have at least struck it very lucky with the weather this season. For this round, we had mild temperatures to offset the mid-summer sun and a gentle breeze kept everyone comfortable –about as good as it gets in January. On the previous Sunday, we would have encountered temperatures over 40C and a massive smoke plume from the large bushfire raging within a few kilometres of the Stirling venue.
The competition itself was very tight. Only 4 teams won all three of their prelim games and only 5 won both of the afternoon games. Just one team managed to do both and that was the winning combination of Alexi Alexi, Craig Stewart & Maurice Belz, from Eastern Suburbs.
Last season, 2019/20, was notable as the first time in ten years that Alexi didn’t win at least one Interclub gold medal, but he’s more than made up for it this season. This makes it three wins in a row for Alexi and Maurice – a remarkable feat not seen since 2013. On that occasion, it was also a team featuring Alexi, playing with George Lainas and Arwed Turon. (Prior to that, the only others to achieve it were the awesome world-class trio of Suki, Ken and Raja, also from ESP, who many will remember.) The big question now, as we are only half-way through the season, is “how far can they take this?” History beckons.Continue reading
Cancellation of InterClub Round 3 Gawler – 29th November
Message from SAPL
New SA Government COVID restrictions require all community sport fixtures to be temporarily cancelled (expected duration of 6 days).
The InterClub Round 3 at Gawler has been cancelled.
Further information will be given when the situation is clearer.
Cancellation of Dingo Cup at ESP on 22nd November
Message from Eastern Suburbs Pétanque
New SA Government COVID restrictions require all community sport fixtures to be temporarily cancelled (expected duration of two weeks).
The Dingo Cup has been cancelled.
What a shame for all of us. Stay safe everyone, and hopefully we will see each other on the piste again soon.
cheers
Eastern Suburbs Pétanque
2020/21 SA State Doubles Championship – Prospect 25 October
This year’s State Doubles Championships were held at Prospect in fine and mild
conditions. For just the second time in five years, there was sufficient demand for a
separate Women’s competition and the turnout of ten teams for that event was great
to see.
At the end of the day, it was no surprise to see Deb Rodda & Selina Dally emerge as the
Women’s Champions. It doesn’t seem to matter whether there is a separate
competition or if the title is awarded to the best-placed female team in a combined
tournament, these two legends of the game (and reigning Open Triples champions)
have been keeping a firm grip on the Women’s Doubles title for some years now. It is
Deb’s fourth time in a row, while for Selina this makes six out of the past seven.
The only other team to get through the four qualifying rounds unscathed, Anna
O’Connor & Tory McBride, also continued through to the final and finished as
runners-up.
In the Open, there were a few upsets in the morning session, but the cream rose to the
top in the end. The new Champions are Alexi Alexi & Maurice Belz. That makes two in
a row for Maurice and it’s also the second for Alexi, although the latter had to wait for
eight years to replicate the feat. Alexi now has one State Singles trophy, two Doubles
trophies and three Triples trophies to his name.
After a steady start to the day, Alexi & Maurice made it to the final via an epic semi
against Lionel Pujol & Dominique Pierre (whose path to that point had not been quite
so straightforward). That game hung in the balance right until the end. In contrast,
the much-anticipated final against David Lefer & Lionel Chazal was all over in half an
hour and rather one-sided.
