Last Friday was the third hottest day recorded, and it took its toll on the players, with both the croquet and tennis courts eerily quiet!
My mallet tried to practice but after twenty minutes, decided an iced coffee was the better option!
The Croquet Pavilion is now open for access to lockers only.
Maximum of two people at a time
♠ No changing
♠ No kitchen usage
♠ No sheltering or spectating
♠ Notice boards will not be in use
On the weekend of 25/26 July we held the Ranelagh Gold Cup excellently organised and managed by Peter Siddall.
A report from Peter Siddall:
Roehampton Club Croquet’s premier event was held last weekend with a restricted but top-quality field of 12 including two of the top ten UK players, Mark Avery and James Death. Others in the top tier included our own Mark van Loon, holder, and Tim Russell. There were signs of rustiness in play on the first day and the weather was showery at times. Players stuck to the task and completed the required four rounds with a smile.
On Sunday, high quality play was in evidence with multiple triple peels and one quadruple peel. If you don’t know what they are, take it that they are evidence of excellent skills!
After the fifth of the round-robin matches, in the semi finals, Alain Giraud (Ealing) narrowly beat Tim Russell (Roehampton) +5 and Mark Avery beat James Death (Nottingham) +20.
The final was won by Alain Giraud, who beat the favourite, Mark Avery +17tp, their second match of the day.
Other players, who were less successful in the knock out, played several more games in the consolation Z games. The sun was shining and they had been starved of competition for too long.
Congratulations to Alain, who is a worthy champion and proud holder of the Ranelagh Gold Cup 2020.
Players seemed to have enjoyed themselves and we hope to welcome them back at Roehampton Club in ‘21! Everyone appreciated the high quality of our courts and the hospitality in the bar!
Wishing you all a happy and safe August
Mike Pattison | Croquet Captain
