Players’ skills certainly came to the fore at the NSW Gateball Championships at the Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre at the weekend.
Hosted by the Toronto Croquet Club from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 October, the tournament featured teams from as far away as Hazelbrook, Strathfield, Cooks River, Canberra and Moreton Bay, who mixed it with a strong local contingent.
For the uninitiated, gateball is a form of croquet that was developed in Japan after World War II.
“It’s a fast game, which attracts participants of all ages, making it an excellent spectator sport,” Toronto Croquet Club publicity officer Liz McDonald said.
“So, it was great to stage the championships here.
“Even though the weather wasn’t too kind to us on the Friday morning, it improved by the afternoon and pleasant for the rest of the competition.
“Doubles kick-started the event, with 14 pairs playing in two blocks.
“On the Saturday, the official opening took place, thanks to Gateball Australia coordinator Ros Crowe, before the teams hit the courts for their battle.”
In the doubles final, block A versus block B, it was an all-Canberra affair.
The husband and wife pairing of Glen and Kristina Whitehead proved too strong for Kevin Maloney and Ralph Richardson.
Moreton Bay later produced the goods in the teams’ decider, recording a perfect score, to beat Canberra White.
In good news for the Toronto Croquet Club, local members Ruth Mulvaney and Helen Chambers have been selected to represent Australia at the World Titles in China in December.
Then, in 2025, the best players are expected to converge on Glendale again for the Australian Doubles Championships and Australian Teams Championships from 16 to 20 October.
For more sports stories:
- ALM: Stanton confident Brazilian striker will bounce back as debutants impress
- Cessnock, Singleton cricketers produce outstanding performances
- ALM: City coach calls for Jets fans to ‘be patient’
Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
